Why shouldn't you strengthen your own vibrations through fellowship with people seeking Self-realization, and by group meditation with them? This practice will fortify your own spiritual convictions; you will find that many seemingly insuperable barriers in your life will crumble and dissolve in the waters of meditation. Your devotion and love for God will commingle with the devotion and love of others. Divine bliss will radiate from you, helping all persons you meet.
From time immemorial in India, seekers who were truly eager to realize God have sought association with saints, or have meditated on their pictures in the company of other spiritual aspirants. There is a deep spiritual reason for this practice, which has been endorsed by the masters for centuries.
Fundamentally the very karmic walls are always like this. They are like sheets of glass. If they were like walls of brick, you could see them and you could break them, but they're sheets of glass. Everything is open, but when you try to reach out you are locked in; that's how it is. Now, what can I do to break that? Why sadhana is always set up - apart from any teaching is just because of this: any teaching, after a certain period of time, becomes a block by itself, in a certain sense. You will twist it to your convenience. You can twist all teachings in the world. Initially, a teaching has an impact on you because its new and you have no clue as to how it works, so it works; but over a period of time, as you begin to understand, and then you will start twisting it to your convenience. You will see how the teaching supports you. The teaching is not about supporting you; the teaching is about demolishing you, but you will start using the teaching as a support for yourself. Once that happens, the teaching is no good anymore. That is why a Guru is constantly talking from different dimensions. It is Truth, but they are so contradictory that he does not allow you to settle anywhere, because the moment you settle, you start using it to your advantage. Apart from this process, the sadhana is always there - just the simple things. A kriya - in the morning you sit and breathe in a certain way - can slowly decimate these blocks. if you don't understand any teaching, it doesn't matter. You just keep doing the practice; after some time, suddenly there is a new sense of openness and freedom in you. That is always the bedrock that you can rely on, because you can always twist teachings.
Once you know how to be aware, once the necessary awareness - to be away from your own body, to be away from your own mind - has come to you, don't even bother about your karmas. Just see how to deepen this awareness. Do you see, being here with me, or during the Isha Yoga programs, there have been many moments of awareness? This is the beginning of freedom. Your business is just to establish that.
Once you know how to be aware, once the necessary awareness - to be away from your own body, to be away from your own mind - has come to you, don't even bother about your karmas. Just see how to deepen this awareness. Do you see, being here with me, or during the Isha Yoga programs, there have been many moments of awareness? This is the beginning of freedom. Your business is just to establish that.
Everything is Auspicious THE whole of Existence is an auspicious happening. We are part of Existence, so everything happening around us is also auspicious!
This is the truth of Existence. Nothing that happens in Existence is inauspicious. Everything is only a blessing. If we understood this clearly, we can see everything as extraordinary. Everything will appear as a miracle. One day a duck hunter went to the market to buy a bird retriever dog. To his amazement he found a dog that could walk on water! He immediately took it home. He invited one of his friends to hunt the next day and took the dog with them. When a flock of ducks came near, he took aim, fired and silently watched. The dog walked on the water and retrieved the bird. He looked at his friend for a reaction but the friend remained silent. He asked him, ‘Do you see anything unusual about my dog?’ The friend replied, ‘Yes, your dog is unable to swim.’ Miracles are continuously happening in front of our eyes, but we continuously miss them! Only because we miss them, life itself appears to be dull. When we start perceiving them, our entire life becomes a miracle. In the whole world there are only two kinds of people. The first kind will try to judge, criticize and develop the things happening in the world according to their ideas. There is the other group which feels that whatever is happening is auspicious. Whoever feels that whatever happens is auspicious, lives in eternal bliss, in celebration! The other group continuously suffers because it tries to change things all the time. Just accept and celebrate Existence with all its different dimensions and paradoxes. Everything has a message for us including death and disease. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the enlightened master, says this beautiful story: Two men entered a mango grove. One of them sat and counted the number of trees. He studied the variations in their size, the number of branches, density of leaves and number of mangoes across the trees. He thought about where they would sell, what would be the cost, etc. The other man simply ate a few mangoes, enjoyed himself and left! If we continuously use our logic to analyze and judge and try to bring things under our control, we will miss the whole beauty of the existential miracles. So don’t judge anything. Everything has something to teach us. Accept and celebrate the very existence of the world with the innocence of a child!
