Failures as parents

Modern day parents are a dismal failure from a yogic standpoint

Most parents want and teach their kids – become wealthy, have Fame, a nice family and or a successful career, maybe a nice married life

Is there a parent out there who wishes on their children – life without money but a wealth of spiritual success? Be well known only to God and unknown to others? The only family he or she knows are the people who seek God ? A parent who says be great and successful only in spiritual matters?

Yogananda parents did. Reluctantly

I will end with “Rajab tune to kiyo ajab……”

That’s what a Guru wants A child like that.

Illness and a yogi

“Imagination is the door through which disease as well as healing enters. Disbelieve in the reality of sickness even when you are ill; an unrecognized visitor will flee.”

Swami Sri Yukteswar

Birthday is May 10.

Keep in mind very few people can reach that level where existence of body and its illness is denied on thought

When you have back pain fur example and you go deep in meditation and forget body and are determined with the thought there is no pain when body awareness returns it can go away

Yukteshwar and Yogananda both did it when sick. But in both cases their Guru instructed them to do so

Yogananda and all other great saints refused to cure their body later in life when sick. That is a higher level of yoga.

Sensitive

We get it all wrong. We are sensitive to things that offend us. But not sensitive to the v feelings of others.
Such is a manifestation of ego

It is easy to understand. But time and again we fall prey to our ego and get hurt

All the world problems right now , the discrimination issues are from this. If everyone looked at it differently and cared about others and less worried about their own feelings the world would be peaceful

A perfect example was Sita. She never cared about her self. But lived every second for others and and Ram.

Now the idiots of the world think she was unfortunate and sad. Maybe the Ramanand Sagar version of Sita showed her to be crying all the time have that impression

The truth was she was the primal Goddess herself. One look and she could destroy all the world. Yes she lived with love. Forgiving all and enduring This is what Ramayana is about. She is the central figure of Ramayana

Even right now, she forgives all our mistakes and endures all the insults we give her.

And she left an example. Hope everyone should be. Instead the world degenerate to the exact opposite

This is what Yogananda said

Don’t be touchy or oversensitive…

Sensitiveness expresses itself in a lack of control over the nervous system. A thought of being offended runs through the mind and the nerves rebel against it. In reacting, some persons see the inwardly with anger or hurt feelings and show no irritation outwardly. Others express their emotions in an obvious and instant reaction in the muscles of their eyes and face and often in a sharp retort of their tongue as well. In either case, to be touchy is to make one-self miserable, and to create a negative vibration that also adversely affects others. To be able always to spread an aura of goodness and peace should be the motive of life. Even if there is good reason for being excited because of mistreatment, one who instead controls himself in such a situation is master of himself.

Excerpts from the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda

Why can’t I recognize an advanced person?

Our filter and our ego

We already have a preconceived opinion. In most people mind a Guru will be a monk of sort
He will wear saffron clothes
Might be shaved
Speaks softly
Has knowledge

Do you know what is missing?

Think about it! What is missing? The most important thing – having true experience!!!

Without that none of the above matters

And if you have experience?

If you have experience
Clothes or no clothes Who cares?
Shaved or bald, who cares?
Monk or married why cares?
Read books or illiterate, who cares?

If God is in your hand
And your in Gods hand
Both happens simultaneously
What does anything matter?

But you can’t see or recognize it

The person does not meet your filter
Plus the opposite is true. You so much believe in the wrong figure, that anything he says you will accept.

Plus , if I say you you can only meet God when the moon is half, people will think i am crazy but never ask why!

There are many great liberated saints who passed by. They will say everything quite openly. But fools will ignore them

Reva Bharati was an enlightened soul. She walked around the village in Broad daylight with a candle. No one asked why?

Why ? She was saying my light is brighter than what you see. I walk with the light of God

This light of God is real. Not an allegory
Yogananda said, with a little practice you can see it brighter than daylight

This is one reason why we fail

The other reason is your ego. People in general have a concept about God. It could be God sitting on a throne to God looking like Jesus or God dressed like Ram. But that is your ego limiting God. He May be that way but could be in a million other ways. Why impose your limitations, your intellectual disability on God?

What an enlightened person says is 100% true. You may not grasp it. Plus they reveal very little

God gives them the permission to remain incognito

I have enjoyed being in their presence. Wish I was able to absorb full benefit!

The Book of Job

My daughter asked me a question if the book of Job was accurate.

Let me relate the story of Job briefly.  Job was an extremely pious and pure person.  He had a wife and 7 sons and 3 daughters.  Job constantly asked Gods forgiveness for the transgressions of his children.  Satan then goes to destroy his family and possessions.  Job continues to remain loyal to God and constantly reaffirms his innocence and purity.  His friends wanted Job to confess his sins.  Job insisted on his innocence. 

Later 3 of his friends came over to comfort him.  But they were in fact misguided and misleading him.  Finally, Elihu appears (literal meaning God am I) and after a long interchange between ELihu and Job, finally the ice between Job and God is broken and God appears before Job and grants him back his lost prosperity and has more children and lives for another 140 years. 

There is a deeper spiritual meaning to the whole story.  This can be given at an intellectual and at a Yogic level.

First the intellectual interpretation.   What did Job do wrong? 

1) Job was very “good”.  Being pious is being very Sattvic.  Just like Yudhisthir was very pious and Sattvic.  The cardinal mistake we make is in thinking that being Sattvic is getting very close to  God.  God wants our love – first and foremost.  Doing the right things are very subjective and right karma confounds even the great Saints.  The truth is God is above all duality of Good and Evil.  All Good and all evil ultimately arises from God.  Without Gods permission, Satan cannot exist. 

2) His three friends tried to convince him to confess his sins and he maintained he had comitted no sins.  Moreover, he constantly prayed and pleaded his innocence.  This shows that he had not fully surrendered to Gods will.   A person fully  surrendered to God, does not fight for right or wrong, merely surrenders to Gods will and only wants God.   Like Ramkrishna Paramhansa said, “Mother, I dont care for your rights or wrongs, I only want thee” Or like Shankaracharya said, “Mother, There is no other sinner like me and there is no other person like you who forgives sins.  Knowing this, Mother, do whatever you please.  I only want you” This is also what Elihu tried to tell Job.  Do not please your case for God and do not try to convince God of your superior moral concepts.  After all morality is cultual.

Now for the Yogic definition.

Job here refers to the ego of being pure.   The ten children represents the 5 indriyas (5 gyanendriyas and 5 karmendriyas).  Slaying of the 10 children means taking the prana away from the body and centralizing them in the Sushumna.  The 3 friends are the 3 gunas – sattwa, rajas and tamas.  They constantly mislead and take us on the wrong route.  Elihu refers to the holy Ghost.  (hun is part of or very similar to hun of the sohum technique or Hungso technique) Elihu means God is he (very similar to the words Tatvamasi or sohum) It is only through the holy Ghost, can the silence with God be broken and finally one is able to communicate with God directly.  “Elihu” does not fully appear till the 5 motor and sensory system is “slayed” and till we learn to stop listening or being guided by the chatter of the intellect drived by the 3 gunas. 

The final conclusion is as follows

1) God is above the dualities of good and evil.  Cling to neither and do not insist on your “righteousness” otherwise you will be put through trials till we learn to Surrender to God and only want God.   God has the right to judge. We do not. Judge not lest you be judged.   When we say we are right or good, we are judging ourselves. 

2) The holy Ghost or Elihu is the way.  Focus more and more deeply on the Sohum technique till the ice with God is broken.

We don’t understand each other

We cannot understand why a gyani can see the suffering and simply call it a dream.

The gyani cannot understand why we suffer when it is a dream.

That creates a problem for moksha. How can someone who sees this world as a dream help or be motivated to help? And if they help we immediately think this person is not a gyani !

The solution is ..

Guru advise

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?

March 28, 2009

Entry for March 28, 2009

It has been a long time since I have written on here. Mostly from laziness and the inappropriate habit of spiritual talks with others. One thing I have learnt, that no matter how often and how frequent and how sincere and earnest God or your own desire is to help and bring people to the path of spirituality or help them advance, unless the individual wants progress, NOTHING can help them.
I had a clear perception and vison of this. Once in my meditation, my consciousness was all over the state of consciousness and God said they are all under my protection. They will not be able to make progress unless they truly desire the progress. I will elaborate on it later.

Anyone who has read Yoga Vasishta Maharamayana probably remembers Vasishta Maharaj saying repeatedly, “I am saying this again and again on the top of my voice inviting and imploring everyone to follow the path of spirituality but Alas, no one pays heed! How sad and unfortunate” Even when Rama and Krishna came, very few took their help and took the path of salvation! I know realize that for the most part unless the individual wants progress, and the help is there, they cannot be helped.

The one exception is the will of the Guru. I do know that if any liberated Mahatma or any advanced spiritual disciple makes a will for someones progress, then that progress will occur. This will is independent of the desire of giver or recepient of the grace.

