Speaking Tree

Hi MPVs,

Speaking tree is something i have been hooked onto for a long time....so i thought lets spare a moment and give a thought to the articles

i hope the MPVs like it......

The journey begins.....
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
The 1st one is here

Why Truth is Love and Love is Truth

Mohandas K Gandhi

One of the axioms of religion is, there is no religion other than truth. Another is, religion is love. And as there can be only one religion, it follows that truth is love and love is truth. We shall find too, on further reflection, that conduct based on truth is impossible without love. Truth-force then is love-force. We cannot remedy evil by harbouring ill will against the evil-doer. This is not difficult of comprehension. It is easy enough to understand. In thousands of our acts, the propelling power is truth or love. And we therefore consciously or unconsciously apply satyagraha in regulating these relations.
If we were to cast a retrospective glance over our past life, we would find that out of a thousand of our acts affecting our families, in nine hundred and ninety-nine we were dominated by truth, that in our deeds, it is not right to say we generally resort to untruth or ill will. It is only where a conflict of interests arises, then arise the progeny of untruth, namely, anger and ill will, and then we see nothing but poison in our midst. A little hard thinking will show us that the standard that we apply to the regulation of domestic relations between rulers and the ruled, and between man and man. Those men and women who do not recognise the domestic tie are considered to be very like brutes or barbarous, even though they in form have the human body. They have never known the law of satyagraha. Those who recognise the domestic tie and its obligations have to a certain extent gone beyond that brute stage. But if challenged, they would say ‘what do we care though the whole universe may perish so long as we guard the family interest?’ The measure of their satyagraha, therefore, is less than that of a drop in the ocean.
When men and women have gone a stage further, they would extend the law of love, that is, satyagraha, from the family to the village. A still further stage away from the brute life is reached when the law of satyagraha is applied to provincial life, and the people inhabiting a province regulate their relations by love rather than by hatred. And when as in Hindustan we recognise the law of satyagraha as a binding force even between province and province and the millions of Hindustan treat one another as brothers and sisters, we have advanced a stage further still from the brute nature.
In modern times, in no part of the earth have the people gone beyond the nation stage in the application of satyagraha. In reality, however, there need be no reason for the clashing of interest between nation and nation, thus arresting the operation of great law. If we were not in the habit generally of giving no thought to our daily conduct, if we did not accept the current coin, we would immediately perceive that to the extent that we bear ill will towards other nations or show disregard at all for life, to that extent we disregard the law of satyagraha or love, and to that extent we are still not free from the brute nature. But there is no religion apart from that which enables us entirely to rid ourselves of the brute nature. All religious sects and divisions, all churches and temples, are useful only so long as they serve as a means towards enabling us to recognise the universality of satyagraha.
http://spirituality.indiatimes.com
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Only In Darkness Do We Appreciate Light



Satsang: Nimishananda Guruji



Why does evil exist? How can one recognise and avoid it?
Both good and evil originate in the mind. So do pain and sorrow, joy and happiness. Many times what is welcomed by one person as a great opportunity is shunned by another as a terrible adversity. Some love to speak in public, while others go to great lengths to avoid it. So, joy and sorrow are often subjective and relative. When we base our lives on likes and dislikes, “evil” comes into play. However, if we firmly anchor our lives on divine dharmic principles expounded by scriptures and seers, “evil” automatically disappears. Life becomes value-based. We stop harming others in the name of security. We no longer wage wars.
Even the feeling of achievement or loss is only a value assigned by the mind. When you are asleep, where is this sense of achievement, sorrow, or despair? None of these exists. So everything arises from the mind and ends in the mind. When we follow dharma, we transcend both good and evil.
Are people born evil or do they become evil?
People are born neither good nor evil. Impressions which envelop the soul make us seem good or bad. It is basically our past karma that makes us “good” or “bad”. We are not aware of our past nor are we certain about our future. So we lead our lives shrouded in the darkness of ignorance. When we follow the teachings of sages, the very core of our being changes. The light of wisdom banishes the gloom of ignorance. Our thoughts become noble and sublime. Our actions become naturally benevolent. All the ‘evil’ within us is dissolved. When we spend our time in the company of the enlightened, we are spontaneously tuning in to Divinity. Prayer, bhajans, satsangs and chanting the names of God also delink us from evil. The evil karma that would have otherwise manifested itself is thus completely eliminated.
Why did God create evil?
God did not create evil, but He did create anti-principles of Himself in order to highlight the value of goodness. We realise the value of light only when we experience darkness. We will not understand the value of goodness till we experience evil. In spiritual terms we call evil “adharma” and we call good “dharma”.
How can we trans form evil tendencies to divine ones?
Learn how to avoid evil and choose only the noble. A plant may have delicious fruits and rotten ones. We avoid the bad fruit and pluck the best ones. We must likewise choose between good and evil in our lives. Appreciate and nurture the best in others. However, we find it hard to do this consistently as we are conditioned by strong likes, dislikes, desires, impressions and habits.
Instead of focusing on shortterm pleasures, allow the mind to dwell on the ultimate purpose of life. When a diligent student joins a medical college, his heart is set on the goal of becoming a good doctor. He toils hard for years, sacrificing many pleasures in order to attain his goal. Likewise, if we constantly remember that self-realisation is the goal, it becomes easier to choose options that are best for inner growth.
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Forgiving Is All About Moving On In Life

