What is that truth and spirit that is the preferred and highest worship? Why is God unmanifest and manifest worship greater than salvation itself?
God is the creator of all the heavens and galaxies. God is the creator of the planets and all their existing life forms and beings. God is, also, the creator of all revered Deities, Gods and Goddesses residing subtley within all the plains and realms of existence. God is everything as it is and is everything before anything ever was: the nature of God is imperishable and formless in its existence. God cannot truly be known. And in order to know a portion of the almighty one, divine worship of the truth and the spirit pervading everything and in everyone is necessary. The heart of each individual contains that portion of God dwelling inside of him: to know that is to extend into and know God.
Lord Jesus believed and knew that the only true worship was that of the one true God in truth and spirit. The life that God hath breathed into man is that Supreme Light of God; this is not full God, but a portion of that truth and spirit. It is said that all things are made by God and nothing is possible in existence without that knowledge of that one pure God. This knowledge has been bestowed into man from time immemorial; however the dilusion and ignorance in vast amount has led to the seeking of that one true spirit externally in all forms. And over the course of time, man knows not how to seek that kingdom of God within him that reveals all things to him. So naturally, even salvation itself is sought from God externally. Man no longer knows that the one true God manifest within him--as the truth and the spirit--can grant that salvation itself; it is a gift from God.
So for a man to be pious and merciful before another, this can become the greatest evil and work of egoism. Lord Jesus says salvation is for the Jews because he saw them as a people seeking to gain the glory of God for salvation; Lord Jesus believed that man should worship God as the truth and the spirit for the sake of worship itself and becoming one with God (like Lord Jesus). God should be obeyed and worshipped with grace for attaining oneness and binding back to that true nature from which man has come. In this light, nothing needs to be asked or begged of God. The man of God has the glories of God within him by having grace itself with that one true spirit. Lord Krishna emphasizes that the dilusion of pairs of opposites [dualities] must be transcended as one worships God with a firm resolve. To know God as that one true spirit that gives all things--as it is all things--not only does one reach salvation, but he also becomes that salvation itself, for himself and others.
Lord Jesus reminds all that God is spirit and must be worshiped as the truth and the spirit. The truth is all things in manifest and unmanifest: humans, animals, elements, nature, dirt, planets, universes, galaxies, good, evil, friends, enemies, and so on. As mentioned, God is all things and in all things. Before there was intelligence of a thing or a conceived thing itself, there was that one true God: the spirit. God is not aware of these things happening because God is all things happening and not happening. No one knows what the brain is doing when it is not being observed. It is only because we observe it, we are somewhat aware of is intricacies. However, we have a belief and feeling that something is happening there in the skull. There could be universes, galaxies and whole existences of sorts--beyond our tiny understandings--occuring in our brain at a grand scale. Nevertheless, it is not possible to truly know because one cannot see and know the inner workings of the brain at each and every moment: there are more neurons and cells in the brain than there are people on the planet.
The same can be thought with God. God is an entity that has all these things going on in and around the imperishable form. It is not possible for God to be aware of the infinite number of things occuring simultaneously and in tandem of everything else. And because God is the truth and the spirit, for God to attempt to know or gain intelligence and understanding of himself is ignorance. God is the creator, sustainer and destroyer of himself in all moments of all things and existences. It would be like a human seeking the true nature and origin of his existence(s) instead of living and being in that existence itself. In essence, to search for one's calling, origin, history or true nature is not only ignorance, but it also takes that person out of the now existence of himself; he leaves the present moment of the eternal witness within him.
Without God as a spirit, not one thing is possible. This is why it is said that in God is life and that life was the light of men. Lord Jesus requested men to worship this one true God because there is nothing else to be named that is not God: name, title and form is irrelevant because it is all God in truth and spirit, by nature itself. Lord Jesus believed people to be ignorant to be worshiping things other than the one true God. Even Lord Jesus himself was aware that he existed as God in manifest truth and spirit. Many a time did he profess that his disciples only knew him because of the spirit of God flowing through him and not because of the body that was given. To worship the truth and the spirit is to be in the light of all things and live as God does: unaware of even his own formlessness.