This is the truth of Existence. Nothing that happens in Existence is inauspicious. Everything is only a blessing. If we understood this clearly, we can see everything as extraordinary. Everything will appear as a miracle. One day a duck hunter went to the market to buy a bird retriever dog. To his amazement he found a dog that could walk on water! He immediately took it home. He invited one of his friends to hunt the next day and took the dog with them. When a flock of ducks came near, he took aim, fired and silently watched. The dog walked on the water and retrieved the bird. He looked at his friend for a reaction but the friend remained silent. He asked him, ‘Do you see anything unusual about my dog?’ The friend replied, ‘Yes, your dog is unable to swim.’ Miracles are continuously happening in front of our eyes, but we continuously miss them! Only because we miss them, life itself appears to be dull. When we start perceiving them, our entire life becomes a miracle. In the whole world there are only two kinds of people. The first kind will try to judge, criticize and develop the things happening in the world according to their ideas. There is the other group which feels that whatever is happening is auspicious. Whoever feels that whatever happens is auspicious, lives in eternal bliss, in celebration! The other group continuously suffers because it tries to change things all the time. Just accept and celebrate Existence with all its different dimensions and paradoxes. Everything has a message for us including death and disease. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the enlightened master, says this beautiful story: Two men entered a mango grove. One of them sat and counted the number of trees. He studied the variations in their size, the number of branches, density of leaves and number of mangoes across the trees. He thought about where they would sell, what would be the cost, etc. The other man simply ate a few mangoes, enjoyed himself and left! If we continuously use our logic to analyze and judge and try to bring things under our control, we will miss the whole beauty of the existential miracles. So don’t judge anything. Everything has something to teach us. Accept and celebrate the very existence of the world with the innocence of a child!
In the Sri Guru Gita,
Sadashiva reveals that Guru is "Atrinetrah Sivah Saksat" which means,
Guru is directly Shiva Himself without the visible three eyes. His Third eye may not be visible while in human embodiment. But it is only the Guru, Sadashiva with his third eye open, who can initiate others into opening theirs.
Sadashiva reveals that Guru is "Atrinetrah Sivah Saksat" which means,
Guru is directly Shiva Himself without the visible three eyes. His Third eye may not be visible while in human embodiment. But it is only the Guru, Sadashiva with his third eye open, who can initiate others into opening theirs.
Listen, when you declare - "Let my prana become the prana of the cosmos, let my breathing pattern become one with that breathing pattern of the cosmos" - Your bio-memory will rest in the space of completion.
Practice may make you perfect, not integrated.
Cognitive shift makes you integrated.
Decision makes you integrated.
I am not asking you to practice integrity,
I am making you to decide
To be integrated from Now.
Cognitive shift makes you integrated.
Decision makes you integrated.
I am not asking you to practice integrity,
I am making you to decide
To be integrated from Now.
Let your principles of reviving you be enriching you and enriching others; not just ‘zeroes’ in your bank balance. Every day the ‘zeroes’ in your bank balance or the jealousy with your competitors is making you run. You will be tired and sick. Or if the principle of enriching you and enriching others makes you run, I tell you it is eternal fuel. You are like a solar-equipped vehicle. If the j and greed is the reason, fuel for your vehicle, you’re running on petrol. Any day we may dry out. Your car cannot move, you are working on non-renewable energy source. If you are functioning, if the principle of enriching yourself and enriching others is the fuel for you; I tell you, you are working on renewable life sources, renewable energy sources. You are like car which runs in solar power. You will never stop, you will run forever. Make yourself run with renewable energy sources. That’s good for you and to the world.