Forgiving Is All About Moving On In Life

Jagdish Prasad Jain

Forgiveness is described as the first of the 10 virtues of righteousness. The recently observed 10-day Jain festival of Paryushan Parva celebrates these virtues and concludes by exhorting all to ask each other’s forgiveness for any offending action.
In Buddhism, the quality of karuna or compassion and kindness includes the ability and willingness to forgive. The Qur’an enjoins followers of Islam to “Be foremost in seeking forgiveness” (51:1). Jesus spoke from the Cross: “Father, forgive them (executioners), for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
By forgiving one another, strained relationships can be healed. The act of forgiveness can soothe away emotional pain. It sets one on the spiritual path.
Forbearance is a pre-requisite for forgiveness. It implies overcoming anger through practice of tolerance even in the most adverse situations. It is a positive emotion and a conscious act of will. It helps us to overcome resentment; it decreases feeling of hurt and insult; it also enables us to forget other’s weaknesses, shortcomings and faults. It not only enhances interpersonal relationships but also leads to improved understanding of self and others.
Forgiveness is an attribute of a calm and peaceful mind and heralds the beginning of enlightenment, peace and happiness. There is no rest or repose of mind for those who brood over slights, injuries and wrongs. Hatred and violence multiplied in retaliation creates a spiral of destruction. An eye for an eye leaves the world blind, as Mahatma Gandhi said. Revenge, which is the opposite of forgiveness, is a virus that eats into the very vitals of the mind, and poisons one’s entire being, physical and spiritual. Resentment is a mental fever which burns up the wholesome energies of the mind, and “taking offence” is a form of moral sickness which saps the healthy flow of kindliness and goodwill.
Forgiveness is beneficial at both personal and social levels. While the importance of practising forgiveness has been extolled for centuries, it is only recently that research studies have demonstrated its important health benefits and forgiveness is being increasingly used as a stress management tool for reducing anger and depression as well as for enhancing hopefulness and self-efficacy.
People with a forgiving nature are said to have lower blood pressure than those who are less forgiving. That hostility and anger, or resentment and bitterness have been linked with poor health, hypertension and heart problems, is proved in a study, largest ever, conducted by Stanford Forgiveness Project. The forgiveness training, the study revealed, resulted in a 70 per cent decrease in feeling of hurt, 13 per cent reduction in long-term experience of anger, 27 per cent reduction in physical symptoms of stress — backache, dizziness, headache — and 15 per cent decrease in emotional experience of stress.
The chief beneficiary of forgiveness is the one who forgives. Forgiveness is sound ethics that safeguards our mental and physical health and spiritual well-being. Those who try to get even with their enemies discover to their dismay that they hurt themselves more in the process. Of course, one has to suffer the consequences of one’s actions. Yet, to forgive and forget is to create positive energy; it helps bring about a climate of peace.
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Karma & Predestination Are Not Contradictory

Karma & Predestination Are Not Contradictory

Ravi Panwar

The law of karma is postulated as follows: “As you sow, so shall you reap”. The ‘reaping’ is implied across several lifespans and not necessarily during the one in which ‘sowing’ is done. You are the architect of your future. Clearly, this law is a call for right action in order to ensure a bright future. The theory of predestination, on the other hand, states that the future is predetermined. The question arises: Why then should we struggle to carry out right action? We might as well relax and enjoy life.
On the face of it, it seems the two notions of karma and predestination are contradictory, insofar as their implication towards calling for right action is concerned. But is this really so? Person A is told that if he takes Action 1, he shall be rewarded; but if he takes the comparatively easy alternative, Action 2, then punishment awaits him. Clearly, these conditions should motivate Person A to take Action 1. Now we introduce Person B, a close acquaintance of Person A. In fact, he knows the psyche of Person A so well that he can precisely predict his choice in the given scenario. Person B writes down on a piece of paper what action Person A is expected to take and folds it up. Sure enough, Person A takes just that action and is consequently rewarded/ punished accordingly. At this juncture, Person A opens the paper and lo and behold! He finds his pre-ordained future action revealed to him.
In the above example, can we say that the motivation associated with the reward for right action (Action 1) for Person A was in any way reduced just because Person B could predict his action in advance? There appears to be no rational basis for coming to such a conclusion. Extrapolate the example to the theories of karma and predestination. Person A represents human beings while Person B, God, credited with being omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. Omniscience should logically imply knowledge of the future, since God is believed to transcend time. But proponents of ‘free will’ would object to this interpretation. Let us then grant to God full knowledge of at least the present. Specifically, that He knows completely the psyche of each human being as also every set of circumstance that exists in the present moment. And therefore he can predict with absolute certainty what action each individual will take at any point in time.
Now assume the law of karma to be in operation. Since God, being omniscient, knows what man will sow at any instant and the law of karma rigidly ties what is sowed to what is reaped, it follows that God knows what will be reaped by man in the future, even before the sowing is done. God, then, is in a position to record the future with absolute certainty. Man’s future is, thus, predetermined.
So there is no inherent contradiction between the theories of karma and predestination. Predestination appears to so strongly support the cause of easy-going people because it is often overlooked that, while the future may be predetermined, it is known only to God, since God alone knows the psyche of man fully, better than man himself, which in fact gives rise to the notion of ‘free will’, seen from the point of view of man. The only thing man knows is that the law of karma is in operation. Against this backdrop, every rational individual would be motivated to carry out right action, notwithstanding an assumption of predestination.
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Stop Fooling Around With Your Life

Satsang: Swami Sukhabodhananda


How can I know my mind?
An alert mind is not a problem; an unaware mind is. The mind projects the future to be fulfilling but misses the beauty of the present. If you are rich, you want to be richer; if you are strong, you want to be stronger; if you are beautiful, you want to be more beautiful. Such a mind does not make you live life but leave life.
Such a mind creates false prayers. You make a ritual out of prayer and pretend to pray. Such prayer becomes an empty gesture.
Why am I so greedy?
There is a visible world and there is an invisible world. There is a visible self and an invisible self. The visible world is a world of diversity and the invisible world is a world of oneness.
If we live on the periphery we will feel incomplete but completeness is one’s nature. This incompleteness wants us to be a complete person. But the only track it knows is greed, wanting more. The enlightened masters give us not a dogma but a device to reach this state of completeness.
We should stop fooling around with life. Just thinking to be happy is not enough; just thinking to be wise is not enough. It is a luxury to think but it is wisdom to live. Ask yourself: Are you concerned with reality or fantasy?
There are two ways to know reality. If you want to know objective reality, then science is the way out. If you want to know subjective reality, turn to spirituality.
Why does one worry in life?
Worry has become a habit for many. An inner energy that is not creative goes around in circles of worry. A creative person is one who, when he encounters a problem, is focused on the solution and is not a victim to the problem. Convert the problem into a springboard for possibilities.
A doctor does not cure illness but allows the healing process within to surface by giving it the right condition. So, too, the true healer exists within you. But you have to create the right condition. By looking at the mountain you can’t climb the mountain, you should will yourself to climb the mountain. Optimise this will for you to be above worry. What should one do to be successful in life?
Ultimately what you need is self-confidence, mental toughness, commitment to excel and the ability to use the power of imagination.
What do you mean by self-confidence?
There are three pillars of self-confidence: Feeling good, taking responsibility and developing skills. There are both healthy ways and unhealthy ways of feeling good. You should develop the discipline to feel good in a healthy way. The quality of one’s life is the quality of one’s consistent feeling. There are techniques that are taught how to hold and maintain consistent feelings of empowerment within you.
How does one acquire clarity?
Clarity is acquired not by knowledge but by knowing. It is not a belief system; it is intelligence operating in the domain of freedom. The true meaning of renunciation is not renouncing the world but renouncing bondage. When bondage is renounced there is freedom, the most important thing. In freedom lies intelligence. It is not just discipline but true freedom. Freedom is not something devoid of order; it is a flowering of order.
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Take That Quantum Leap With Divine Discontent