Man must go firmly towards God. All existences are a part of that one true spirit. To worship the one true God is to worship everything: Jesus, Krishna, Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, Buddha, Mohammed, Allah, Moses, Solomon, rivers, oceans, trees, plants, fire, air, Earth, universes, galaxies and everything that is the base and cause for all of these. The ways of God are beyond the word infinite itself. Nothing can contain God.
So abandon ignorance, illusions, and egoism: it is no use in grasping to anything. It is all God. God is the truth and spirit. And God is also the base of the truth and the spirit itself. God is everything and nothing, infinitely. So go straight to God: what more...
Love and Light...
doM
REFERENCES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HOLY BIBLE
JOHN 1: 3-4
~All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
~In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.
JOHN 4: 22-24
~Ye worship ye know not what; we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
~But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
~God is a spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
BHAGAVAD GITA--VIJNANA YOGA
28. Those mortals of pure deeds whose sins has come to an end, who are freed from the dilusion of pairs, they worship Me with a firm resolve.
NIT NEM: JAP(U)JI--SATGURU NANAK DEV
~One who obeys God, reaches the door of salvation.
~One who obeys God, Loves truth.
~One who obeys God, never has an occasion to beg.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
IMPERISHABLE YOGA: IT NEVER DIES, NOR LIVES
Lord Krishna says,
"That Imperishable Yoga was taught to Vivasvat (Surya)...But it was also taught in succession to kings and sages.
And upon being learned here, these kings and sages saw themselves to be intelligent; this Yoga was lost.
The same Yoga of old was taught to you [Arjuna] because you are my devotee and dear friend."
What is that imperishable Yoga [of old]? Why did that which was imperishable die upon being learned by men? Why is Arjuna able to learn that imperishable Yoga as it was learned by the Gods (Vivasvat and Manu)?
The Yoga of imperishable is like that of energy: never created nor destroyed. However, like energy, it has the ability to become lost, forgotten or simply change to a more diluted form. The new forms rise simply because of the existing and undying imperishable nature of that Yoga. In order for things to exist, there must be an imperishable, unmanifest base for the manifest existence itself.
The ability to join the spirit has always been in existence because the nature of God (Brahman) is also imperishable: all things supported by that formlessness itself. The Yoga has a state within Brahman. One can join the spirit to all things because it is that: it can join to a thing which comes from the same nature as itself. There is nothing distinct and separate about it, except the form; the base is not only imperishable, but also stemming from a time immemorial. The joined and the unjoined are both existing parts within that impeishable nature, as it is all God. Without name, form and identification, there is oneness beyond human understanding. And as a thing is devoted to living God, it cannot know anything outside of that: it is that which is unknowable and knowable. The duality and pain begins with identification of the senses with the body and mind.
The Kings and Sages knew not that all things came from God. They could not understand that identification and non-identification is also from that imperishable nature itself. By learning the Yoga, they thought it to be someting undone and done, created and destroyed. They thought this because they associated this same belief with their own Self. They knew not that the Self is changeless and indestructable, as it is a portion of God. By believing that their is a begining and end to all things, they believed themselves to be unjoined and that it was required to be yoked back to God, itself. But their very existence is God in manifest. Hence, the Yoga of imperishable is lost.
If something is deemed imperishable, its begining, middle and end cannot be conceived; it is beyond the idea of being conceived. Man can teach another in many different ways; the moment he uses his body and mind to teach a notion or idea from his own tongue, that which can be learned is limited. To have an intention to teach implies that one "knows something": association with the body and mind. One believes that he has understood a concept on some level. But to unconciously say "I know" would force you to limit your perception of that which is imperishable; you would have to take a portion of the undying knowledge away from the whole and teach it in part. In essence, the teacher loses the idea of imperishable Yoga and no longer knows that. This is why the teaching itself is lost. Even the word infinite cannot truly describe that itself.