Please listen, anything you see, you should grasp it, anything you listen you should be able to repeat it. Kids are born with so much of enthusiasm; but unfortunately the so-called education, books makes them completely tired and bored of life. Anything which bring tiredness and boredom in your life is poison!
The vision document of Sadashiva for his mission towards the humanity. How He prepares the human body and how He opens the multiple dimensions of the Universe to human consciousness, how He give access to human brain and how He is letting the human brain translate the access to Kailasa into the real day to day life.
Listen carefully! When you have access to higher consciousness like Turiya and Turiyatita, when you have access to multi dimensions of the Universe like different lokas: Bhu, Bhuvah, Svah, Tapa, Satya. The higher lokas, the multi dimensions of the Universe. How that translate into the higher consciousness: state, space, power manifestations on the planet earth.
Listen carefully! State, space, power manifestation on the planet earth: a person who develop Vaak Siddhi, not only develops Integrity, he can never have a memory loss. You say, “I forgot this!” “I do not remember this!” Understand, you completely live in utter lack of Integrity, a non-Integrity lifestyle.
Listen carefully! When you have access to higher consciousness like Turiya and Turiyatita, when you have access to multi dimensions of the Universe like different lokas: Bhu, Bhuvah, Svah, Tapa, Satya. The higher lokas, the multi dimensions of the Universe. How that translate into the higher consciousness: state, space, power manifestations on the planet earth.
Listen carefully! State, space, power manifestation on the planet earth: a person who develop Vaak Siddhi, not only develops Integrity, he can never have a memory loss. You say, “I forgot this!” “I do not remember this!” Understand, you completely live in utter lack of Integrity, a non-Integrity lifestyle.
Seeker: Dear Sadhguru, many times you have told us that we are functioning out of our intellect. If this is so, then how can we use this state to become more open and free ?
Sadhguru: See, when you talk about openness, being open means that 'who' you are should not be. The limited identity should completely go away. Only then, you are truly and absolutely open. Right now, if you look at it from the limited means that you have, it is impossible thing. People believing that, "i am absolutely open," is again illusory. As I have always insisted, never think of liberation; never think of freedom; never think of openness. Always think in terms of that which binds you. Your business is with that which binds you. Right now, your hands and legs are tied up. You thinking about freedom is of no use. You just see how to handle the ropes which bind you: your business is with them. This may look uninteresting for the romantic people because they want to visualize how it is in heaven, how free they will be, how they will fly through the skies. It is not romantic. It is realistic, and it is workable. Very easily, one can work themselves out of the bondages that they have fallen into. The same goes for openness and being closed. What is it that has closed you up? Before we look at how to become open, what is it that closes you up?
Whatever spiritual proccess we start - on all levels of body, mind, emotion, and energy - slowly all these dimensions are handled, but one thing, which is easily at hand for you, is the mind and emotions. Making yourself mentally open is very fundamental and crucial, because this is something that is immediately in your hands. Your energy is not in your hands; you don't know how to open it. Even your physical body you do not know how to keep it open, but your mind is something that you can consciously open.
That's why a lot of talk is going on about opening the mind, not because it's the most important, but because right now that is most available for people. For opening other dimensions, anyway sadhana is there. You don't have to understand how. You just do the sadhana and it opens up.
Sadhguru: See, when you talk about openness, being open means that 'who' you are should not be. The limited identity should completely go away. Only then, you are truly and absolutely open. Right now, if you look at it from the limited means that you have, it is impossible thing. People believing that, "i am absolutely open," is again illusory. As I have always insisted, never think of liberation; never think of freedom; never think of openness. Always think in terms of that which binds you. Your business is with that which binds you. Right now, your hands and legs are tied up. You thinking about freedom is of no use. You just see how to handle the ropes which bind you: your business is with them. This may look uninteresting for the romantic people because they want to visualize how it is in heaven, how free they will be, how they will fly through the skies. It is not romantic. It is realistic, and it is workable. Very easily, one can work themselves out of the bondages that they have fallen into. The same goes for openness and being closed. What is it that has closed you up? Before we look at how to become open, what is it that closes you up?