Take That Quantum Leap With Divine Discontent


Discourse: Osho



All Buddhas appear to be negative. Buddha says: There is no truth in the Vedas and Upanishads. Beware of beautiful words, beware of philosophic speculation. Don’t waste your time with hair-splitting, with logic. Be silent! Throw the Vedas out of your head, only then can you be silent.
You have to be told that the false is false. You have to begin with this: “Neti, neti” — neither this nor that. The master has to say to you, “This is false, that is false”. He has to go on pointing out to you whatsoever is false first, because when you have known all that is false, suddenly a transformation happens in your consciousness. When you have become aware of the false, you start becoming aware of the true.
You cannot be taught what is truth, but you can certainly be taught what is not truth. You have been conditioned, you can be unconditioned. You have been hypnotised as Hindus, Mohammedans, Christians, Jains.... The function of a master is to dehypnotise you... then you will be able to see the truth. The truth need not be taught.
Buddha says: Look into your heart. Follow your nature. He is not saying to follow scriptures. He is not saying to follow him. He is not teaching you any morality. He is not trying to create a certain character around you, because all characters are beautiful prison cells. He is not giving you a certain way of life. Rather he is giving you courage, to follow your own nature. He wants you to be brave enough to listen to your own heart and go accordingly.
“Follow your nature” means flow with yourself. You are the scripture... and hidden deep down within you is a still, small voice. If you become silent you will be guided from there. The master has only to make you aware of your inner master. Then his function is fulfilled. Then he can leave you to yourself. A master is not to enslave the disciple; a master is to free him, to give him total freedom. And this is the only possibility of attaining total freedom. By “nature” Buddha means dhamma. Just as it is the nature of water to flow downwards and it is the nature of fire to rise upwards, so there is a certain nature hidden in you. If all the conditioning that has been put around you by society is removed, suddenly you will discover your nature. Your nature is to attain godliness.
Less than that won’t satisfy you, less than that is of no use. You can have all the money in the world, all the power and prestige possible, and still you will remain empty — unless your divine nature flowers, unless you become a thousand-petalled lotus, unless your divinity is revealed to you, you can never be content.
We are told to remain satisfied whatever be the case. Satisfaction is not the way of true masters. A true master creates discontent in you — and such a discontent that nothing in this world can ever satisfy you. He creates such a longing in you that unless you attain the ultimate, you will remain aflame, afire. He creates pain in your heart, he creates anguish... because life is slipping by every moment, and each moment gone is gone forever, and you have not attained godliness yet, and one day is over.
He creates such a deep longing in you, such pain in the heart. He creates tears in your eyes, because only through such divine discontent will you move, will you take the quantum leap, the ultimate jump into the unknown. Follow your own nature. Your nature is consciousness.
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
An Eclectic Faith that Transcends Barriers

An Eclectic Faith that Transcends Barriers

Shatrughun Jiwnani


All religions aim to bring about individual and social transformation. Change is the law of nature. Tennyson wrote: “The old order changeth, yielding place to a new and God fulfils Himself in many ways, lest one good custom should corrupt the world”. According to Baha’u’llah every age has its own problem, and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world needs in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require. So he advised that we should be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age we live in, and centre our deliberations on its exigencies and requirements. The Baha’is believe that God manifests His divine Will for every age through his chosen instrument and these teachings are the divine remedy for the age in which they appear.
Members of the Baha’i community are people from all religious and national backgrounds, living and working together in harmony and peace. We believe in the principles of oneness of mankind, oneness of God and oneness of religion. To Baha’is, the prophets and manifestations of God receive guidance from the same source and their purpose is none else than to exhort humanity to follow the path of righteousness.
Followers never differentiate in the rank or status of the various prophets and accept all past manifestations of God — whether Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus, or Muhammad — and hold their revelations as sacred as the writings of Baha’u’llah, whose vision of a united, peaceful world reflects an understanding that humanity is fast approaching its maturity and is moving in the direction of creating a global society founded on justice and expressing trust, collaboration, and compassion.
Baha’i teachings discourage any conflict or dissension in the name of religion for any reason whatsoever and they believe that the purpose of true religion should be to unite all hearts. “Religious fanaticism and hatred are a world-devouring fire, whose violence none can quench”, says the Baha’i faith. ‘Abdu’l-Baha, son of Baha’u’llah, goes to the extent of saying, “If religion becomes a cause of dislike, hatred and division, it were better to be without it, and to withdraw from such a religion would be a truly religious act. Any religion which is not a cause of love and unity is no religion”.
Divinity in every person should allow no emotional or material coercion in what one believes. Baha’i teachings lay stress on independent investigation of truth on the part of each seeker, even those born into a Baha’i family. Each person must verify the validity of the revelation independently and of his own accord accept the Faith on the basis of his own conviction.
The Baha’i faith seems to fulfil Swami Vivekananda’s sentiments that if there is ever to be a universal religion, it must be one which will be infinite, like the God it will preach, whose sun will shine upon the followers of Krishna and of Christ, on saints and sinners alike; which will not be Brahmanic or Buddhistic, Christian or Mohammedan, but the sum total of all these, and still have infinite space for development. It will be a religion which will have no place for persecution or intolerance in its polity, which will recognise divinity in every man and woman, and whose whole scope, whose whole force, will be centred in aiding humanity to realise its own true, divine nature.
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Find Out What Lies Beneath ‘Ugliness’