I have been tempted in the past to will for progress for some individuals. However, as I progress, my love for the individual prevents me from giving them what is best for them – spiritual progress. They have been given an individual choice and I will not and cannot interfere unless they freely and completely and truly want to progress.

That brings me to the second part, everyone I have talked with, on surface they want progress. But deeper down, in regions some known and some unknown to the disciple, most of their efforts revolve around protecting their ego, not for destroying the ego. How strange! Yet, in a higher sense, once you walk to the other side, there is no ego to be found! Yet, most disciples are actively and vehemently making efforts to protect their ego!

Anyway, this should explain my absence. I am writing these things for my kids. They will never know their father. Moreover, I was told by Gurudev to write my experiences so it may help others. I do not see anyone right now, who would benefit by my writing. Lastly, I have become bolder because of certain spiritual experiences and I am divinely directed to do certain things. Forgive me, if I offend the ego of the reader. However, without offending, nay destroying the ego, there is no salvation. God bless everyone

Sodom – Do we need to understand?

Link to Original Document

There is a story in the bible. About the city / town of Sodom. Where there was unusual or forbidden sexual activity. (you can figure it out what it was). There was the wrath of God , and the city was destroyed. So the activity was later deplored and it went on to a point of discussion thousands of years later

Now, we can go to modern day literature and archaelogical findings. Just recently, it was reported, on September 20th about their archaeological findings. The city is now called Tall el- Hammam. Now we dont know much about the “social activity” during those times. But there is a lot of archaeological findings that the city was decimated by ….an astroid. What are the findings?

There was a massive fireball from an astroid where the temperature reached 2000 degrees Celciusm. How do we know ?based on the micro diamonds in the area, and silicon. Some of the material is called spherule and it can only occur at temperatures more than 1600 celcius. In those days, they did not have any method to increase the temperature to that degree

Formation of zirconium

Bubbled pottery occurs at that temperature

The data is quite solid. The final conclusion was that an asteroid fell. It immediately destroyed the whole city. It force was more than 1000 Hiroshima bombs. This was followed by a shock wave where the wind was 750 miles per hour or more. Then the winds destroyed the walls of Jericho.

So in the bible there is a description of this in a limited fashion, which suggests there may have been one surviver who told the story.

Fascinating right?

So what it means is that – since it came to Bible, is that, the human mind has to find a reason why this happened. And the conclusion that they came to was the fire in the sky was Gods wrath, and the wrath occurred because of the “practices” in the city.

Now if this was true, then do you think that more of the world would have been in trouble, right now?

This brings out a typical curiosity of the human mind. It never is satisfied. It always seeks a reason. It is this curiosity that has brought about science and discovery. The mind always seeking answers. On the other hand the religious mind also seeks answers, but it turns to God. And gives the thought construct that it happened because God wanted it. And then there is some active human imagination that comes into play and finds a reason why God wanted to destroy Sodom

So, did God send the asteroid? If so, why does he not send a thousand more asteroids now? Surely the world can use a little bit of rectification?

What is the point of all this? The point is, logic can come to conclusions but especially in the case of religion, it maybe faulty. What is better, is not using logic but using God given intuition, a faculty that God gives readily to the pure human mind is better. We should focus on cleansing ourselves rather than go deep in idle debates.

The most important thing, we have to reach individually is purity of mind. This purity is more about all our faculties naturally turned to God rather than the world. This purity where the senses are more interested in God, is not very common. However, with deep meditation, eventually with time, the senses realize the love of God and naturally stays within, without much effort. Isnt that wonderful?

A disclaimer : I am not in anyway capable of understanding how to evaluate or decipher the meaning. Nor do I take sides.

There are no shortcuts

Lazy, ignorant people full of materialistic desires such as fame money sex food come up with very convenient lies for liberation or being with God

These lies include, just say gods name or mantra or I will sprinkle holy water or taking bath in Ganga or going to religious places and giving offerings or I believe in Krishna or Jesus or swaminarayan or my guru – these are all lies none of those things help. Some believe reading books and understanding it is freedom. Stupidity They maybe in some instances a stepping stone provided you have love for God and you are pure in your deeds and have NO MATERIALISTIC DESIRES

WITHOUT FULL LOVE FOR GOD NOTHING IS POSSIBLE

Of course I could be wrong but I prefer love for God, wanting to do good deeds etc very important also

Previous Next

Nov 07

Theory of Karma

Many people have written on this. Both Yogananda and Vivekananda have talked about it in length

And a million other books are out there on karma and sadly, these books are all wrong

What is to be done?

People use theory of Karma to justify pain and sometimes happiness in their life. It helps minimally.

They use theory of Karma to do horrific acts and think they are a karma yogi. Many people call others as a karma yogi. And applaud them when they do good deeds. That is not a karma yogi. Action does not define goodness. Intent defines goodness. Again more than intent, following things with guidance is the best. I have read about great Saints who did “bad acts” but never had any negative karma. Such people appear every few centuries

In short i have just negated most of the stuff people applaud.

I am sure every person reading this has a confident knowledge about it. Oh I must have done something bad that’s why I suffer

I personally dislike theory of Karma. So good because it is the right thing to do. Not because you want good to Happen to you

Secondly, best karma is when no further accumulates. Although this is very secret , it is quite open also. It is mediation. But true mediation.

There are clues to true mediation. Even those who have a Guru fail to do it well. Why? It is not that simple. Even though it may seem simple

Third there is a deeper karma which helps you destroy many of your past karma. However , from what I have read this ultimate secret weapon has been hinted at but hardly anyone knows the full secret.
Kabir, Mirabai,Akho, bharati reva, Etc were masters in it.
If there is anything one should learn is what they learnt and did. ! Of course that is my personal opinion.

In our ego that we know karma , we are not able to find the true secrets My friends, give up ego. Be patient at a true Gurus feet. A few decades later or a few births later you may suddenly realize the truth. At least that is my belief. I can surely let you know when I do know it. :)

My blogs are somewhat vague. This is by design. There are many intelligent people out there. I am not here to ruffle their ego based information or illusionary information. I only like those who want to shatter their ego.

Ego is a terrible thing. People don’t realize it but in every sentence they loudly proclaim their vanity and ego. So my prayers to you is enjoy your knowledge. Let me be in peace. Not hearing from anyone or talking. You go about your path and I will remain in hiding in peace

Oct 31

Failure to change

Social reform.
Spiritual reform
An abundance of spiritual and religious books.
Yet almost no one changes

Why?

Most religions preach kindness. Love. Tolerance. Love for God. Accepting Gods will. Not to retaliate. Forgiveness

And they are perfect!

Hinduism and Sanatan dharma. Goes a few steps further and states you must give up desires or food, sex, finance, ego.

People can’t do it merely based on movies.

So Hinduism, Buddhism, etc preach about Guru

And then it became a marketable business! Read a few books. Preach. Make money
The true role of a Guru lost.

Books by itself and motivational talks can’t really change the mind

Why? The roots are very deep. It is not in the realm of superficial thinking. They exist deeper than the physical body or subtle body.

Now you realize you need a Guru who can separate your subtle body from physical body and then you can make Progress.

Thinking of it intellectual will not help. Experience is needed.

Now you know why my blogs seem complicated and worthless to anyone who has not started progress. But in turn form the very essence of progress to God

It is very difficult to comprehend. Very easy to experience.

Oct 31

Yoga sutra chapter 2 verse 19

The translation by Vivekananda is

The states of the qualities are the defined, the undefined, the indicated only, and the signless.
   visheshavisheshalinggamatralinggani gunnaparvani

The web link is

http://oaks.nvg.org/yoga-sutras.html

Veda Vyas has explained it i great detail. However the translation of what Veda Vyas wrote and typed by a variety of translators has been weak

This is not their fault. Veda Vyas is a Yogi. He is still there. Yoga sutras are about Yoga

Since true Yogis are exceedingly rare, the translation is bound to be weak or inaccurate.

For example Veda Vyas gives the example of Devadatta becomes poor. Because he loses his cattle. There is no change in Devadatta as such.

This of course is a description of Yoga. But the linguistics and logical mind can only think in material terms and hence lose the true Yogic significance

I have explained it in greater detail elsewhere

Guna paravani is differentiated in to four aspects

Alinga – mahat
Linga
Undifferentiated
Differentiated

Since there are 3 gunas you get 12 principles from 4

These are tattwas in the subtle body and in causal

Veda Vyas describes it as 16 – and his description is focused on the differentiated Guna arising from 5 Maha bhota plus the mind

Sri Yuktrshwar has described it well in Holy Science.

What is the purpose of knowing this? I only want God. But these are different steps to silencing the mind.
Otherwise the mind will always get excited by the sight of food, opposite gender, being insulted etc

Yesterday, I had a little incident. Someone translated a Sanskrit phase incorrectly. I merely said my translation is different. And wrote my version of that one word
The group administrator took offense. He immediately said this is not a group for discussion. In other words asked me to shut up

I left the group. Amazing how ego plays!

If children keep playing in the play ground, a parent let’s them play and the father goes about his business. He has many children to look after!

Oct 30

I feel sad for them!