Arjuna was taught this imperishable Yoga because he was the utmost devotee of Krishna as that almighty Lord of the imperishable nature: Brahman. He was also called the friend of the Lord. Arjuna was living for the sake of the Lord. He had many divine qualities; in particular he sought knowledge. Arjuna looked to the Lord as his everything and the reward to him was the secret teaching of the imperishable Yoga.
He taught Arjuna the things required to attain that Yoga of old. Arjuna was able to understand the divine teachings because it came directly from Brahman: the imperishable taught of the imperishable. A man, king or sage (living) can only teach one the ways of that itself. The ways and knowledge of God (Brahman, the Imperishable) can only be taught directly to man by God that is already dwelling within him.
Arjuna is also being taught because he knew not how to do these things forcefully. He feared that the ensuing war (in the Bhagavad Gita) could take him away from God and he would not fight upon knowing this. By devoting his energy more to God, he was taught the techniques required to fight while maintaining his devotion to God. Arjuna was doing these techniques from birth; so he knew not how to learn them if forgotten or teach them to others. The Lord himself, dwelling in his heart, gave him all answers.
Arjuna turned to the Lord first before other men. His devotion to the almighty one pleases Krishna so much that the Lord himself teaches him all te beautiful ways of Yoga and knowledge. Intent on God alone, Arjuna not only receives all, but he becomes God...
doM
"That Imperishable Yoga was taught to Vivasvat (Surya)...But it was also taught in succession to kings and sages.
And upon being learned here, these kings and sages saw themselves to be intelligent; this Yoga was lost.
The same Yoga of old was taught to you [Arjuna] because you are my devotee and dear friend."
What is that imperishable Yoga [of old]? Why did that which was imperishable die upon being learned by men? Why is Arjuna able to learn that imperishable Yoga as it was learned by the Gods (Vivasvat and Manu)?
The Yoga of imperishable is like that of energy: never created nor destroyed. However, like energy, it has the ability to become lost, forgotten or simply change to a more diluted form. The new forms rise simply because of the existing and undying imperishable nature of that Yoga. In order for things to exist, there must be an imperishable, unmanifest base for the manifest existence itself.
The ability to join the spirit has always been in existence because the nature of God (Brahman) is also imperishable: all things supported by that formlessness itself. The Yoga has a state within Brahman. One can join the spirit to all things because it is that: it can join to a thing which comes from the same nature as itself. There is nothing distinct and separate about it, except the form; the base is not only imperishable, but also stemming from a time immemorial. The joined and the unjoined are both existing parts within that impeishable nature, as it is all God. Without name, form and identification, there is oneness beyond human understanding. And as a thing is devoted to living God, it cannot know anything outside of that: it is that which is unknowable and knowable. The duality and pain begins with identification of the senses with the body and mind.
The Kings and Sages knew not that all things came from God. They could not understand that identification and non-identification is also from that imperishable nature itself. By learning the Yoga, they thought it to be someting undone and done, created and destroyed. They thought this because they associated this same belief with their own Self. They knew not that the Self is changeless and indestructable, as it is a portion of God. By believing that their is a begining and end to all things, they believed themselves to be unjoined and that it was required to be yoked back to God, itself. But their very existence is God in manifest. Hence, the Yoga of imperishable is lost.
If something is deemed imperishable, its begining, middle and end cannot be conceived; it is beyond the idea of being conceived. Man can teach another in many different ways; the moment he uses his body and mind to teach a notion or idea from his own tongue, that which can be learned is limited. To have an intention to teach implies that one "knows something": association with the body and mind. One believes that he has understood a concept on some level. But to unconciously say "I know" would force you to limit your perception of that which is imperishable; you would have to take a portion of the undying knowledge away from the whole and teach it in part. In essence, the teacher loses the idea of imperishable Yoga and no longer knows that. This is why the teaching itself is lost. Even the word infinite cannot truly describe that itself.