Whatever spiritual proccess we start - on all levels of body, mind, emotion, and energy - slowly all these dimensions are handled, but one thing, which is easily at hand for you, is the mind and emotions. Making yourself mentally open is very fundamental and crucial, because this is something that is immediately in your hands. Your energy is not in your hands; you don't know how to open it. Even your physical body you do not know how to keep it open, but your mind is something that you can consciously open.
That's why a lot of talk is going on about opening the mind, not because it's the most important, but because right now that is most available for people. For opening other dimensions, anyway sadhana is there. You don't have to understand how. You just do the sadhana and it opens up.
Blissful is detachment for one who is content, For one who has learned the law of nature and who sees;
Blissful is non-affliction in the world, Restraint towards living creatures;
Blissful is passionlessness in the world, The overcoming of sensual desires;
But the abolition of the conceit
"I am" —That is truly the supreme bliss.
Blissful is non-affliction in the world, Restraint towards living creatures;
Blissful is passionlessness in the world, The overcoming of sensual desires;
But the abolition of the conceit
"I am" —That is truly the supreme bliss.
Standing on the seashore at Cape Comorin, one can watch wave after wave rise, dash against the rocks and break, merging into Infinity-- nobody knows where. This world may also be likened to a vast ocean. How many myriads of beings are born and die at every moment and where they go when disappearing from our sight is beyond the grasp of human intelligence. This constant flux in nature illustrates the fact that, in reality, birth and death do not exist. There is only One Supreme Being That manifests itself in countless forms, in numberless modes of life.
Learn to see the beauty in the laws of nature, to appericiate their impartial Justice -- and the contemplation of the Creator of all things will spontaneously awaken in you, you will realize that He alone is and nothing beside Him.
Learn to see the beauty in the laws of nature, to appericiate their impartial Justice -- and the contemplation of the Creator of all things will spontaneously awaken in you, you will realize that He alone is and nothing beside Him.
When an ordinary person loves you, how you feel empowered. When Sadashiva loves you imagine how much you will feel empowered !
Don't take Seeking as taken for granted.
Among billions, only millions are given the calls
Among millions, only thousands pick up the calls
You be that few thousands who pick up the calls,
because only few are given the calls from
Mahadeva
That is why you are even listening to this
Satsang today.
Among billions, only millions are given the calls
Among millions, only thousands pick up the calls
You be that few thousands who pick up the calls,
because only few are given the calls from
Mahadeva
That is why you are even listening to this
Satsang today.
Many hang their heads in disappointement, murmuring, " I have received initiation from a Sadguru, but what progress have I made?" Just think, when a little ink is spilled on cloth, how much time it takes to remove it. How can you expect the thick layer of impurities that obscure human conciousness to be cleared up in a few days or months? Rather than trying to estimate how efficacious the power of Guru and the mantra is, you should lay emphasis on exerting yourself to the utmost. By sitting back comfortably and without paying the price, spirituality does not come. Hard and sincere labour is indispensable in order to realize the Self. With implicit faith and a sacred regard for the Guru's instructions, continue your practice with the greatest possible regularity and concentration-rest assured, success will be yours. Those who serve dharma will be gripped by it and led on the path of dharma
That which is limited is material. The spirit alone is infinite. God is spirit and is infinite. We are spirit and are infinite, and the infinite alone can worship the infinite. We will worship the infinite: that is the highest spiritual worship.
From a lecture on “What Is Religion?”. Complete Works, 1. 341
From a lecture on “What Is Religion?”. Complete Works, 1. 341
Sanatana dharma does not ask us to believe in a God seated on a golden throne, high above the clouds. God is not a limited being. God is all pervasive, omnipotent and omniscient. God is the Principle of Life and the Light of Consciousness within us. God, who is pure Bliss, is verily our own Self.
~ From An Address by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, Chicago
~ From An Address by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, Chicago
Religion is the secret of life. It teaches us to love, to serve, to forgive, to endure, and to interact with our brothers and sisters with empathy and compassion. Advaita (non-duality) is a purely subjective experience. But in daily life it may be expressed as love and compassion. This is the great lesson taught by the great saints and sages of India, the exponents of Sanatana Dharma.