I feel sad and sorry for the politicians. This is true for the rich also

All their life they work hard, some get it without hard work. And make lots of money

But the money was not given for personal pleasure or to imprison Laxmi ( Vishnu wife) in your bank account

It was given to help others. You get the most reward by helping those who truly need it.

Instead when not used wisely it creates a negative impact with reverberations from all the people who suffer and are poor. The consequences are thousands of years of poverty and oppression.

Is it really worth it?

For The politicians it is even worse. They had a wonderful opportunity to help others. Instead they chose to focus on personal gain and selfish help to those who will re elect them.

The law of Karma is vicious and unrelenting. You cannot escape from it. Plus it is exact. Precise.

Right now you have an interesting postulate about karma. A smart yogi, learns these secrets and knowing those secrets they burn their karma in the fire of self knowledge.

That is a karma you. People think the childish thought process of doing things without desire is karma yoga. But that can’t happen till you know reality. Otherwise you will do karma with ego of doing karma yoga, or with the desire of becoming free or becoming a karma yogi

True karma yoga was told by babaji. And yogananda talked about it in Gita. It is kriya yog or kevali or mediation

Be wary of what you do! It will haunt you for a very long time

Oct 30

The lokas – confusing terminology?

In the holy science, Sri Yukteshwar maharaj gives the 7 lokas

  • Satlok – the creator / God / self
  • Tapolok- this refers to Lalitha. This has nothing to do with tapa or penance
  • Janlok- sons of Gods
  • Maharlok- Maya
  • Swarlok – maha shunya great void
  • Bhuvar lok – shunya or void
  • Bhuvarlok – the all too familiar world!

This is from the holy science. So most of the time when people think of the void or shunya they only think of an extremely inferior place bhuvarlok

Since human ego wants you to believe that you And the people ego you trust have substantial achievement, you may easily accept the Buddhism shunya as a high achievement or nirvana. Neither will the human ego let you fathom great void as anything different from void

I hope you see the limitations and issues with understanding.

I have been very cryptic about this things so it stimulates the true seeker to ask the question to their Guru or find a Guru

However your past negative karma will make even that step very challenging!

Humility to a Guru is a must

Oct 28

Karma

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!

Oct 21

Don’t lover in an illusion!

We like to think we are making progress! In some ways we are. But in many ways we are stuck. We repeat the same senseless mistakes.

Let’s say you think you are mediating. But instead of making progress we make the error of thinking how to make progress or imagining progress or making a dialogue with an imagination and they do that all their life

Or you say your want to make progress you think you have Awakening. But instead you spend time searching the web for things written by other imaginary Guru

The first sign of true Awakening is you no longer turn to anyone or find a find a need to ask anyone for spiritual answers. You no longer look at web pages ! They are worthless! If your guru awakened Shakti, which is the role of a Guru, you have the ability to talk with the Creator of all Gods! What more do you need? Oh fool, go within

Instead we tend you waste time finding web pages and reading things. Looking for information. Why not find a Guru and have him introduce you to Shakti. Give Shakti to you?

Do you finally see your errors? But the Guru is not a fool. Those Gurus often hide. They will test your loyalty. They are not ordinary. In very simple tests we fall.

Many times I have seen very keen people interested in spirituality and they fail simple tests from the Guru.

Anyway , most of our actions and thinking is not spiritual. Even when we think we are doing something spiritual! Be careful and align yourself to God

This is what Aurobindo and mother said

What are these insignificant parts of our being?
Almost all of them.
    There are very few things which are not insignificant; all your ordinary reactions, ordinary thoughts, sensations, actions, movements, — all this is very insignificant. It is only at times, when there is a flash of the higher consciousness through the psychic, an opening into something else, a contact with the psychic being (which may last for a second), at that moment, it is not insignificant. Otherwise, all the rest is repeated in millions and millions of copies. Your way of seeing, acting, all your reactions, thoughts, feelings, all that is ordinary. And you believe you are extraordinary, particularly when you are seized by extraordinary sensations and feelings, those that you consider extraordinary — you believe you are lifted higher, nearing something superhuman; but you are quite mistaken. It is nothing but an ordinary state, deplorably ordinary. You must enter deeper, try to see within yourself if you want to find something which is not insignificant.

The Mother, Questions and Answers 1953, CWM volume 5, page 1.

Oct 18

I finally found and understood salvation

I studied history. And finally I got to put things together. Maybe i should guide the rest of the world and maybe even be a super Guru.

So this is what i realized. It came to be suddenly, while driving. I realized it in a second. Maybe even less time. And there was a lot of light. I had pulled my sunglasses off and took the car shade off. The sun was so hot at that time too !

Anyway joking apart, this is what I learnt. It is about Gautam Buddha. Ready? I just cant wait to share this and would love to hear your opinion

So, Buddha was born a prince. He married and had a son named Rahul. And after he saw the world ( old age, disease, death, ….) he got up in the middle of the night and left. He disappeared from home. Stayed in forrest. Thats when he achieved Nirvana. He taught this to other people. Eventually they also achieved Nirvana. His wife saw his point too and she got Nirvana too. King Ashok, took a while but finally left home and spread the word of Nirvana

The western civilization, finally understood nirvana partly, a 4000 or 5000 years later.

So do you want to know what was nirvana? Now mind you, this is just my take. Nirvana was leaving his wife !. Being alone. He finally realized peace instantly. And after having that for 10 years decided to teach others. His wife even realized that being alone was peace. King Ashok left home (hint wife) and found Nirvana too

The western civilization learnt about it too. Unfortunately, they chose to call it Divorce and Nirvana. Since they did not use the right words, they could not preach it to others and could not use the word peace!

Oh well, this is just a joke.
You cant live life being serious all the time, can you?
No, I did not have a fight with my wife.
But I was driving alone. Google maps, apple maps and waze were all off. And wife was not there either. Is that super nirvana?

Oct 18

Important to remember – life

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!

Oct 11

The slow intellect

A slow intellect – I mean this spirituality slow intellect. Where people are unable to grasp things

Why does this happen ?

It is not their fault. It is a game of blind people.

Allow me to explain.

The Mahatmas talk about kriya yoga. Or pranayama. Or divine light. Or divine sound. They actually experience it. Ordinary people can’t. They are blind in a way. Their spiritual eyes are not open. Instead of seeking a true Guru or learning – their ego and vanity takes the support of an imaginative mind and maya and lets the imaginative mind create a false concept of pranayam and kriya yoga and peace and light etc.

Now they are at Ease. They can go about their routine business. Preach to others. Feel blessed. Glorified. Happy. Be proud.

And This is what I call a slow intellect. They got duped! Sad isn’t it?

Many times have I written about true pranayam or kriya yoga. And what do I hear? Stories of great achievement while they remain in the clutches of Maya. Their ego simply became a nidus

The great Saints come to tell us again and again about how we were misled. But ego is such a funny creature. It will not let you believe you have not Started. End result? Enjoying the world of illusion and no step taken to reality.

The great Saints try to correct us – but done they refer to a dimension we have not Reached. It is like two aliens talking with the inferior alien not understanding a word!

Oct 09

Can you have experience without Yoga?

No
Blog over

But I am so smart. God is beyond your intellectual grasp

But I read great books. Look above

I do mantra and prayer. You are still in the physical world. God is beyond the physical senses

I do yoga. So does a crane. Or crocodile. Neither see God. What you think is yoga it s not what Patanjali said. It is not what Gita says. You may think so. And believe so. And find a million billion people who agree with you. But ask yourself – if it was perfect and correct do you know with certainty that you recurred l experienced Samadhi?

Obviously not. In Samadhi all doubts and questions are gone. If you have any question left , you have more to travel it is that simple

More about Yoga Darshan later.

Something incredible about Jagadguru Shankaracharya

Perhaps in next blog

Oct 08

Depressing blogs

Sometimes my blog gets depressing
Depressing for the reader

All I want is people to be cautious and not accept everything on the web. Or the million odd self proclaimed Guru

That would be an unfortunate mistake. A life that did not accomplish much

The immortal Gurus like Babaji, Ramkrishna Paramhansa, Neem Karoli baba, shirdi Saibaba, param ananda tirthji maharaj are still there

All we need to do is be pure and sincere and they can send someone to help us

That is all

Don’t lose hope!

Oct 07

Satyam Vadami

I say the truth

That is the translation. Sanskrit to English

Why do I have to say that? If only you experienced things by going within – there is a tremendous wealth within. So much that all the books put together seem worthless !

All these great books, Blogs, etc are so insignificant you would immediately drop them

And that experience cannot be described or explained. You can only give a very rough analogy.

Very deep and Profound. And you immediately give up reading things. Now you have started your inner journey. First half step.

I say the truth my friends.

My silence for so many months. I wrote a lot. No one read. What people read was nonsense. Not the secrets I wrote
You may not believe it.

But I say the truth.

Satyam Vadami

Oct 07

Why is it so complicated?

It is not

These are the thoughts of a Yogi A funny pun. Think about it !