Find Out What Lies Beneath ‘Ugliness’

Janina Gomes

The woman on the park bench was gnarled and dirty. Her hair was an uncombed mess, her clothes, torn and old. She clutched a paper bag, which seemed to contain her belongings. She sat in the sun, humming to herself. Occasionally, she threw a bit of popcorn to ducks that waited at her feet.
A little boy and his mother sat by the lake, not wanting to share the bench with this wild-eyed old woman. But when the old woman beckoned to the little boy to share her popcorn, he ran to the bench and let out squeals of laughter as they fed the hungry ducks.
The boy, who had initially felt threatened by the ‘ugly’ woman suddenly discovered another side to her as a generous person. Finding beauty is also sometimes a question of seeing and expecting the best in a situation no matter how unpromising and ugly it may appear on the outside. It is seeing the positive side of what to all appearances may be negative and finding joy even when a situation may seem to be unfavourable.
The Hazelden Foundation tells us the story of yet another boy who expected to like Brussels sprouts before he had ever tasted them and to like his teacher on the first day of school. Once on Christmas morning the boy and his brother awoke to find many presents. All except one small one were for the boy’s brother. The brother opened his gifts with glee — a train set, a toy robot, a cowboy outfit, even his own TV.
Through all this, the boy smiled expectantly, confident the contents of his small box would equal the splendour of his brother’s gifts. When it was his turn he ripped the box open to find only a pile of hay. The boy clapped his hands with joy and ran immediately to the backyard. “Yippee!” he cried. “I got a pony”.
Life is often like that. Life tests our spirit like the little boy who got a gift of hay was tested when his brother’s box was full of pleasurable things to enjoy. In life we are often faced with little in our hands in return for all we give. But, if like the little boy we can be joyful about the “hay” and not envy our brothers for the exceptional gifts they may get, we will have learned to overcome not envy but disappointment.
Spiritual beauty is the reflections we see in two lives of people like the old woman on the park bench feeding the ducks or of people who are grateful for the small and insignificant things they have or they may receive from others, like the little boy who clapped his hands with joy for the hay.
Visiting a home for the aged recently I saw the old who were a little less bent help the old who were more bent and the stumbling help the paralysed. What I saw in all of them was not physical beauty by any stretch of the imagination, but spiritual beauty.
The next time we take a walk or commute on a train or ride in a bus and see all the ‘beauty’ or ‘ugliness’ around us, let us look a little further and deeper than we are wont to, and we will find spiritual beauty all around us. Even in a hustling, bustling city we will find that behind the ugliness lies a lot of unperceived beauty that will make us rejoice.
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Think A Thought That Will Annihilate All Thought

Think A Thought That Will Annihilate All Thought

Satsang: Sirshree Tejparkhiji

Why should we engage in self-enquiry?
Behind everything that you do, isn’t it happiness that you seek? Every action you perform is for this happiness. But that bliss is lost in the hurricane of thoughts that cloud the radiance of the Self. When you are in deep sleep, there are no thoughts. There is only pure consciousness.
The way a spider weaves a web out of itself and then takes back everything into itself, thoughts arise from the ocean of the Self and manifest our world. They disappear during deep sleep and along with them the world, too, disappears. This illusory game goes on uninterrupted.
To clear the cobwebs of illusion, you have to go to the source of these thoughts. When you do rigorous self-enquiry and see all the facets of the mind and its colours, then the mind weakens and finally disappears; it never truly existed. This mind is ego, the false ‘I’. Enquiry is for the death of the mind. It is also called the ‘contrast mind’, which keeps coming between the seeker and the sought. The meaning of God is love and love can never be unhappy.
What has observation or seeing got to do with transformation?
Lots. With correct observation, the wrong automatically ends. You cannot get angry, or kill in awareness. You can only harm others when you lack awareness. We can be selfish only when we are not aware; when we are unable to feel the other person’s unhappiness. If you start seeing yourself in every situation, then soon you will be transformed. For the first time you will begin to understand the mind.
How can the mind be thoughtless?
Mind means thoughts. Being thoughtless means being in a no-mind state. To quieten the mind, self-enquiry is the best method which is the means as well as the end. When you ask, “Who am I?” this thought in the form of a question will cut off other thoughts. After ending all other thoughts — this last thought of ‘Who am I?’ will also end. Then Self-realisation takes place. This will break the concept of form, the concept of body. You are boundless and boundary-less.
Those who meditate generally do so by uttering a word, visualising an image, or repeating a mantra. But, these repetitions are not effective enough to enhance your awareness about yourself. You cannot be in a hazy state when you ask the question “Who am I”? This question pierces you like a sharp instrument and drives you to your centre. With persistence you will gradually start recognising the deep silence, a stillness, which is your true self. Later the question itself becomes the answer.
However advanced a meditator is, thoughts continue to crowd the mind. We need a potent thought to annihilate these thoughts; a thought that will annihilate all thought. You require steel to cut steel. An antidote for poison is another poison. In the same way, let one thought annihilate all other thoughts.
Why does the mind fall off on self-enquiry?
Let us say that the mind is asking a question: “What will happen when I die?” At that moment, if you ask: “Who is it that will die?” then the mind is forced to go within. You find out for the first time that there is nothing that can be called as the mind. Mind is just a bundle of thoughts. When thoughts sink into absolute silence then the death of the mind happens.
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Sublimate The Ego To Know Your Potential