~ From An Address by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, Chicago
~ From An Address by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, Chicago
The truth “I exist” is self-evident. You may deny God by saying, “God is just a belief,” but existence cannot be refuted. That existence, that Cosmic Power, is God. God has no separate hands, legs, eyes, or body, other than our own. He moves through our hands, He walks with our legs, He sees through our eyes, and it is He who beats within the heart of each one of us.
"You are the harmony within which all things move. They are just illusion."
"The game is not set. There are so many layers that it is being perceived on. As your own consciousness becomes more refined, the game changes."
"You are the light of consciousness and also the witness of this light. You are pure awareness."
"Everything takes you back to yourself. When you get there, you know you never left. You only dreamt you left. You have never been other than that. You are only dreaming due to the idea of 'I am the body.'"
"The game is not set. There are so many layers that it is being perceived on. As your own consciousness becomes more refined, the game changes."
"You are the light of consciousness and also the witness of this light. You are pure awareness."
"Everything takes you back to yourself. When you get there, you know you never left. You only dreamt you left. You have never been other than that. You are only dreaming due to the idea of 'I am the body.'"
Do not think you're so important that
you have to overcome a problem.
That is all you're doing
when you think you have a problem to overcome.
It makes you feel important.
I've got to solve this problem, I've got to overcome this situation.
As if 'I' is somebody important.
'I' doesn't exist.
If 'I' doesn't exist neither does your problem.
You know by now that your problem exists
because you believe in your 'I'.
When you realize 'I' does not exist everything disappears.
This is what I mean when I tell you sometimes, there are no problems, there never were any problems and
there never will be any problems.
But as soon as you begin to think there are problems.
Even while you're sitting here listening to me,
if you allow your mind to think doesn't a problem come up in your life that you're thinking about,
that you think is so important at the present time?
But if you were spontaneous and live in the eternal present,
the eternal now, forget about the past,
don't worry about the future but live in this particular second,
in this second there are no problems.
If you can only stay in this split second, no-one is hungry,
no-one is ill, no-one is in need, no-one is suffering.
As you begin to stay in that split second, this split second expands into a minute, into two minutes,
into ten minutes and as you abide in it, it turns into eternity.
You are always in that split second where nothing is happening.
Where no thing is taking place.
That split second is bliss, pure intelligence,
absolute reality and you are that.
So again, it begins when you get up in the morning.
You observe the 'I'.
You watch yourself thinking I got up, I just woke up.
But now here's the catch, do not allow the 'I' to go any further.
As soon as you watch yourself saying, "I just woke up".
Try to catch yourself and ask yourself the question,
"Who is the 'I' that just woke up?"
For in that split second prior to awakening you were in bliss,
no thoughts.
But as soon as you begin to think of the 'I',
the world comes into play.
In that split second before I came along you were awake.
Yet there was no world, there were no people,
there was no universe, there were no problems.
In that split second.
But as soon as you began to think of 'I' your troubles began.
Because you're thinking about the day, I'm hungry,
I have to take a shower.
I have to get dressed and I begins to do its mischief.
That is why it's very important to observe the 'I' coming out.
If you can really observe it you will see that the 'I' is coming out of your spiritual heart on the right side of your chest.
But a funny thing will happen.
As you observe it, it will go back, isn't that interesting?
As you observe the 'I' or as you question it,
"Where did the 'I' come from?"
It will stop.
It will stop its procedure, it will stop its journey to the brain where you become body conscious.
All these things happen in a split second.
So you have to be aware, you have to be alert, you have to watch for it.
I admit it takes some effort in the beginning but it's well worth it.
Think about this again.
Just before you awaken to the 'I',
you are already awake in that split second.
In that split second there is no world but you are awake,
you are conscious, you're totally happy, you're totally self-realized in that split second.
But then the 'I' begins its journey from the heart to the brain.