Arjuna was taught this imperishable Yoga because he was the utmost devotee of Krishna as that almighty Lord of the imperishable nature: Brahman. He was also called the friend of the Lord. Arjuna was living for the sake of the Lord. He had many divine qualities; in particular he sought knowledge. Arjuna looked to the Lord as his everything and the reward to him was the secret teaching of the imperishable Yoga.
He taught Arjuna the things required to attain that Yoga of old. Arjuna was able to understand the divine teachings because it came directly from Brahman: the imperishable taught of the imperishable. A man, king or sage (living) can only teach one the ways of that itself. The ways and knowledge of God (Brahman, the Imperishable) can only be taught directly to man by God that is already dwelling within him.
Arjuna is also being taught because he knew not how to do these things forcefully. He feared that the ensuing war (in the Bhagavad Gita) could take him away from God and he would not fight upon knowing this. By devoting his energy more to God, he was taught the techniques required to fight while maintaining his devotion to God. Arjuna was doing these techniques from birth; so he knew not how to learn them if forgotten or teach them to others. The Lord himself, dwelling in his heart, gave him all answers.
Arjuna turned to the Lord first before other men. His devotion to the almighty one pleases Krishna so much that the Lord himself teaches him all te beautiful ways of Yoga and knowledge. Intent on God alone, Arjuna not only receives all, but he becomes God...
doM
Thursday, September 23, 2010
MISS NANDI OF RISHIKESH
Miss Nandi, a beautiful creature of life, is truly a mother of Rishikesh. She takes care of everyone. She provides the food, the nourishment and the milk for all of her children. Not only does she care for the people, but she also maintains the land.
She is very much herself everyday of her life. She never tries to "be" a particular way for anyone nor does she try to live a certain lifestyle so that others will look at her in a certain light. Miss Nandi truly understands what it means to live confidently and fearlessly.
One day, Miss Nandi took a walk down to the Holy River Ganga for her afternoon bath and purification. As she began her bath, the river water started to increase to a warmer temperature. She just attributed it to the sun getter hotter; however little did she know that something else was brewing...
Out of nowhere, an entity started rise out of the water that was, also, made of the water. This entity had a very androgynous feel to it. Though it was made of the river water, Miss Nandi felt as if she saw all of the beautiful features of this being clearly. It had beautiful long flowing hair of a mother goddess, robustly strong legs akin to that of a warrior, a healthy and voluptuous bosom, as well as deeply seductive eyes. The being's lips were so very luscious; the sight of them were mystifying. And the more you looked at them, the more you were enchanted. To add to that, there were humming sounds that came out of its mouth that were very melodious. The vibrations being emanated put ripples all throughout the powerful flowing Ganga. It was defintiely the sound of creation from the beginning, just like the word. Miss Nandi was in a great state of awe...
She felt the need to speak to the being. Miss Nandi asked the being, "Why have you come before me and graced me with your empowering presence?" The being responded, "I need you to sacrifice your body so that some people can eat." Miss Nandi was taken aback and appauled. Miss Nandi responded, "O, great and magnificent being, I see you as an incarnation of God before me. If I sacrifice my body so that people can eat, I will no longer be able to praise you in the way that I do now."
Miss Nandi was very confused and also in a state of fear; for she wanted to do the work of God, but she was attached to her life as a caregiver and devotee of God and all its manifestations within the world.
The being responded, "O, Nandi, Empress of the devotees, you have always been with me. As I have always been with you. Your body has adequately served me and my people all the days of your life. Free yourself from this body while serving me and you will go on to the heavens and be completely liberated from the binds of re-birth."