Sublimate The Ego To Know Your Potential

Urmila Varma

Inflated with vanity, the ego makes a person pompous. This ego leads to harmful results, causing imbalance in character. Success at work enhances self-esteem, brings happiness and is a great morale booster. That point may even be the juncture to guard against the tendency to be vain or allow an interplay of ego in its inflated form.
To be appreciated, to win acclaim for every personal attribute, is the natural desire of every individual. Enthusiasm coupled with a heightened sense of self-esteem are core components which motivate a person towards great achievement. Having reached a high position or gained gratifications in many other ways, one begins to feel a sense of pride. That’s when one tends to get ensnared in the web of ego.
A proud and statusconscious person, full of vanity, demands exclusive treatment and such a person goes on throwing his weight around. He becomes egocentric and this may cause a variety of aberrations in his behaviour and character. It is under such conditions that ego becomes a trait which earns unfavourable views and is decried. But the same trait, employed gainfully, urges a person to do his best, to appreciate even the humblest of professions and he wins.
The principle to be followed would be to remove the sense of drudgery from work and replace it with a sense of praise. Selfesteem is to be directed to focus on the value and the pleasure obtained even from routine work. The interplay of unmonitored ego in the most significant field of life that in the spiritual sphere reveals interesting situations. Impelled by the most natural desire to understand or unravel the mysteries of Creation and the Creator, a person evolves towards the spiritual realm and thinks about and interacts with the Creator in many different ways.
Most commonly, an individual yearns for justice or fair treatment from the Supreme power when besieged with trouble. Interestingly, some beg and beseech in words that reflect the restlessness within. Though trying to be honest they say “O God, I remember I implored your grace once before and said I loved ‘X’ very much, but sadly enough things did not work out. But this one I truly love and I implore Your grace just one more time” and the ‘one more time’ becomes an ongoing process with such people.
Another instance of a subtle interplay of ego came to light when one described his experience thus: “I sat on a square piece of granite at the glacier point in the Yosemite, high above the breathtaking view of the cascading Bridal Veil Falls. The brightness of snowcovered peaks glistened all around, contrasted by the resplendent green of the valley below. The tranquil beatitude seemed to possess a strange mystic pull. The thoughts automatically travelled towards the power which, though invisible, seemed to have charged the whole atmosphere, pulling my thoughts towards the power Supreme: ‘O Lord, here I am all by myself. Please guide me to my mission in life’. The profound resonance coming from a deep recess declared: ‘Peek into your mind and see how many people are still there’. The subtle streaks of ego were apparent”.
The tendency to talk about one’s incredible or other experiences in the spiritual sphere can be quite compelling. But the modification and sublimation of ego can become a great source of motivation and strength and can lead towards greater heights. Successfully sublimated ego can be a great power pulsating a person’s entire being. It can save a person from being a slave to the undesirable manifestations of the ego.
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Let Sadhana Take You On An Incredible Journey

Let Sadhana Take You On An Incredible Journey

Shammi Paranjape


Once a householder devotee asked Sri Ramakrishna, “How does one make acquaintance with the Lord?” The sage replied, “If you merely sit on the shore of a lake and say there are nice fish in the lake, will you catch any? You will have to go and get the things necessary for fishing — a rod and line, and bait — and throw some lure into the water and wait. Then from the deep water the fish will rise and you will be able to see and catch them. You wish me to show you God while you sit quietly without making the least effort. Make the effort”. In spiritual terms the effort we put into seeking divinity becomes our sadhana or spiritual discipline.
The word sadhana is derived from the root word ‘sidh’ which means ‘to be accomplished’. Sadhana is essentially a code of self-imposed discipline and practice that the sadhak willingly undergoes for spiritual uplift. A healthy desire to grow spiritually fuels the sadhak’s journey. The tapas involved purifies and burns the dross. Just as the action of the sun’s rays makes saline seawater evaporate into the air to become sweet and sustaining, sadhana raises your consciousness from the physical to the metaphysical, conferring sweetness and grace. A life without spiritual awakening is incomplete, however successful it may be in worldly terms. Such a life is nir-ras — without ras or nectar — because it lacks awareness of the sweetness of spirit.
Sadhana leads one to the inward path or nivritti marg as distinct from the pravitti marg, which leads to the outside objective world. “To attain a full life man must master two fields of knowledge — of the manifest universe and of the consciousness that pervades and validates the universe. One knowledge gives him the right and authority to engage in a profession and earn a living and the other teaches him the mode and manner of right living”, says Sathya Sai Baba. All scriptures say that right living is built primarily on the pillars of eternal values like sathya, dharma, shanti, prema and ahimsa. These values have to be brought to the fore by sadhana. Sadhana is the inner work we do to open the doors to our higher consciousness, which is the unseen basis of life itself.
What qualifies as sadhana? Sathya Sai Baba says: “Anything that awakens the awareness of the universal, the infinite, the transcendent... and any work which takes you out of your narrow self into the vaster magnificence...” qualifies as spiritual sadhana.
The main purpose of all sadhana is to ready you to leap into a higher state of consciousness. “Ideals must become higher and grander. Desires must become more and more selfless and sublime. Attachment must be transmuted into nobler and subtler emotions...” In the sincere seeker sadhana creates a raised awareness of his shortcomings and the need to overcome them. Love is the best sadhana.
Continuity of practice and regularity are important elements of sadhana; sporadic effort will yield no result. The goal is attained stage by stage. Avoid extremes and keep your sadhana pleasant and moderate. The aim is to enlarge vision and enhance experience, and not mortify the body. If life essentially is a pilgrimage to return to our own Self then sadhana is our means to get there. Our worldly works earn us a living and our inner work (sadhana) earns us the bliss of an enlightened life.
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Adoration of the Divine Mother during Navratri