  1. Silence the mind, emotions and logic. No ego. That is the bare minimum as a starting point
  2. I can’t silence the mind. Of course you can’t. You never practiced it. Your habit is to think, analyze, react. Pretend to yourself that you are a witness. But there is a witness to the thought you are a witness. Everything that you do requires thought. You do mantra mind is active. You try to meditate and you are having an internal dialogue with your self and somewhat imagined God. You never tried to silence mind
  3. I have written the secret. People miss it.
    4). Reading books – trying to understand mind is still very active. Focus on silencing the mind

We have been constantly told and encouraged to read. Even if you try to stop it / and go within – you can’t. Your mind will protest. And you will say there is no sweetness in silencing the mind you find sweetness in intellectual understanding

And that means you are not ready for a Guru

If only you knew!

Oct 06

Greek mythology

The ancient Greeks were very advanced. Look at their architecture and prolific work of literature

But , many of them where perfected or nearly perfected souls

Vishnutirthji maharaj was there too in one of the births

Socrates taught Plato. Plato disciple was Aristotle. Alexander the Great followers Aristotle, came to India. He could not go south of the northern most part of India

The Indian Saints defied him. They would not even go to meet him. One Saint told him he will meet him again in a year. Alexander did not understand the cryptic prophecy and passed away in Egypt The Saint probably was waiting for him on the other side when he departed.

All Gurus live in two worlds simultaneously.

Many of the Greek mythology is not mythology but techniques of yoga. I have written about it in a cryptic way in my blogs

Here is another cryptic message from Plato – describing a perfect method

According to Greek mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate parts, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves.

Of course this can’t be understood by most. And it is not my place to talk about it.

But suffice to say it is not about searching a soul mate or finding love or companionship or physical Union

That’s all what people who only know the physical realm can think or say.

Oct 05

Be careful of the books you read or people who you hear

The mind is very impressionable. Once a wrong concept goes in your mind, it takes a lot of work to get rid of it
In the name of spirituality , you think all books are ok to read and everyone is good to listen to – that is not true

From my perspective – all the books on witness attitude are Wrong. They have not grasped an iota of truth.
Now since you cannot go to the true witness attitude – which is God – you will think that human ego watching the body eat food and enjoy sex and taking walking is witness attitude. Utter foolishness

In my college group I see many people talk about this insane witness attitude. How can thinking or witnessing the physical world lead to super consciousness ? It can’t

Those who live in the physical world. Only know the physical world

Those who are spiritually minded live in pure consciousness – and They being a witness to entire universe are aware of things remotely Now that is beginning of witness. True self which knows much more than the ego generated thinking !

Back to my point. Be careful of what you hear or read. Some people from my guru bandhu group started promoting Vishnu sahastra and other puja. Yoga progress is not about rites or ceremony. It is about going within. But yet hearing the wrong thing repeatedly, many foolish people have given up mediation or waste time in those things – all because of ignorant advise.

Once those wrong thoughts take a hold Of you, you cannot escape. You will get angry or even violent if someone suggests otherwise.

I had emotions of frustration when I saw things being not followed in the right way. Now I enjoy people making errors. It has nothing to do with me. Just a play. Whatever you believe in and Want to follow, the good lord lets you pursue it God will correct you if you have a true interest in him But most people lack genuine interest. They want to her worship others.

A true Saint will not tell you much about his experience. He does not want you to cling to him or be your guru ever. Nor does he want you to follow his advise based on miracles. Or stories of miracles

The biggest example that they leave is of forgiveness. Or love. Caring. Or being generous. Something. In their presence you feel the divine. But they will make you forget it also when they are away.

It has to be your choice. Uninfluenced.

So be careful of what you read. Shankaracharya and other great shastras forbade their disciples from reading other books. It was for this reason. This is now the age of reading anything
If you want to do that, just be careful.

Elsewhere in my blogs I have tried how to recognize a true Saint. Look it up. Again.

Oct 03

I want to be spiritual and make progress

It seems wonderful. Many try. Most fail
And why is that? Many reasons

  1. Of course if you don’t have a true Guru you will not progress. Nothing real will happen The mind is very artistic and easily creates an illusion of a divine experience but it was not real. It was your mind playing tricks on you
  2. Even if you have a Guru and you do not follow his instructions properly you will not progress
  3. Even if you have a Guru and you follow his instructions , he will test you. The test can be harsh. Remember the story of Harishchandra ? He had to watch his son die, his wife sold to slavery and work in the lowest job even though he was king. The test Lasted a year At present there is no worthy disciple who can endure this level of testing. But if the disciple passes through these tests – he will not know it was A test. Then the Guru will give something
  4. All great Guru will test disciple before giving any real awakening. Minor Gurus give indiscriminately but the results are not lasting. Those who pass through this test and are given awakening they get liberated very quickly. The experiences are of the highest level.
  5. So let’s say you fail the test. True Guru are very kind. They will keep testing you every few years. You have to be vigilant. Continue to do right. Not having anger. No hatred to your enemies. Forgiving. Loving. Love for your Guru. Love for all great Gurus. No ego that you have a Guru. No ego that you had a few experiences
  6. Other reasons of failure are – wanting to read and understand but not trying for a deep experience. Information is worthless. The other day I was talking with someone and I said all vedas, shastras, Upanishad fall in the category of ignorance! Which is true. There is no experience of self or God there. All those who tried without a Guru have imaginary experience. ( more about Ramana maharshi, Anandmayi ma, Buddha later)
  7. Not having true desire for liberation Most people fall in this category. They pursue meditation for fame, information of texts, an escape from the world responsibilities, to become a Guru, become wealthy, pursue women, etc. those who have true interest do not become famous , or become famous after they depart. But never before.

More later but I can’t offer much I said what I could.
If you cling to your imaginary experience then there is no hope of progress. Someone on the path can immediately know if it was genuine or not.

Oct 01

Sanskrit

A comment I made on what’s app about Sanskrit.

A little background
It might be folklore but one thing is certain – it is very difficult for anyone to comprehend
Judaism – they claim that their book – Torah was created before the universe was created
Samskrt – is considered to be the language of Deva and called devavani. It has been said that Shree Lalitha the divine mother who created the entire universe and also playfully created brahma, Vishnu, mahesh, first created the letters of Samskrt. One of her forms is Mahasaraswati – and as such samskrt is her creation

Sam – is reference to shree lalitha and krt created by

So true samskrt – was created before the universe was created

3-5 thousand years ago ( historians are grossly inaccurate) one of the Avatars appeared on earth with the name Panini. He created the rules of the letters of the samskrt The book is known as Ashta adhyayai or 8 chapters ( more about why 8 chapters and why the name adhyayi later) He made one statement which stands out – He who knows samskrt knows God !!

Sadly, the scholars of the world failed to grasp the subtle meaning . True samskrt was created By Lalitha ( her mantra known as shodashi – is a peculiar arrangement of samskrt letters) and as such when you transcend all creation and you reach shree Lalitha you have reached samskrt

That is why – samskrt is a divine language , language of Gods, and has all the power of mantra ( more later)

After Panini organized the spoken language of Samskrt ( not the true divine language which is prior to creation) various books appeared following his rules of Grammer on samskrut. Now one can call it sanskrut or Sanskrit as changed by western culture One of most beautiful book that followed the rules of Panini was Ramayan – created by Valmiki

I am not sure what is written about this in the internet or in the video. There are many scholars who go through volumes of books and guide us. There are “ Gurus” out there with claim of authority- but often times misguided by an imaginary understanding

My words and understanding should be looked upon as word of amusement, the disorderly words created by someone intoxicated ! I ask forgiveness from everyone if I have trampled upon the authority of the very wise people , including the internet (those who know it all)

Sep 09

Writing blogs

I have not been writing much
What is the point ? No one truly gets the concept

People continue in their ways. They try and perhaps make significant effort to go forward. But Their efforts are in vain – because they don’t want to change in their ways of thinking or give up the selfish thinking. It is like saying I want to make progress but their feet – are super glued to the floor. The intrinsic pattern of the selfish and desire seeking mind does not want to change Ego does not want to give itself up

Secondly in my opinion I wrote a lot. Very very basic and trivial things. To me it is basic and should be obvious.

The true joy a yogi has is in mediation. And millions of different ways God presents himself in mediation. Muktashastra, Yogamrut, Gyaneshwari Gita, Mahayoga vigyan are true books with in depth descriptions.

The journey itself is wondrous. How can anyone describe the joy of going through the Royal road of Brahmanadi ?
Every step is amazing.

Brahmanadi – it is not easy to open. A Guru can open it. But it closes quickly when we become selfish It opens in mediation. The first sign it is open is both nostrils open up. Then the fun begins.

Experiences without Brahmanadi open are not necessarily a full true experience. They are helpful but don’t forget true progress is going through the Brahmanadi Nadi.