Miss Nandi thought about this long and hard. She decided that she wanted to fulfill her final duties to God. "O, Mighty Being of the Ganga, I accept your request. Please use me. Help me abandon this body so that I may live on forever within you as you have lived within me." She continued. "However, I must say that I have one remaining request."
The being asked what it was. Miss Nandi replied, "I've always wanted to have sex with this beautiful creature I've always known to be very attractive to me. He turns me on!"
The androgynous being agreed. Miss Nandi then asked, "Will you join us?"
To which the God-like being responded, "Been there, done that! For it is your turn to do what you like. It is your turn to go towards that which you have avoided for years. It is your turn, Miss Nandi, to attain all that you think you want before you merge with me. For, you cannot be One with Me if you have even one remaining attachment to the physical world."
Miss Nandi agreed. And so, she fulfilled her final desire. As it turned out, she loved the sex with the male being of the physical world so much, she decided to stay on the Earthly planes......
The moment you go towards your desires, that is the moment you merge and become one with an aspect of you.
And That is the moment you better understand yourself...
doM
She is very much herself everyday of her life. She never tries to "be" a particular way for anyone nor does she try to live a certain lifestyle so that others will look at her in a certain light. Miss Nandi truly understands what it means to live confidently and fearlessly.
One day, Miss Nandi took a walk down to the Holy River Ganga for her afternoon bath and purification. As she began her bath, the river water started to increase to a warmer temperature. She just attributed it to the sun getter hotter; however little did she know that something else was brewing...
Out of nowhere, an entity started rise out of the water that was, also, made of the water. This entity had a very androgynous feel to it. Though it was made of the river water, Miss Nandi felt as if she saw all of the beautiful features of this being clearly. It had beautiful long flowing hair of a mother goddess, robustly strong legs akin to that of a warrior, a healthy and voluptuous bosom, as well as deeply seductive eyes. The being's lips were so very luscious; the sight of them were mystifying. And the more you looked at them, the more you were enchanted. To add to that, there were humming sounds that came out of its mouth that were very melodious. The vibrations being emanated put ripples all throughout the powerful flowing Ganga. It was defintiely the sound of creation from the beginning, just like the word. Miss Nandi was in a great state of awe...
She felt the need to speak to the being. Miss Nandi asked the being, "Why have you come before me and graced me with your empowering presence?" The being responded, "I need you to sacrifice your body so that some people can eat." Miss Nandi was taken aback and appauled. Miss Nandi responded, "O, great and magnificent being, I see you as an incarnation of God before me. If I sacrifice my body so that people can eat, I will no longer be able to praise you in the way that I do now."
Miss Nandi was very confused and also in a state of fear; for she wanted to do the work of God, but she was attached to her life as a caregiver and devotee of God and all its manifestations within the world.
The being responded, "O, Nandi, Empress of the devotees, you have always been with me. As I have always been with you. Your body has adequately served me and my people all the days of your life. Free yourself from this body while serving me and you will go on to the heavens and be completely liberated from the binds of re-birth."
Miss Nandi thought about this long and hard. She decided that she wanted to fulfill her final duties to God. "O, Mighty Being of the Ganga, I accept your request. Please use me. Help me abandon this body so that I may live on forever within you as you have lived within me." She continued. "However, I must say that I have one remaining request."
The being asked what it was. Miss Nandi replied, "I've always wanted to have sex with this beautiful creature I've always known to be very attractive to me. He turns me on!"
The androgynous being agreed. Miss Nandi then asked, "Will you join us?"
To which the God-like being responded, "Been there, done that! For it is your turn to do what you like. It is your turn to go towards that which you have avoided for years. It is your turn, Miss Nandi, to attain all that you think you want before you merge with me. For, you cannot be One with Me if you have even one remaining attachment to the physical world."
Miss Nandi agreed. And so, she fulfilled her final desire. As it turned out, she loved the sex with the male being of the physical world so much, she decided to stay on the Earthly planes......
The moment you go towards your desires, that is the moment you merge and become one with an aspect of you.