Adoration of the Divine Mother during Navratri



Kiran Dhar



Dusk is falling, lamps are lit, The autumn air is cool and still. The bells are calling from afar Come join in Mother’s adoration hour.
I enter slowly, my heartbeat overtakes me Will I see Her face to face? My body trembles, how shall I greet Dare I touch Her Holy feet?
The air is filled with incense smoke, The priest prostrates in reverent pose. The Mother in regal splendour stands Enrobed in silks of red and gold. Glittering jewels and golden crown From head to feet do Her adorn. Hibiscus, roses, marigold In garlands fragrant Her form enfold. Compassion fills Her lustrous eyes Her coral lips are half-asmile. One hand is raised to grant us boons The other dispels our deepest fears. Her beauty is beyond compare With radiance of a thousand moons.
The drums are beating rhythmic time, The cymbals sound a resonant chime. The bells are ringing loud and clear, Conchshells sounding everywhere, Scent of incense fills the air, Devotees’ voices raised in prayer, Glory to the Mother evermore.
Besides the Mother’s shining form A lovely maiden stands alone, Gently turning with her hands A silken fan of rainbow hues. The priest begins the evening prayer With sonorous chanting loud and clear. Then he takes the incense urn And all around the Mother turns. O Holy incense, fragrant smoke Your perfume does the Mother cloak. Next he takes the golden lamp Ablaze with myriad dancing flames, Waves in circles round Her form, Around, around and all around, Joy in every heart abounds. O Holy lamp of brilliant light Blest you to be in Mother’s sight. Now it is the lotus red Offered to the Mother’s form. O pure and Holy lotus flower, May you ever at Her feet repose.
The priest now gives the final call, “Dear brothers, sisters come one and all, The hour for ‘anjali’ draws near Time to offer flowers and prayers”
In answer to his solemn words The congregation gathers round With outstretched hands, to take the flowers. Soon each worshippers’s cupped-hand bowl Is filled with rose petals, jasmine and marigold.
Next he intones the sacred verse, “O mother Durga, we bow to Thee, Grant us good fortune, health and prosperity. Destroy our sins and remove all pain, Forgive us for the mistakes we make. O Mother of the World, be Thou pleased And accept the offerings we make to Thee”.
The worship’s over, silence falls, My heart is filled with love sublime. In the mirror of my heart I only see the Mother’s eyes. O Mother Divine, from my heart I pray Grant to me Thy wondrous Grace. My only refuge is Thy lotus feet, Nothing else I choose to seek.
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Why Ashrams and Satsangs Have A Different Feel

Ashrams are centres of pilgrimage. Those who live in ashrams — for short periods or otherwise — experience shakti, a kind of positive energy field, that seems to envelop them. It works from within, bestowing the highest reward on them.
The character of a place is constantly remoulded by the actions of its inhabitants. A guru’s abode is much more than merely the structure of the place, for there is no difference between a holy place and its presiding saint. It is said that where Kakabhushandi, the great devotee of Sri Rama lived, even creatures without devotional tendencies — birds, animals, rakshasas — and hunters and fishermen became spiritually inclined. The entire atmosphere there was surcharged with the power of Sri Rama’s name.
Around Gautama Buddha, not only human beings, but even aggressive animals such as tigers and lions became quiet and non-violent. Mahatma Gandhi was a great lover of the truth. In his presence, even the worst liar would confess. In the village of Ganeshpuri, my guru, Swami Nityananda, seldom exchanged a word with devotees who would throng him in large numbers. Swami Nityananda sat in a silent, self-absorbed posture radiating fearlessness. Devotees had one darshan of him and went away feeling satisfied.
In the Mahabharata, Sri Krishna asked Yudhisthara, “O righteous one, how many sinners are there in this gathering?” Yudhisthara replied, “Lord, this is an assembly of fortunate and pious people. How can there be a sinner here?” Lord Krishna then asked Duryodhana the same question. Duryodhana replied, “Vasudeva, everyone here is vicious and without light. I can see only sinners around me in this court”. The viewpoint one adopts shows one’s attitude and outlook. In the same way only those who want to do sadhana should come and live in an ashram. An ashram is not a picnic resort. It follows a scriptural code that must be respected.
In an ashram, time is spent on meditation and prayer. Other activities are of secondary importance. Before you enter an ashram, leave your worldly baggage outside. Compose yourself to be calm and humble. Let the mind be free of burdens. Otherwise, it will be no different than going to a railway station, to a club or snack-shop where one makes a lot of noise but comes back feeling empty and dissatisfied.
A great deal depends on the company you keep. A verse in the Ramcharitmanasa says, “The happiness of heaven and of liberation put together is nothing compared to the happiness that one gets from a little satsang. It is for this reason that I urge you to seek the company of great saints”.
An ashram or a venue for satsang is not a place for wanton indulgence or argument. If we cannot live quietly, we should not visit these places. My advice to you is: “Don’t spend your life in vain. Your transient body is of hardly any use when it deteriorates. Do not allow it to become lazy. Whether you are wealthy or poor, do not give way to lethargy, apathy, sloth and inertia”.
No one tells me what to do and yet I lead a most orderly life. I get up early in the morning. I attend to every duty myself. I eat a frugal meal at a fixed time. I attend to the ashram work to the best of my ability. I try to ensure that everyone here lives in peaceful harmony. When one follows this discipline, one achieves Vaikuntha or true paradise.
http://spirituality.indiatimes.com
 