By force I can’t reveal more on blogs. After all it is just a blog

My interest lies in that Royal road. Rest of the things I have written are trivial. A preparation of sort So if you find a Guru , you can be ready

I don’t see a single Guru out there who can talk about or open the Brahmanadi. There is no Yoga , no mediation, no samadhi, no karma yoga or gyan yoga or Bhakti yoga without the opening of Brahmanadi and going within

Sad is plight of the person that is satisfied with everything else they do. Go within involves opening of Brahma nadi. Sushumna. Once it is open, you will know love for God. You will know God is reality.

If you notice I don’t write much about Brahmanadi or what is to be expected when it opens You don’t need that information. You need to experience it.
Plus those things are too be heard from a Guru. Rest of the world Tends to abuse Yoga by giving false promises and collecting money

My days with my Guru was in simplicity. Hardly eating. Relinquishing sleep. Very simple living. No cot. Simple mattress Never about money. Inadequate bathroom. No shower. A simple bucket. Cold water. Your choice. Do you really want God? Or is your convenience more important ?

Few could benefit. Many went there. But those who had it right – left as kings of the universe !

Sep 09

Is my surrender complete?

This has to be with all your mind, all your emotions, not a shred of ego, with all your heart, no logic and no selfish interest that if I surrender God will take care of your wishes or needs. The surrender should be such – I don’t care if I am deprived of everything in life, I will give up all for thou God.

Seems foolish and impossible to do. For most – God is nothing more than a concept. Perhaps even a thought hammered down in your mind by reading books, hearing lectures and talks, and by people around you

There in lies the dilemma – we read wonderful things about God and then the mind challenges the concept of God and asks why do I suffer or why is there so much suffering in this world? The wise , all knowing , intelligent person will give a pat answer – karma. Yeah right! You want me to believe in past births? Seems more a matter of convenience or a well knit concept to help the weak mind who has a need of believing in God and how wonderful he is !

And then the mind constantly wants something in this world. Something fun. Without which , it breaks down. It looks forward in life – the hope or thought of nice things to come. Using that, the mind is willing to bear the current hardship of life

Enough said. Do you see the challenges the mind has in surrendering to God ? It is not an easy task.

What does this all boil down to?

1). Surrendering is an art. The word surrender is incomplete. Pranidhan is the best word. Described by Patanjali in Yoga darshan. It takes time
2) The mind is tricky. It’s desires and ego will make it difficult
3) IsGod a concept or real? Real for those who have a true Guru and if you have surrendered to him. In what way is it real? For such a very lucky disciple – he is more real than the table in front of you or the words you read or more task than the body v you feel. It then becomes easier to surrender. Easier but still will take decades after decades
4) Even if you don’t have a Guru, God confirms his existence in many small ways You will be amazed. If only you know how to evaluate your own life and events. Sometimes talking with a wise person helps. He can help you break the rut we get in
5) Calculative surrender has no role. Meaning, I will surrender so I can get wondrous things in life does not work. That is not surrender -just a business transaction

Anyway, what is the end result ? Here is it is in the words of Mother

Sweet Mother, what is meant by “the Divine gives Himself”?
It means exactly this: that the more you give yourself the more you have the experience — it is not just a feeling or impression or sensation, it is a total experience — that the more you give yourself to the Divine the more He is with you, totally, constantly, at every minute, in all your thoughts, all your needs, and that there’s no aspiration which does not receive an immediate answer; and you have the sense of a complete, constant intimacy, of a total nearness. It is as though you carried… as though the Divine were all the time with you; you walk and He walks with you, you sleep and He sleeps with you, you eat and He eats with you, you think and He thinks with you, you love and He is the love you have. But for this one must give himself entirely, totally, exclusively, reserve nothing, keep nothing for himself and not keep back anything, not disperse anything also: the least little thing in your being which is not given to the Divine is a waste; it is the wasting of your joy, something that lessens your happiness by that much, and all that you don’t give to the Divine is as though you were holding it in the way of the possibility of the Divine’s giving Himself to you. You don’t feel Him close to yourself, constantly with you, because you don’t belong to Him, because you belong to hundreds of other things and people; in your thought, your action, your feelings, impulses… there are millions of things which you do not give Him, and that is why you don’t feel Him always with you, because all these things are so many screens and walls between Him and you. But if you give Him everything, if you keep back nothing, He will be constantly and totally with you in all that you do, in all that you think, all that you feel, always, at each moment. But for this you must give yourself absolutely, keep back nothing; each little thing that you hold back is a stone you put down to build up a wall between the Divine and yourself. And then later you complain: “Oh, I don’t feel Him!” What would be surprising is that you could feel Him.
The Mother, Questions and Answers 1955, CWM volume 7, page 243.

Aug 14

A miracle

Don’t expect this all the time

If miracles occurred to us all the time , we would lose its importance

But miracles do occur every second to the siddha and enlightened. But we can’t see them

Once in a while Shakti reveals those miracles to us

Here is a story of Yogananda

“I remember at the time of our first World Convocation, held at the Mother Center in 1950, Master was having a particular difficulty with his legs. He was not even able to stand or walk without the most extreme pain, so it was arranged that he would be driven in a car down to the tennis court where the gathering was to be held. We were all praying, and worrying, “How will he ever be able to get up onto the platform to give his talk?”

As the car drove up and stopped, those of us who knew the difficulties his body was going through at that time were holding our breath anxiously. The door opened and Master stepped out of the car—and we all gasped in unison, because it really seemed that Master did not walk but floated, his feet barely touching the ground, as he made his way up the ramp to the podium. He stood there for two hours and spoke to the people; and then he greeted everyone who had come—staying for many, many hours after his talk.

Afterward, when he returned to his rooms, he said to us all: “This has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. See how Divine Mother shows you the unreality of life and its alternating contrasts! On one side, you see how this body suffered; on this other side you see I am completely aloof. “I am held in the arms of Divine Mother; and I don’t know this body or its suffering at all.”

— Sri Mrinalini Mata
Excerpt from Manifesting Divine Consciousness in Daily Life Pg 34

Aug 04

Kitten or monkey

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

Aug 03

Time to go – can we say that now?

Surrender to God

    If God were to say to me today: Come home! without a backward glance I would leave all my obligations here -organization, buildings, plans, people- and hasten to obey Him. Running the world is His responsibility. He is the Doer, not you or I.  


~ Sri Paramahansa Yogananda,
“Sayings of Paramahansa Yogananda”

Many people talk about God is the doer. Not our ego

Although we only have a slight understanding which the mind won’t accept but when it comes to testing it – can we tell say I am ready to leave the body ?

Even if ever so slightly , we will have a thought I wish I had done this or has this one more time
That is enough for Maya to give you another body

Wish granted. Misery back

It is not easy to have a fully satisfied mind that does not want anything

Aug 03

How much spiritual knowledge is there?

You can add all the books from all religions together and it will not even be .1%

A Guru of course has it all – 100%. Yet people insist on reading books and texts

What true knowledge is – it starts after you go into Samadhi. Not before

Anything external will only guide you to a Guru – after you realize you can’t reach on your own. Secondly , you have humility and surrender to Guru. Third your interest is genuine.

Until then a Guru even if he is right next to you will be of no benefit.

I have seen many disciples – of my lineage fall. They repeatedly had Samadhi. But yet in ego and desire for fame have fallen. Now for many many births there is no hope for them. Karma decisive hand will lead them to unfortunate rebirths

Wanting money or taking money donated to Guru is one of the greatest bad karma. Similarly taking information and labeling it as your wisdom is bad karma – equivalent to taking someone life.

What is it that you want in life that is worth hundreds of births in painful poverty? Think about it !

The knowledge within is so so vast – people spend thousands of years in Samadhi and say oh there is so much more!

And yet instead of going to the feet of such people our mind constantly looks to

Aug 02

Is material happiness equal to spiritual progress?

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.

Aug 02

An interesting forward

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

Aug 02

Indifference

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

Aug 01

Freedom

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

Aug 01

A different way of looking at progress

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.

Jul 31

When will I get results?

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)

Jul 31

St. Paul died daily

And that is the goal of yoga
This is not really death
But totally forgetting the body consciousness and to soar in the skies of freedom as pure consciousness

Some may consider that as an end point. But for a true yogi it is only the starting point

This is what Yogananda said

Why not learn how to”die daily”.
“”””””””‘””””””””””””””””””””””””””‘””””””””
Whether a man is born in India or in America,he someday has to die. Why not learn how to”die daily”in God, like St.Paul ?Yoga teaches the method. Man lives in body as a prisoner; when his tearm is over, he suffers the indignity of being thrown out. Love the body is there for nothing more than love of jail. Long accustomed to living in the body,we have forgotten what real freedom means. Being a Westerner is no excuse for not seeking freedom. It is vital to every man that he discover his soul and know his immortal nature. Yoga shaws the way…
Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda.
Man’s Eternal Quest… Page–17

Jul 31

God knows everything!

God, who is Omnipresent and omniscient, knows all things good and bad that quietly come and go in human minds and secret acts. There is nothing that can be hidden from Him; for even when a man takes with him to the grave long-held secrets, they are openly read by the all-seeing God. He who is the Mind of all minds and the Life of all the cosmos, knows everything that arises and dies in human consciousness, and in each tremor that happens in nature and in every speck of His empyrean universe.