And That is the moment you better understand yourself...
doM
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
THE STORY OF CLOSED, OPEN EYES...
One day, this man had his rib ripped out of his chest. The person that did this man great "harm" used this rib to replicate this man's very being. This creative scientist of sorts took the rib to a lab, replicated the DNA and cloned the man by creating a woman. The woman embodied everything that this man was not. Nevertheless, she was the man as much as the man was her...
One day, they met. The meeting was love at first site. The played in the park together. Their levels of intimacy exceeded all that has been categorized in our world: their minds were in a continual state of bliss while in each others arms. Their Love went beyond conditons...They were two, Whole hearts belonging to one vein...
As time would pass, she became enchanted with the things around her. She started to notice that other things existed in their world. She became more and more curious about these things and what the purpose of these things were in her life: her energy fueled these things and their very existence. She introduced some of these concepts to the man. He also became curious as she was; and together they started to rattle their brains about things that had no immediate relevence with their original existence. As one can imagine, it only got worse.
The more facinated they became of all these things outside of themselves, the less they saw each other in that beautiful light. For they had other things and objects to be infatuated with; after all their energy was now infused in the very existence of all things. Eventually, the man became more facinated with the objects and things, so much that he lost sight of not only who he was, but also who the woman was and the role she played in his life. She, respectively, started to share this experience. Their energy started to deplete for each other and the love-attraction waned...
The objects and things they both were infatuated with, started to experience infatuation with other objects and things: and then there was more and more and more of this infatuation growing across the world. This became so extreme, that the world was filled with of objects and things infatuated with every other object and thing; so much that every thing lost sight of itself and why it was existing...
If only the man and the woman had held onto the love, bliss and togetherness. If only the man and the woman used these other objects and things to better understand themselves and their existences. If only the man and the woman realized that they created the existences around them. If only the woman realized that she came out of that which belonged to the man. If only the man realized that he existed as he did because of the nature of the woman which was originally a part of him.
If only they both realized that they were God and Goddess that fueled each other's power, their open eyes would have closed and re-opened in OneNess....
doM
One day, they met. The meeting was love at first site. The played in the park together. Their levels of intimacy exceeded all that has been categorized in our world: their minds were in a continual state of bliss while in each others arms. Their Love went beyond conditons...They were two, Whole hearts belonging to one vein...
As time would pass, she became enchanted with the things around her. She started to notice that other things existed in their world. She became more and more curious about these things and what the purpose of these things were in her life: her energy fueled these things and their very existence. She introduced some of these concepts to the man. He also became curious as she was; and together they started to rattle their brains about things that had no immediate relevence with their original existence. As one can imagine, it only got worse.
The more facinated they became of all these things outside of themselves, the less they saw each other in that beautiful light. For they had other things and objects to be infatuated with; after all their energy was now infused in the very existence of all things. Eventually, the man became more facinated with the objects and things, so much that he lost sight of not only who he was, but also who the woman was and the role she played in his life. She, respectively, started to share this experience. Their energy started to deplete for each other and the love-attraction waned...
The objects and things they both were infatuated with, started to experience infatuation with other objects and things: and then there was more and more and more of this infatuation growing across the world. This became so extreme, that the world was filled with of objects and things infatuated with every other object and thing; so much that every thing lost sight of itself and why it was existing...
If only the man and the woman had held onto the love, bliss and togetherness. If only the man and the woman used these other objects and things to better understand themselves and their existences. If only the man and the woman realized that they created the existences around them. If only the woman realized that she came out of that which belonged to the man. If only the man realized that he existed as he did because of the nature of the woman which was originally a part of him.
If only they both realized that they were God and Goddess that fueled each other's power, their open eyes would have closed and re-opened in OneNess....
doM
Thursday, June 11, 2009
THE ART OF SURRENDER
I paid a visit to one of my favorite studios in NYC and bumped to one
of my teachers. We were having a conversation that reminded me of how
important it is to surrender all activities, actions and thoughts to the
(*your word representing divinity here*) in every moment in the days of our lives.