Now if you can observe the 'I' and question its authority, it will lose its momentum and slow down.
And begin to return to the heart.
If you can get it to return to the heart,
you will be conscious but you will be liberated.
You will go about your business like you always do.
You will take your shower, you will eat your breakfast,
it will all happen spontaneously.
There will be no thoughts.
The only experience you will have is total bliss.
Total happiness,
total joy and yet your body will go about it's business.
It can happen all at once or it can take time.
But it's worth the effort isn't it? Even if it takes you a lifetime,
at least you will be free at that time.
What is more important than this?
Can anything be more important than this?
This guarantees that you do not return to this earth.
It guarantees that while you are alive in your body, so-to-speak, you will be a jivan-mukta, self-realized in the body.
This is your only salvation.
But you've got to do it.
These teachings used to be handed out by the Rishis from mouth to mouth to explain it.
It is most difficult to comprehend the books.
Even though some of them are very clear...
(tape break then Robert continues)
...something within that knows what to do to make it happen.
But if you try to understand with your brain, with your head,
you will forget.
And when tomorrow morning comes you will get up
and your 'I' will take over immediately.
You will say I'm late for work, I'm in a hurry, I'm this and I'm that and you will forget everything we're talking about this evening.
But if you are listening with your heart, when tomorrow morning comes you will spontaneously be able to catch yourself.
I will repeat again how to do this.
When you first open your eyes,
in that split second you are conscious.
The 'I' has not risen yet,
but remember it's all happening in a second.
So you've got to be aware, you've got to be awake, intelligent.
Watch and you will notice that the 'I' begins very faintly and becomes stronger.
You can shout out, "Who are you?"
That's the same as saying, "Who am I?"
Who gave you permission to awaken?
Observe, watch.
The 'I' will begin to lose momentum.
The 'I' will become weaker and weaker.
The way it usually happens with people, with most people, is they're able to catch it for maybe a few seconds and then the 'I' will take over completely.
Do not be disappointed, that is the worst thing you can do.
It has taken most people years,
centuries perhaps to go all the way.
Be happy with what you've got.
But as you begin to do this practice diligently,
everyday, that split second where you observe the 'I',
will expand into a full second,
into two-seconds,
into three-seconds.
In other words for those three-seconds
you will be self-realized to an extent.
You will be conscious, period.
You will not be conscious of this or that, you will be conscious.
And you will feel something you never felt before, a joy.
You will know you're on the right track.
Then when the 'I' takes over completely you can get up and go about your business and ask yourself, "Who am I?
What is the source of the 'I'?"
During the day as the thoughts come to you, be receptive, be alert, question, "To whom do these thoughts come?"
They come to me, "Who's me?
Who am I?
What is the source of the 'I'?"
Practice that all day.
The next morning you do the same thing.
If you do this my friends I can assure you, things will begin to happen to you that you never dreamed possible.
May you all experience bliss and your true Self.
From "How Bad Do You Want To Awaken"
you have to overcome a problem.
That is all you're doing
when you think you have a problem to overcome.
It makes you feel important.
I've got to solve this problem, I've got to overcome this situation.
As if 'I' is somebody important.
'I' doesn't exist.
If 'I' doesn't exist neither does your problem.
You know by now that your problem exists
because you believe in your 'I'.
When you realize 'I' does not exist everything disappears.
This is what I mean when I tell you sometimes, there are no problems, there never were any problems and
there never will be any problems.
But as soon as you begin to think there are problems.
Even while you're sitting here listening to me,
if you allow your mind to think doesn't a problem come up in your life that you're thinking about,
that you think is so important at the present time?
But if you were spontaneous and live in the eternal present,
the eternal now, forget about the past,
don't worry about the future but live in this particular second,
in this second there are no problems.
If you can only stay in this split second, no-one is hungry,
no-one is ill, no-one is in need, no-one is suffering.
As you begin to stay in that split second, this split second expands into a minute, into two minutes,
into ten minutes and as you abide in it, it turns into eternity.
You are always in that split second where nothing is happening.