~ Sri Paramahansa Yogananda,
1078, The second coming of Christ.

Now this is where we make a mistake. One you blindly accept it. Think of some super natural power or ability.

Or you wonder how it is possible. Is there a brain like this. How can it be done
Or you say bah! Humbug

The error is in all 3. You should not blindly accept it. After all how is it that he knows every sand,in all universes, every thought, every emotion, every action and never forgets and for all time
What it means is that he is so subtle that all our efforts to comprehend will fail. But you can do something. And it is something lovely. Go so deep in mediation and see what and how it occurs. And you have an aha moment ! And you marvel the divine shakti that made it possible Saying it is humbug is disrespecting the powers of God

Yet, yet, in all our daily dealings we don’t see the powers or miracles. Why? Because he has his own ways. Just as he knows everything he has his own way doing things so subtly that we don’t realize it was a miracle. When you reach that stage you will then understand why and how a true Guru functions. Maybe. He does not give lectures or have a million disciples. He has no need for your money or praise. We can offer him nothing. Yet he can give us all. such Gurus have only one or two disciples.

Jul 29

Ashesh Dhar passed away

53 years old , head of Tata EV section passes away.

Many achievements. Which of those achievements or meetings helped him at the time of death?

Such is life. In a second it can go away

What will help you in the last moments? The number of people who praised you? The number of times you got to brag about your knowledge? Or achievements?

What will help you? Perhaps memories of love for God , genuine love can be of help. Perhaps that smile you put on someone face will flash back on you. Or maybe the effort you made to give up earthly desires and seek God. One thing is certain. Your earthly achievements carry no weight.

When I go, I will go. I care not for the weight anyone ever think of me Into oblivion – where no one knows My regret is the blogs I wrote. It leaves a scent of the world yonder. Smell it and go but memory of me should fade.

Ego is your enemy. It creeps in with every breath. Be wary of it – a terrible weight It crushes lungs limbs and heart. Think of God and give your heart. How insignificant is thy existence. Millions of years – the earth has lived. Name one person you know from 10,000 years ago.

In time your name and body will go to dust. And perchance if someone remembers it – they will care not of your existence

What does Yogananda say ?

Jesus then reminded his disciples: “The greatest among you is he who is humblest and the most serviceful.” This is the truest testimony of attunement with God. “Whosoever shall exaggerate the merit of his ego in order to attract peoples praise and favour will instead be found out and draw to himself criticism and deprecation, and will be abased in the eyes of God. He who is truly great, but cloaks himself in a natural humilty, will be exalted before others and in the approbation of God.”

~ Sri Paramahansa Yogananda,
1070, The second coming of Christ.

Jul 29

For Gurubandhus

You should always read the books in your lineage

What good is that Arjuna who has not read or heard Gita?

What good is a tirthji disciple of modern day who has not read Maha yoga vigyan or devatma shakti or Saundarya Lahiri by Vishnutirthji?

What good is a yogi who has not read Yoga darshan or Gyaneshwari Gita or Yoga Vasistha Maha Ramayana?

What good Is a Sombargiri disciple who has not read Muktashastra or yog Amrita?

What good is a sanyasi who has not read all of Shankaracharya books?

You get my point!

Jul 29

When will God appear from the clouds or incarnate?

We read often that God will come and punish evil. Destroy it. And there will be peace and happiness.
Krishna Bhagwan came. Destroyed evil. But yet at the end of his presence on earth – kaliyuga started

It means only one thing. We have not understood what God said and meant

The true interpretations are only found at the feet of the enlightened. Try as you might , you can’t grasp it. Logic can’t take you there

This is what Yogananda said

Is a God Dictator?

         Down through the ages, in fiery speeches prophets have warned that God Himself will come out of the clouds to destroy the wicked. But God has never done that. When people are evil-when they break His divine laws-they set in motion the cosmic forces that produce the inevitable consequences of their wrong actions; thus they punish themselves. I don't think God Himself has ever come down to chastise anyone. If that were His way, He would be punishing wrongdoers right now, for He knows who is right and who is wrong in this terrible war that is going.


~ Sri Paramahansa Yogananda,
Journey to Self-Realization

Jul 29

Can I just say sohum and be enlightened?

Foolish

You can’t. You have to experience things. Slowly.
In small steps

Every step can be a challenge

Fools think they have reached the highest without going through the smaller steps. Can you become a surgeon without going through all the necessary smaller steps of knowing anatomy?
Merely seeing a little light is not enough

What are the smaller steps?

Here Yogananda gives the small steps

THROUGH [KRIYA] PRANAYAMA, THE ASTRAL BODY AND CHAKRAS BECOME VISIBLE

In the initial state, the yogi is busy withdrawing the life force into the spinal centers. When he succeeds in this work, his astral body with seven astral plexuses becomes visible to him THROUGH HIS SPHERICAL EYE OF INTUITION. The astral body is made of tissues of light condensed from astral rays, even as the physical body is made of fleshy tissues. When the yogi is able to withdraw his life force from the senses, not only does he see his astral body but he can disconnect his mind from the outer world.

The benefit of seeing the astral body is that the experience helps the yogi to ascend – to lift his soul, as the body-identified ego – from the fleshy prison. Afterward, the devotee learns how to take his ego out of the astral and ideational bodies and COMMINGLE IT (EGO) WITH THE PURE SOUL. The yogi is then able to UNITE HIS SOUL WITH THE OMNIPRESENT, EVER BLESSED SPIRIT.

PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA,
CH VI, VERSES 3-4,
GOD TALKS WITH ARJUNA : THE BHAGAVAD GITA
Pg 595-596

Jul 27

Hardship with no solution

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

Jul 27

Death

When you reflect that this world is filled
with death, and that your body, too, has
to be relinquished, God’s plan seems very
cruel. You can’t imagine that He is merciful.
But when you look at the process of death
with the eye of wisdom, you see that after
all it is merely a thought of God passing
through a nightmare of change into blissful
freedom in Him again. Saint and sinner
alike are given freedom at death, to a
greater or lesser degree according to merit.
In the Lord’s dream astral world – the land
to which souls go at death – they enjoy a
freedom such as they never knew during
their earthly life. So don’t pity the person
who is passing through the delusion of
death, for in a little while he will be free.
Once he gets out of that delusion, he
sees that death was not so bad after
all. He realises his mortality was only
a dream and rejoices that now no fire
can burn him, no water can drown
him; he is free and safe.

Paramahansa Yogananda
[The Divine Romance]

Now this kind of Rosy picture is not for all. It is for those with good karma. For those who did bad karma, the same evil thoughts materialize in the other world inflicting the same kind of anguish you wished on others

I read somewhere in a book a detailed description of the process of transition to the other world. Knowing that, one becomes cautious in ones thoughts and actions.

The scriptural injunctions are not just for this world but also a guide to have a smoother transition to the other world. Few pay heed to it though. Most people want To conveniently forget that not all are destined for heaven

Where will you go? Just examine your own thoughts. If your thoughts are materially inclined and you have anger or hatred the effect of that karma has to be borne out.

Ego leads to selfish behavior. Selfish behavior reinforces ego. Get rid of one the other changes.

One must make every effort to move upwards and not go downwards

Saying you do yoga or kriya is not Enough. Neither is it sufficient to do kriya without relinquishing desire Purity in thoughts is very important

Jul 26

Blessings – encounter with Babaji

From Autobiography of a Yogi

I go to America

    At that moment there came a knock on the door of my Garpar Road home. Answering the summons, I beheld a young man in the scanty garb of a renunciant. He entered the house.

    "He must be Babaji!" I thought, dazed, because the man before me had the features of a young Lahiri Mahasaya. He answered my thought. "Yes, I am Babaji." He spoke melodiously in Hindi. "Our Heavenly Father has heard your prayer. He commands me to tell you: Follow the behests of your guru and go to America. Fear not; you shall be protected." 

     After a vibrant pause, Babaji addressed me again. "You are the one I have chosen to spread the message of Kriya Yoga in the West. Long ago I met your guru Yukteswar at a Kumbha Mela; I told him then I would send you to him for training." 

        I was speechless, choked with devotional awe at his presence, and deeply touched to hear from his own lips that he had guided me to Sri Yukteswar. I lay prostrate before the deathless guru. He graciously lifted me up. After telling me many things about my life, he gave me some personal instruction and uttered a few secret prophecies. 

       "Kriya Yoga, the scientific technique of God-realization," he finally said with solemnity, "will ultimately spread in all lands, and aid in harmonizing the nations through man's personal, transcendental perception of the Infinite Father.

       " With a gaze of majestic power, the master electrified me with a glimpse of his cosmic consciousness. 


“If there should rise
Suddenly within the skies
Sunburst of a thousand suns
Flooding earth with beams undeemed-of,
Then might be that Holy One’s
Majesty and radiance dreamed of!”,

  In a short while Babaji started toward the door, remarking, "Do not try to follow me. You will not be able to do so." 