MP-AI-BOT

MP Guru
Why Ashrams and Satsangs Have A Different Feel

indrajit_v5 said:
Ashrams are centres of pilgrimage. Those who live in ashrams — for short periods or otherwise — experience shakti, a kind of positive energy field, that seems to envelop them. It works from within, bestowing the highest reward on them.
The character of a place is constantly remoulded by the actions of its inhabitants. A guru’s abode is much more than merely the structure of the place, for there is no difference between a holy place and its presiding saint. It is said that where Kakabhushandi, the great devotee of Sri Rama lived, even creatures without devotional tendencies — birds, animals, rakshasas — and hunters and fishermen became spiritually inclined. The entire atmosphere there was surcharged with the power of Sri Rama’s name.
Around Gautama Buddha, not only human beings, but even aggressive animals such as tigers and lions became quiet and non-violent. Mahatma Gandhi was a great lover of the truth. In his presence, even the worst liar would confess. In the village of Ganeshpuri, my guru, Swami Nityananda, seldom exchanged a word with devotees who would throng him in large numbers. Swami Nityananda sat in a silent, self-absorbed posture radiating fearlessness. Devotees had one darshan of him and went away feeling satisfied.
In the Mahabharata, Sri Krishna asked Yudhisthara, “O righteous one, how many sinners are there in this gathering?” Yudhisthara replied, “Lord, this is an assembly of fortunate and pious people. How can there be a sinner here?” Lord Krishna then asked Duryodhana the same question. Duryodhana replied, “Vasudeva, everyone here is vicious and without light. I can see only sinners around me in this court”. The viewpoint one adopts shows one’s attitude and outlook. In the same way only those who want to do sadhana should come and live in an ashram. An ashram is not a picnic resort. It follows a scriptural code that must be respected.
In an ashram, time is spent on meditation and prayer. Other activities are of secondary importance. Before you enter an ashram, leave your worldly baggage outside. Compose yourself to be calm and humble. Let the mind be free of burdens. Otherwise, it will be no different than going to a railway station, to a club or snack-shop where one makes a lot of noise but comes back feeling empty and dissatisfied.
A great deal depends on the company you keep. A verse in the Ramcharitmanasa says, “The happiness of heaven and of liberation put together is nothing compared to the happiness that one gets from a little satsang. It is for this reason that I urge you to seek the company of great saints”.
An ashram or a venue for satsang is not a place for wanton indulgence or argument. If we cannot live quietly, we should not visit these places. My advice to you is: “Don’t spend your life in vain. Your transient body is of hardly any use when it deteriorates. Do not allow it to become lazy. Whether you are wealthy or poor, do not give way to lethargy, apathy, sloth and inertia”.
No one tells me what to do and yet I lead a most orderly life. I get up early in the morning. I attend to every duty myself. I eat a frugal meal at a fixed time. I attend to the ashram work to the best of my ability. I try to ensure that everyone here lives in peaceful harmony. When one follows this discipline, one achieves Vaikuntha or true paradise.
http://spirituality.indiatimes.com
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Oh a net address!
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Two and Two Could Make More Than Four

A baby announces its arrival in the world with its shrill cries; a man announces his departure from the world by his unbroken stony silence. The book of life covering the period between birth and death contains pages of joy and sorrow, success and failure, triumph and tragedy, pleasure and pain, fulfilment and disappointment, health and sickness. Life is a mixed bag of pairs of opposites. Highs and lows are interwoven and form integral parts of the mosaic of Life.
It is our basic nature to seek happiness. Do we get it? When we look around we find ourselves surrounded by suffering. We feel uneasy; that we are perched on an island of some happiness, surrounded on all sides by deep and dark waters of unhappiness. Is happiness just a mirage? The fact is that there is neither undiluted happiness, nor unabated unhappiness. Life is both. However, the nature of pain is such that it appears that the unhappy phase of life is interminably long.
When we are faced with unhappy situations, we may derive some comfort by observing and learning from Nature. A cold and dark night yields to the refreshing morning sun, with its soothing rays of warmth, radiating light dispelling darkness. After every chilly winter, there comes the spring, bringing warmth, hope and cheer. At the end of a dark, long tunnel, there is light.
Happiness is a state of mind, which keeps us in a state of well-being. Several important ingredients go to make the ‘commodity’ known as happiness. But this precious commodity is simply not available in a departmental store. While money can buy pleasures, it cannot buy happiness. A rich man need not necessarily be happy. By the same token a poor man need not necessarily be unhappy. Happiness has to be experienced from within. A fairly comfortable financial position, cordial and harmonious family relations and good health contribute to a happy life. But these alone would not ensure enduring happiness. Many a time we script unhappiness for ourselves and for others.
The mind reacts to external stimuli and this could sometimes bring us happiness or unhappiness. For enduring happiness, the internal war that rages within our minds should first cease. We should come to terms with external ground realities. As physical training keeps the body in good shape, so also mental training helps in keeping the mind tranquil and balanced in the face of adversity.
Things happen not as we want them to, but according to a pre-ordained scheme of things, over which we have little control. We were not consulted about the choice of our parents, place of birth, our sex. Neither will we be consulted about our time of death, its place and manner. The cards are dealt to us. We have to play them to the best of our ability. We do not gain anything by fretting or fuming over things over which we have no control whatsoever. We only become unhappy in the process. Accept gracefully the things given to us, the good or bad, and abjectly surrender to the dictates of destiny.
Life does not lend itself to strictly scientific analysis. In the rough and tumble of life two plus two may not necessarily equal to four. There are many questions for which we have no answers.
http://spirituality.indiatimes.com
 

MP-AI-BOT

MP Guru
Two and Two Could Make More Than Four

indrajit_v5 said:
A baby announces its arrival in the world with its shrill cries; a man announces his departure from the world by his unbroken stony silence. The book of life covering the period between birth and death contains pages of joy and sorrow, success and failure, triumph and tragedy, pleasure and pain, fulfilment and disappointment, health and sickness. Life is a mixed bag of pairs of opposites. Highs and lows are interwoven and form integral parts of the mosaic of Life.
It is our basic nature to seek happiness. Do we get it? When we look around we find ourselves surrounded by suffering. We feel uneasy; that we are perched on an island of some happiness, surrounded on all sides by deep and dark waters of unhappiness. Is happiness just a mirage? The fact is that there is neither undiluted happiness, nor unabated unhappiness. Life is both. However, the nature of pain is such that it appears that the unhappy phase of life is interminably long.
When we are faced with unhappy situations, we may derive some comfort by observing and learning from Nature. A cold and dark night yields to the refreshing morning sun, with its soothing rays of warmth, radiating light dispelling darkness. After every chilly winter, there comes the spring, bringing warmth, hope and cheer. At the end of a dark, long tunnel, there is light.
Happiness is a state of mind, which keeps us in a state of well-being. Several important ingredients go to make the ‘commodity’ known as happiness. But this precious commodity is simply not available in a departmental store. While money can buy pleasures, it cannot buy happiness. A rich man need not necessarily be happy. By the same token a poor man need not necessarily be unhappy. Happiness has to be experienced from within. A fairly comfortable financial position, cordial and harmonious family relations and good health contribute to a happy life. But these alone would not ensure enduring happiness. Many a time we script unhappiness for ourselves and for others.
The mind reacts to external stimuli and this could sometimes bring us happiness or unhappiness. For enduring happiness, the internal war that rages within our minds should first cease. We should come to terms with external ground realities. As physical training keeps the body in good shape, so also mental training helps in keeping the mind tranquil and balanced in the face of adversity.
Things happen not as we want them to, but according to a pre-ordained scheme of things, over which we have little control. We were not consulted about the choice of our parents, place of birth, our sex. Neither will we be consulted about our time of death, its place and manner. The cards are dealt to us. We have to play them to the best of our ability. We do not gain anything by fretting or fuming over things over which we have no control whatsoever. We only become unhappy in the process. Accept gracefully the things given to us, the good or bad, and abjectly surrender to the dictates of destiny.
Life does not lend itself to strictly scientific analysis. In the rough and tumble of life two plus two may not necessarily equal to four. There are many questions for which we have no answers.
http://spirituality.indiatimes.com