Where no thing is taking place.
That split second is bliss, pure intelligence,
absolute reality and you are that.
So again, it begins when you get up in the morning.
You observe the 'I'.
You watch yourself thinking I got up, I just woke up.
But now here's the catch, do not allow the 'I' to go any further.
As soon as you watch yourself saying, "I just woke up".
Try to catch yourself and ask yourself the question,
"Who is the 'I' that just woke up?"
For in that split second prior to awakening you were in bliss,
no thoughts.
But as soon as you begin to think of the 'I',
the world comes into play.
In that split second before I came along you were awake.
Yet there was no world, there were no people,
there was no universe, there were no problems.
In that split second.
But as soon as you began to think of 'I' your troubles began.
Because you're thinking about the day, I'm hungry,
I have to take a shower.
I have to get dressed and I begins to do its mischief.
That is why it's very important to observe the 'I' coming out.
If you can really observe it you will see that the 'I' is coming out of your spiritual heart on the right side of your chest.
But a funny thing will happen.
As you observe it, it will go back, isn't that interesting?
As you observe the 'I' or as you question it,
"Where did the 'I' come from?"
It will stop.
It will stop its procedure, it will stop its journey to the brain where you become body conscious.
All these things happen in a split second.
So you have to be aware, you have to be alert, you have to watch for it.
I admit it takes some effort in the beginning but it's well worth it.
Think about this again.
Just before you awaken to the 'I',
you are already awake in that split second.
In that split second there is no world but you are awake,
you are conscious, you're totally happy, you're totally self-realized in that split second.
But then the 'I' begins its journey from the heart to the brain.
Now if you can observe the 'I' and question its authority, it will lose its momentum and slow down.
And begin to return to the heart.
If you can get it to return to the heart,
you will be conscious but you will be liberated.
You will go about your business like you always do.
You will take your shower, you will eat your breakfast,
it will all happen spontaneously.
There will be no thoughts.
The only experience you will have is total bliss.
Total happiness,
total joy and yet your body will go about it's business.
It can happen all at once or it can take time.
But it's worth the effort isn't it? Even if it takes you a lifetime,
at least you will be free at that time.
What is more important than this?
Can anything be more important than this?
This guarantees that you do not return to this earth.
It guarantees that while you are alive in your body, so-to-speak, you will be a jivan-mukta, self-realized in the body.
This is your only salvation.
But you've got to do it.
These teachings used to be handed out by the Rishis from mouth to mouth to explain it.
It is most difficult to comprehend the books.
Even though some of them are very clear...
(tape break then Robert continues)
...something within that knows what to do to make it happen.
But if you try to understand with your brain, with your head,
you will forget.
And when tomorrow morning comes you will get up
and your 'I' will take over immediately.
You will say I'm late for work, I'm in a hurry, I'm this and I'm that and you will forget everything we're talking about this evening.
But if you are listening with your heart, when tomorrow morning comes you will spontaneously be able to catch yourself.
I will repeat again how to do this.
When you first open your eyes,
in that split second you are conscious.
The 'I' has not risen yet,
but remember it's all happening in a second.
So you've got to be aware, you've got to be awake, intelligent.
Watch and you will notice that the 'I' begins very faintly and becomes stronger.
You can shout out, "Who are you?"
That's the same as saying, "Who am I?"
Who gave you permission to awaken?
Observe, watch.
The 'I' will begin to lose momentum.
The 'I' will become weaker and weaker.
The way it usually happens with people, with most people, is they're able to catch it for maybe a few seconds and then the 'I' will take over completely.
Do not be disappointed, that is the worst thing you can do.
It has taken most people years,
centuries perhaps to go all the way.
Be happy with what you've got.
But as you begin to do this practice diligently,
everyday, that split second where you observe the 'I',
will expand into a full second,
into two-seconds,
into three-seconds.
In other words for those three-seconds
you will be self-realized to an extent.
You will be conscious, period.
You will not be conscious of this or that, you will be conscious.
And you will feel something you never felt before, a joy.