   "Please, Babaji, don't go away," I cried repeatedly. "Take me with you!" He replied, "Not now. Some other time." 

  Overcome by emotion, I disregarded his warning. As I tried to pursue him, I discovered that my feet were firmly rooted to the floor. From the door, Babaji gave me a last affectionate glance. My eyes were fixed on him longingly as he raised his hand by way of benediction and walked away.


~ Sri Paramahansa Yogananda,
Autobiography of a Kriya Yogi

Why did Babaji appear?

It was his will that kriya spread in the west
Yogananda mission was for Babaji and God
Yogananda had purity and love

We wish to encounter Babaji. And why not. But Babaji is also divinely Guided even though he himself is Divine. We can attract him by being in tune with having noble attributes in our heart – such as love ( non sexual and not selfish), purity, not being upset no matter how adverse the situation is, etc

Hence we must constantly practice those noble attributes, they attract a Guru and then millions of remaining years get compacted into a few !

Jul 26

Easy to misunderstand

He who finds joy within himself discovers that his body is charged with electric current, life energy, not from food but from God….A genuine smile distributes the cosmic current, prana, to every body cell. The happy man is less subject to disease, for happiness actually attracts into the body a greater supply of the universal life energy.
-Paramahansa Yogananda

This can be very easily misconstrued into thinking that laughing is healing
As I understand what he refers to is the joy of divine consciousness by itself us healing. Just reading jokes, laughing at each other, making fun , watching funny movies may make you feel good. And even be healthy BUT
The is something much much deeper and that is divine joy
Unless you have tasted it, unless you are imbibed in it regularly, you imagination has no wings to take you there and hence this whole subject will elude you

That joy, once one has it , every breath is full of immense joy. It may not last. But it gives you proof. You can be in the harshest circumstances but the joy will be there.

And some misunderstood it as sohum kriya. Or hungso kriya as taught in SRF. In my opinion that starts after divine realization. Not before. People try to discover God through it – but for that a Guru has to open up a secret within the breath

Jul 25

A reminder about Babaji

Babaji’s mission in India has been to assist prophets in carrying out their special dispensations. He thus qualifies for the scriptural classification of Mahavatar (Great Avatar).

He has stated that he gave yoga initiation to Shankara, reorganizer of the Swami Order, and to Kabir, famous medieval master. The chief nineteenth-century disciple was, as we know, Lahiri Mahasaya, revivalist of the lost Kriya art.

Babaji is ever in communion with Christ; together they send out vibrations of redemption and have planned the spiritual technique of salvation for this age.

The work of these two fully illumined masters — one with a body, and one without a body — is to inspire the nations to forsake wars, race hatreds, religious sectarianism, and the boomerang evils of materialism.

Babaji is well aware of the trend of modern times, especially of the influence and complexities of Western civilization, and realizes the necessity of spreading the self-liberations of yoga equally in the West and in the East.

That there is no historical reference to Babaji need not surprise us. The great guru has never openly appeared in any century, the misinterpreting glare of publicity has no place in his millennial plans.

Like the Creator, the sole but silent Power, Babaji works in a humble obscurity.

Great prophets like Christ and Krishna come to earth for a specific and spectacular purpose; they depart as soon as it is accomplished.

Other avatars, like Babaji, undertake work that is concerned more with the slow evolutionary progress of man during the centuries than with any one outstanding event of history.

Such masters always veil themselves from the gross public gaze and have the power to become invisible at will.

For these reasons, and because they generally instruct their disciples to maintain silence about them, a number of towering spiritual figures remain world-unknown.

I give in these pages on Babaji merely a hint of his life—only a few facts that he deems fitting and helpful to be publicly imparted.

“The peerless master moves with his group from place to place in the mountains,” Kebalananda told me. “His small band contains two highly advanced American disciples.

After Babaji has been in one locality for some time, he says: ‘Dera danda uthao.’ (‘Let us lift our camp and staff.’) He carries a danda (bamboo staff). His words are the signal for moving with his group instantaneously to another place. He does not always employ this method of astral travel; sometimes he goes on foot from peak to peak.

~Paramahansa Yogananda
“Autobiography of a Yogi”

I highlighted some of the things salient

They remain largely unknown to the public

Why ? The world is suffering!!!

  1. Not being in public does not mean they don’t care
  2. Babaji himself never came to public. He sent Yogananda. After 3 Generations of disciples!
  3. The world will never be fit to have great saints like Babaji walking Around in public So much filth, ego and greed ! So they appear sporadically for those who are fit. That too for very very brief times

Jul 25

The heart

The heart has been talked about in the Bible and other scriptures

What is that heart? There are 3

  1. the physical heart!
  2. emotional heart. That which makes you believe in love and you foolishly say I love you. Miss you etc
  3. the true heart

Where is the true heart?

It is in the right side of the chest

Gyaneshwar Maharashtra talked about it also.

ThiMaharshi: You cannot know it (Heart) with
your mind. Pointing to the right side of the
chest, Maharshi continued. You cannot realize
it by imagination when | tell you here is the
centre . The only direct way to realize it is to
cease to fantasize, and try to be yourself.
When you realize it, you automatically feel
that the centre is there. This is the centre, the
Heart, spoken of in the scriptures as _ hrit-
guha- arul [Grace in the cave of the Heart],

ullam [‘that which is’, the Heart].s is what Ramana Maharshi said

So this is the heart – true heart in the right side of chest. That has 8 leaves of the lotus.
In Saundarya Lahiri Vishnutirthji maharaj describes it in great detail. Hansa and hansini. Shiv and Parvati

Now you know

Don’t get misled

Jul 25

The problem with the masses

The average IQ of a nation varies. Singapore has IQ of 109 average
USA 98
INDIA 81

Source : https://www.worlddata.info/iq-by-country.php

Why is this interesting? Just an observation stupidity abounds

So what does this have to do with spirituality?

Ego plus lack of intelligence makes rumors and false information spread like wild fire. There are a few what’s app group I belong to. I find that there is more intelligent discussion in the high school group that stupid statements coming from my medical college group at times. Even medical information is wrong !

The point is this. Stupidity common

And this is how cults and religious leaders become popular and wealthy. Did I say wealthy? I mean a lot of money.

Shiv Baba 6 million dollars
Morari Bapu 76 million dollars
Jaggi Vasudev 16 million dollars
Asaram Bapu 46 million dollars
Ravi Shankar 140 million dollars
Ramdev 223 million dollars

I have to stop. I am getting depressed Kidding
Maybe I should go become a Guru. There are lots of idiots willing to donate millions of dollars rupee pounds and euros

Truth is that money is so tainted you never want to ever dream of having it. The fools don’t know how many painful births are too follow them

The point is this – many will foolishly follow. They will make up stories of miracles and Blessings and those things get promoted and now they can make more money. And those with a lesser IQ believe these lies.

Concept of spirituality can be sold
But those who have true spirituality, you can give them heavens and earth’s and they care not.

Where do you think God lies? Who is the true saint?

The rich Gurus out there? Don’t be an idiot and contribute to their wealth Or even bother reading

Find a true yogi

If you find one, let me know. I am looking too.

Jul 25

Be thou a yogi

One of the few words that reverberate in my mind is from Gita
Krishna Bhagwan tells Arjun be thou a yogi

Now I would like to ask you to set aside all your fancy concepts of yoga. And all the adjuvant words with yoga. Those extra words confuse you
“ oh I am doing Bhakti yoga”
“ I am doing karma yoga”
“Gyana yoga – wisdom”
And with each of them – and very foolishly everyone has their own idiot concept what each is
Bhakti yoga – chanting Gods name etc
Karma yoga- everything they do, they Think they are a warrior fighting bad peoples Etc when in reality it us just anger
Gyana yoga – so wise knowledgeable. Understand books throws in fancy Sanskrit words and recites paragraph from scriptures

Once you reach there, all distinctions of yoga drop of. They are exactly the same. As long as you frown on this concept, reject it, you have not reached there

That’s why Krishna Bhagwan said – be thou a yogi.

But what is a yogi ? Someone who sits in Samadhi? Has a long beard ( oops not sure about women 😁) , long matted hair, and saint like clothes? Or walks around with a smile, a wise look and raising his hands in blessings to everyone?

Do you see how we get locked into concepts?

So what are the signs you are a yogi?
Only you will know it. Because outwardly you will act differently.

  1. Fear subsides
  2. Power.
    We know of Various miracles done by Neem karoli Baba or babaji, etc. Now those powers take a long time to emerge. But they can. However once in Samadhi, in varying stages , you should have proof you were there. You must have varying degrees of power that emerges – helping others with a thought, healing others, changing outcomes etc. Very minor things
    That’s why people in ancient india would throng around Yogis. And the Yogis would bless them. Of course such people are rare. But they exist. I have seen them
    Now think of them. They heal and help others but you will never know it – isn’t that perfect karma yoga? They remain immersed in the divine state – isn’t that Bhakti? And they know every detail about the divine- isn’t that gyana ?