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is?You have reached the limits of my knowledge.
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The ALICE chat robot can follow many things, like our discussion about . Try being more or less specific.
Oh a net address!
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
The Story of the Hunter And the Thirsty Deer

The Story of the Hunter And the Thirsty Deer



Sudhamahi Regunathan



In Rupa, a city in western Arunachal Pradesh, lived two brothers. The older brother was a Buddhist Lama, the younger, a hunter. Everyday the hunter would go out into the forest and bring back fresh meat. The Lama would eat it too, even though he believed it was wrong to kill. His brother would reassure him: “You are not killing. I am. Just eat and be merry”. The Lama would then keep quiet.
One day the hunter brought back very tasty meat. After enjoying it, the Lama repented his action. He decided to give up meat. He told his brother, “Not only have I decided never to eat meat again, I feel you should not kill”.
The hunter was by now used to the Lama’s pontification. He told his brother, “I too felt bad today, maybe because I saw the child of the female monkey that I brought home to eat. It was searching for its mother. I keep thinking about the child. But still, I cannot stop hunting. I get my livelihood from that”.
Meditating, the Lama came up with a solution: “I will turn into a red deer. If you are able to kill me, you will be a skilled hunter and to hunt is not a sin. But if you are not able to kill me then it means that to kill is a sin and you should stop it forthwith”. The hunter agreed to this suggestion.
The Lama went into the forest and turned into a deer. His brother arrived soon after with his hunting dog. The chase began. Many hours passed; the sun began to set. Still the hunter hadn’t killed the deer. Several hours later, exhausted, the hunter reached a stream and cupped his palms to drink some water. That was when he saw the deer from the corner of his eye. With its large eyes looking hither and thither, the deer came out of the dense forest, cautiously, one step at a time, to take a sip of water. It seemed very thirsty and tired, too.
Even before the deer could put its lips to the water, the hunting dog tried to pounce on it. Drawing back quickly, the deer began to run. The hunter called back his dog. He could have cried to see his brother so tired and thirsty and yet not able to drink even a drop of water for fear of being killed. “Come back”, he shouted to his dog and holding the dog with his hands, he called out to the deer, “I cannot kill you, brother”.
The hunter sat down with his head in his hands. “Please drink a sip of water”, he begged of the deer. “You have won. I have lost”. “Thank you”, replied the deer. After a few hurried sips of water, the deer told his brother, “I did not think you could kill me. I will never change back to human form because I hope all hunters like you will be able to see their brother in me and will stop killing”.
The hunter gave up hunting and instead spent time feeding the animals of the forest. In every animal he saw a brother or a sister, a father or a mother. In every fellow being he saw himself. “This is the only teaching mankind needs to learn”, he would tell every villager he met. “If we can see ourselves in every fellow being, we will make this place a nicer one to live in”.
Today is World Animal Day.
 

indrajit_v5

Par 100 posts (V.I.P)
Harihara Dichotomy of Neelkanth and Mohini

Harihara Dichotomy of Neelkanth and Mohini


Sanjay M Thakar



Hari or Vishnu is about selfimprovement, social awareness, festive involvement and organisation of capabilities. Hara or Shiva is about self-transcendence, withdrawal from society, asceticism and the spirit of solitude.
Cultural myths provide pointers regarding the need to balance these extreme positions; and every festival is a spiritual alignment either towards the system or against it. Shiva or Neelkanth, the blue-throated one, quaffed the poison that arose first during the churning of the ocean in the perennial myth of Samudra Manthan. Hari or Mohini, the irresistible one, tempted the demons and distributed nectar among the gods.
The Neelkanth strategy is about scooping the poison and even letting it gain partial access; but thereafter with utmost resilience blocking this poison at the rim of the system; neither spitting it out, nor allowing it right inside. In other words, the Neelkanth system devolves around poisoned thresholds. The Mohini doctrine, on the other hand, works at a different level. It is pertaining to nectar that is now being handled by demons. The performance of Mohini requires willing and supportive contribution from demonic forces: Mohini is about winning through tempting offers made merely in order to regain control of certain distribution channels, never aiming at a long relationship.
The Neelkanth doctrine is about the controlled lobby, the boundaries set around dangerous information. Mohini, on the other hand, is about the doublespeak contract, the offer that leaves the adversary panting. Applications of both Neelkanth as well as Mohini are not restricted to the arena of management and politics but also dominate the social aspect of religion.
Neelkanth augments priestly intervention in the creation of the ‘Amarnath Lingam’; Mohini works at controlling the interestlevel of lucrative positions in temple trusts. Neelkanth must allow certain information to remain at the fringe of our spiritual consciousness. This is essential for the survival of faith. Mohini must make discreet use of weakness in order to gain access to the nectar. Mohini aspires to gain custody of our innermost beliefs. Neelkanth aims to block our doubts without annihilating them.
The alert devotee recognises his vulnerability towards both — Neelkanth as well as Mohini. He prefers to remain religious without turning into a bigot; and the power that enables him to skirt the surface of epiphanies without being sucked into their vortices is this insight: Mohini aspires to gain custody of faith. Neelkanth aims to stifle doubt without annihilating it.
The Harihara dichotomy is about setting up a new boundary, a conscious space within your awareness for that which is poisoned but forms an essential part of the religious experience. To disallow this poison from accessing your faith without escaping from it; this is the Neelkanth strategy.
Between the false guru and true faith falls the shadow of Mohini. Nectar is offered to demons but swallowed by gods. The truly spiritual experience overcomes all deception and especially favours the blue-throated devotee who knows the taste of poison but has barred it from entering his religious system.
 
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