There is a word in yoga that some of you are familiar with called
Niyama. The Niyamas are a set of behaviors and observances set forth
by the eight limb system of Raja Yoga (this being the second limb).
As I think of surrender, there is one of the Niyamas that come to mind
immediately: Isvara Pranidhana (प्रणिधान). Isvara literally translates into
God or Lord or ruler. Prani- basically means to compose or to make;
it could also mean to produce. Dhana- translates to mean giving up
or the act of giving; it could also mean donation. So when we put this
term together, we have "God, Compose, and Giving Up (donation). We can
loosely translate this as "Composing or Producing a donation
(or giving [something] up) to God / Lord / Ruler." When you are are
doing something in the name of (*your word for God*), you are surrendering
all your activities, actions and thoughts to this divine being; you are in
essence 'donating' your actions. In order to give up your actions, you must
rid yourself of them. There cannot be an attachment to them of any sort;
you should be able to give them up as if they were never yours to begin with.
When surrender occurs, the channels of consciousness can be opened.
Once you open your channels to the divine, the divine will open its
channels to you. All becomes possible. How can one open the channels if
you are blocking them with selfish actions? If you are constantly
doing everything for one's own benefit in the physical, material world,
how can one benefit from the non-material, non-physical world?
You cannot 'donate' your actions because you expect some sort
of reward; give them up selflessly as if you were excited to go and
do more work and repeat the process again and again.
The greatest reward here is, being able to surrender. Simply this alone can
prepare you for the union (Yoga). Don't think before you jump
into surrendering...Just do it and everything will follow you and fall in line accordingly.
I wish you all Eternal Bliss.
Shukriya Aur Namaste
of my teachers. We were having a conversation that reminded me of how
important it is to surrender all activities, actions and thoughts to the
(*your word representing divinity here*) in every moment in the days of our lives.
There is a word in yoga that some of you are familiar with called
Niyama. The Niyamas are a set of behaviors and observances set forth
by the eight limb system of Raja Yoga (this being the second limb).
As I think of surrender, there is one of the Niyamas that come to mind
immediately: Isvara Pranidhana (प्रणिधान). Isvara literally translates into
God or Lord or ruler. Prani- basically means to compose or to make;
it could also mean to produce. Dhana- translates to mean giving up
or the act of giving; it could also mean donation. So when we put this
term together, we have "God, Compose, and Giving Up (donation). We can
loosely translate this as "Composing or Producing a donation
(or giving [something] up) to God / Lord / Ruler." When you are are
doing something in the name of (*your word for God*), you are surrendering
all your activities, actions and thoughts to this divine being; you are in
essence 'donating' your actions. In order to give up your actions, you must
rid yourself of them. There cannot be an attachment to them of any sort;
you should be able to give them up as if they were never yours to begin with.
When surrender occurs, the channels of consciousness can be opened.
Once you open your channels to the divine, the divine will open its
channels to you. All becomes possible. How can one open the channels if
you are blocking them with selfish actions? If you are constantly
doing everything for one's own benefit in the physical, material world,
how can one benefit from the non-material, non-physical world?
You cannot 'donate' your actions because you expect some sort
of reward; give them up selflessly as if you were excited to go and
do more work and repeat the process again and again.
The greatest reward here is, being able to surrender. Simply this alone can
prepare you for the union (Yoga). Don't think before you jump
into surrendering...Just do it and everything will follow you and fall in line accordingly.
I wish you all Eternal Bliss.