So stop the nonsense. Be a yogi. Get there. Don’t be foolish. Chant shivohum or aham brahmasmi etc , take a nice nap, see a few sparks of light and call yourself a yogi. Foolish imagination Cannot being out there spiritual powers of samadhi or being established there ! Be a true yogi.

Jul 24

Did I reach Atman ?

Soul, mind, body, brain, senses, the world, the cosmos—all are creations of Spirit. The wise man, not conceiving himself as the architect of anything (not even his own destiny), does not laugh or cry or disturb himself with the ups and downs of dualities. An egotist is never satisfied, be he rich, poor, a clerk, or king of the world. A divine man is happy, whether in a palace, or a poor hut, or a monk’s cell.

  • Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda..
    God Talks With Arjuna, The Bhagavad Gita — Chapter-3, Page no 392.

The word spirit refers to Atman. Soul comes from Atman. But it is not Atman
Once, if only once you have experienced it – your perspective changes. Things that seemed very important no longer have the same importance.

Often times we decisive ourselves. We like to think we are not possessed by material desires. But the moment there is a small dent in our car we get upset.
And we know how vulnerable we are

Those kind of things change. Without effort. It all changes. And then you know you have begun to touch the Atman.

Jul 23

Is God real or just a vivid imagination?

Here Yogananda tells us about talking with God

Practising the Presence of God

       God is approachable. Talking of Him and listening to His words in the scriptures, thinking of Him, feeling His presence in meditation, you will see that gradually the Unreal becomes real, and this world which you think is real will be seen as unreal. There is no joy like that realization. 


~ Sri Paramahansa Yogananda,
“Man’s Eternal Quest”

So if you constantly think of God or think of a person , we may dream of that person. Or even imagine the person is present near us

We have heard of cases where evil or conniving people have lied or wrongly imagined God presence and then led people ashtray to a miserable death or life
For example Jim Jones, Manson, Kuresh

So many naysayers or doubters will question what Yogananda said. Maybe rightfully so

Maybe my blogs fall in the same category.

How do you know that your conversation with God is
1). Just your mind idly bickering??
2) a vivid hallucination from mental disorder or manipulative behavior
3) Just self hypnosis of some sort
4) The real thing?

Let’s face it. It could be any !

Well there are clues. If you ask someone who has true experience, they can warn you how to safe guard against mental imagination, signs of true experience ( there are a few ) and what to do next

But one thing is for sure , those with true experience, withdraw from the world, don’t seek disciples and will try for deeper progress

Take your pick. But Purity is needed

Jul 23

In lay terms – let’s create our palace !

How did Babaji create a palace?
Well in lay terms for common people to understand, This is how he did it!

By Yogananda

On a grand scale, Mahavatar Babaji created a golden palace to fulfill a long-forgotten desire of Lahiri Mahasaya-an event I have recorded in Autobiography of a Yogi. The “miracle” was explained thus: “There is nothing inexplicable about this materialization. The whole cosmos is a projected thought of the Creator. The heavy clod of the earth, floating in space, is a dream of God’s. He made all things out of His mind, even as man in his dream consciousness reproduces and vivifies a creation with its creatures…In tune with the infinite all accomplishing Will, Babaji is able to command the elemental atoms to combine and manifest themselves in any form. This golden palace, instantaneously brought into being, is real-in the same sense that the earth is real. Babaji created this beautiful mansion out of his mind and is holding its atoms together by the power of his will, even as God’s thoughts created the earth and His will maintains it.

~ Sri Paramahansa Yogananda,
7 :19, God talks with Arjuna

Now that you know the secret what will you create? :) 😁

The truth is you can’t do anything ! Please grasp that. Very very few people are at the level of Babaji Or Kabir

Paramhansa Yogananda uses the word mind. The truth is God does not have a mind. It is just a word used because that is the only word you can understand
I am sure when we know the truth and we will laugh at our own stupidity

Lalitha – is far above all this. Her beauty can’t be described!
Shankaracharya praised her profusely in Saundarya Lahiri.

Jul 22

Is a Guru necessary or is it just a weakness of thought?

Before we discuss this let us look at what Yogananda says

The short season of life will be gone before you realize it. Reap the harvest of divine happyness that nothing can take away. It is not impossible; you have only made of yourself think it is impossible. The power of God is within you, so when your mind tells you a thing can’t be done,say to the thought, “Get out ! It can be done.” And it will be,if you make up your mind. Why waste your time on spurious pleasure ? Go to the very source. If you remain in that Happyness all the time, you will also be happy in the world; you will see that all disease and suffering are but short-lived nightmares of the body…
Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda.
The Divine Romance…P.447…

The important points -‘

1). Life is short
2) Joy is in discovering out true self or relation to God
3) iItcan be done quickly
4) Our thoughts make it a challenge

So the question in that case is a Guru needed or is it just a thought we created and now we are trapped?

Ultimately the world itself is a thought. A dream of our own folly.
But to break the dream, we need someone to wake us , someone who is awake.
Otherwise, we will think we are awake but Just continue in the dream trap.
So Yes, we need someone awake a Guru to help us realize that we trapped by our dream thought or thought dream. This dream is not the dream of sleep but the dream of being awake.

Jul 22

I used to cry a lot!

When I was 12 years old I started daily prayers. I had my yagnopavit done at age of 8. Now when you get yagnopavit you are told to do 3 Gayatri mala a day ( 108 x 3). Initially I did it but then fell off.
But in 8 grade I started doing it again. And then did Mahimna Stotra. And a few other routine shlokas. I would do this daily before going to school. It is a lot of time for a child to spend before going to school

Somehow I got the strong desire to read Gita. But I was not very proficient in Any other language except English. Somehow someone left a copy of Gita for me in English ( rare in India) it was left in a hotel room. I took it

And then I met dineshuncle. I got very interested in spirituality and in finding a Guru I would cry daily for a Guru. This went on for years. Then I did a very unique and special mala and within a year the Guru appeared. He scolded me I was taken aback. I could not understand his words. My faith was taken aback. But once again dineshuncle rescued me. He explained what Gurudev meant. And then it dawned on me this person is it.
This person is greater than any person ever

My days of crying for a Guru was over. But the mind has various doubts in the way. I tested him from long distance. Many times. Foolishly. But he was kind and did amazing things

I do not recommend anyone test a modern day Guru. There is no one of that caliber right now You will be disappointed. I was just extremely lucky to find my Guru. Put ten levels of Neem Karoli Baba

Anyway then he tested me for 10 years. It was very difficult. But those tests were very needed

Anyway. The point is a true Guru does not readily accept. And it takes time to find one. The disciple has to be tested at many many levels of purity. This brahmavidya is not ordinary. It is wonderful. It is incredible. It is amazing. It is the highest. It is a divine existence. When you get it you know you have it. This is not meant for the masses. Maybe one or two in a few billion people. Many will try. Few will get it.
As it is stated in Gita. We don’t have the necessary purity or love for God. Or the strong enough desire. The desire stronger than sex craving and money craving and the love for your child added together
Ramkrishna had that strong desire. So much he could bear life without God. So when his Guru appeared it took him 3 seconds. He has to wait for many years too for the Guru Totapuri to appear

In the mean time keep working hard. All the great Guru are there They know our efforts. And will send someone in flesh at the right time. Then who knows, all you may need is 3 seconds

And that is the story of my tears
And my tears turned into pearls

Jul 19

Sincere friendship

DID WE MEET BEFORE!

   When you love God, you can truly love others. Your perception of souls is pure-like a crystal-clear mirror. Whoever comes before you will be reflected there as he really is.

       When you unconditionally love your friends, you will see that divine friendship in them. In my earthly father, and in so many souls on this path, I found that kind of friendship. When we develop friendship with true souls, one day the Friend of all will come and reside in that mansion of friendship. And as you develop true divine friendship, one day you will love all as Christ was the friend of all. 

 Please pray with me: "O Lord, in the noble character of true friends is Thy wisdom. In their laughter is Thy great smile. In the twinkle in their eyes Thou art looking at me. In their voices Thou art speaking to me. And in their love Thou art loving me. Aum. Peace. Amen." 


~ Sri Paramahansa Yogananda,
JOURNEY to Self – Realization

Many times when we meet some people we find an instant connection. We cannot explain it. Yogananda said they are probably souls we have encountered in the past.

However there mathematics is daunting. For arguments sake let’s say we have say 1000 past lives. In each life you got or connected to a 100 people as family , friends, work colleagues.
You will not meet all your past acquaintances in the next birth. Some may be in heaven or hell or have gone to other lives not necessarily human. Maybe you encounter 10 of them again Overall ww can speculate 90,000 acquaintances.

But the true number could be a lot more. We are only interested in how to recognize them. There are a few ways

  1. instant connections
  2. look deep in their eyes. You may see signs of connection
  3. meditate deeper
  4. sometimes you know the connection when they leave you.

Anyway. One way to escape is by finishing karma with all of them. How? Love them back. No matter what they do. Simple ?

Not so easy. First connect with God and then forgiving becomes easier. Loving them becomes easier. No matter what their fault