Shukriya Aur Namaste
Friday, May 8, 2009
BHAGAVAD GITA: SHORT REFLECTIONS ON CHAPTER 6
The Bhagavad Gita (Sanskrit for Song of God) is a sacred Hindu scripture dating back to about 4000 BC. In this scripture, there is a conversation occurring between Krishna and Arjuna (Arjuna being the disciple, Krishna being the ultimate manifestation of the Lord God). Krishna is advising Arjuna on all of his pertinent questions regarding battle, discipline, self-control, and complete devotion to God. In this particular chapter, Krishna is discussing Self-Control with Arjuna. Some texts have entitled this chapter Self-Control. However, the general consensus agrees that this chapter is on The Practice of Mediation (Dhyana Yoga). According to Krishna, our measured daily intake in life is also a form meditation as a means to maintain balance in our life. Krishna states, “A yogi cannot eat too much or too little. He cannot sleep too much or too little. He must measure everything: eating, sleeping, working, and relaxing. Everything he does should be just right and even.” One would ask, why would Krishna advise Arjuna on balancing his daily life’s regimens. Krishna deems it important that a yogi (one devoted to uniting with God through the eight-limb system) must have a balanced life in every way possible in order to quiet the mind and free it from desires and attachments. If the mind is continually concerned with getting the right amount of sleep, food, or anything else, how can one be training the mind to unite with God? Yoga is only possible when the mind is trained upon God with complete and unadulterated devotion. If the devotion is on figuring out how to balance our life, we are not yet ready to unite with God. This is why throughout the chapter, Krishna insists on the yogi steadying his mind and fixing it on God alone. Krishna further states to Arjuna, “When the yogi, by practice of yoga, disciplines his mental activities and becomes situated in transcendence—devoid of all material desires—he is said to be well established in yoga.” Krishna is hoping for Arjuna to transcend all levels of desire. He especially wants him to not worry about causing imbalances in his own life; for these imbalances move him further away from the union with God (goal of Yoga).
It is important that we recognize the importance of situating our lives in alignment with the divine. Once we have found this alignment, it will be easier to practice yoga as a means to quiet mind for the practice of Dhyana. The ultimate reason why we practice yoga is to reach the final seat of meditation (asana) through self-control of the mind. The mind must be free of all binds and unfettered from the interfering qualms of life such as getting enough sleep. Once the life balance has been achieved, it is our job to maintain this balance. All aspects of life are balanced: sunrise, sunset, oxygen /carbon dioxide transmission to and from plants, birth, death, organization of the universe, love and hate, and the list goes on. We must root a similar balance into our lives with an even measurement. The sun will not rise a little bit later than usual because he wants to give more sun to India. It is apart of the universal order that he will rise and set around the same time everyday, everywhere in the world. Like the sun, self-control of our Self should be mandatory. As Krishna is devoted to guiding Arjuna, we should be devoted to guiding our true self; and to be established in self-control of the mind one can move towards achieving the goal of yoga—a united divinity with the Lord.
It is important that we recognize the importance of situating our lives in alignment with the divine. Once we have found this alignment, it will be easier to practice yoga as a means to quiet mind for the practice of Dhyana. The ultimate reason why we practice yoga is to reach the final seat of meditation (asana) through self-control of the mind. The mind must be free of all binds and unfettered from the interfering qualms of life such as getting enough sleep. Once the life balance has been achieved, it is our job to maintain this balance. All aspects of life are balanced: sunrise, sunset, oxygen /carbon dioxide transmission to and from plants, birth, death, organization of the universe, love and hate, and the list goes on. We must root a similar balance into our lives with an even measurement. The sun will not rise a little bit later than usual because he wants to give more sun to India. It is apart of the universal order that he will rise and set around the same time everyday, everywhere in the world. Like the sun, self-control of our Self should be mandatory. As Krishna is devoted to guiding Arjuna, we should be devoted to guiding our true self; and to be established in self-control of the mind one can move towards achieving the goal of yoga—a united divinity with the Lord.
Friday, May 1, 2009
YOU ARE UNIQUE AND INFINITE: THE WORDS OF NITHYANANDA
Please enjoy the wonderful words of my Guru Paramahamsa Swamiji Nithyananda.
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