You will know you're on the right track.
Then when the 'I' takes over completely you can get up and go about your business and ask yourself, "Who am I?
What is the source of the 'I'?"
During the day as the thoughts come to you, be receptive, be alert, question, "To whom do these thoughts come?"
They come to me, "Who's me?
Who am I?
What is the source of the 'I'?"
Practice that all day.
The next morning you do the same thing.
If you do this my friends I can assure you, things will begin to happen to you that you never dreamed possible.
May you all experience bliss and your true Self.
From "How Bad Do You Want To Awaken"
THE STRAIGHT PATH?
Bhagavan spoke about the way in which in the old days he used to climb to the peak [of Arunachala Mountain] at any time he felt like it, and that by any route or even no route. He said only the grass- cutters knew some of the routes he used.
“Sometimes people would come from Madras and other parts and, setting out to reach the top of the hill, would stray near Skandasramam. Finding me seated there, they would ask me for the route to the hill top. When I told them the route was to their right and turned northward, some would say. ‘Do you know who we are and wherefrom we come? We are from Madras. None of your tricks with us. The top is here straight above us and you want to lead us astray.’
I used to keep quiet. They would try to climb in a straight line, and after a long time, they would return tired out, finding that all their efforts to reach the peak were in vain. Nearing me, they would bow their heads in shame and go away, avoiding me.”
From "Day by Day", 24-11-45 Morning
Bhagavan spoke about the way in which in the old days he used to climb to the peak [of Arunachala Mountain] at any time he felt like it, and that by any route or even no route. He said only the grass- cutters knew some of the routes he used.
“Sometimes people would come from Madras and other parts and, setting out to reach the top of the hill, would stray near Skandasramam. Finding me seated there, they would ask me for the route to the hill top. When I told them the route was to their right and turned northward, some would say. ‘Do you know who we are and wherefrom we come? We are from Madras. None of your tricks with us. The top is here straight above us and you want to lead us astray.’
I used to keep quiet. They would try to climb in a straight line, and after a long time, they would return tired out, finding that all their efforts to reach the peak were in vain. Nearing me, they would bow their heads in shame and go away, avoiding me.”
From "Day by Day", 24-11-45 Morning
To find a real Guru, a true Guru, or the best Guru, is the most common Quest of the seeker. Especially in this culture, where the spectrum of spirituality spans from devout to the atheist, from the pious to the Aghoras - the gory and the unsightly, from the ascetic to the emperor, from the selfless, industrious karma yogis to the academic Vedantis; obviously, getting one's prescription right is of paramount importance.
My response to the predicament has been, " You cannot choose a Guru. Deepen your longing and the Guru will choose you," a reality from my own life.
Once some awareness seeps into you, working out the past, working your way through the past becomes simple. Going to the river with a bucket to get water is one thing. Going to the river with a sieve and trying to bring water to the ashram is something else. This is what you are doing with your life. Your mind is full of holes. Your life is full of holes. With that you want to catch something. What can you catch? You put whatever grains through the sieves only to catch impurities, isn't it ? That is what you catch, nothing worth while in life. Whether you have one hole or one hundred holes, it makes no difference. Until you plug that, you won't bring water. You'll only come empty handed.
So in every life that you come here, whether you have one hole or one hundred holes, every time people come, they go back empty handed. Nothing attained, nothing gained, you are coming and going, birth and death. Punarpi Jananam, Punarpi Maranam ( refers to the repeated cycle of birth and death.) Only when you plug those holes you don't have to go to the river. The river comes to you; that is how it is. You don't have to go in search of God anymore. The moment your receptivity is right, God is. There is no need to search for God. There is no need to search for Truth. The moment your receptivity is right, Truth is.
It is more essential than you and me. It is more essential than existence itself. It's not something that you search for; it is just that you are prepared to receive; that's all. It's not a piece of stone or a diamond or something to find. It's something that is everywhere, something that is always. So there is no question of finding it. It's just that you have to create the right kind of receptivity and it is there.
Plug all your holes and it is there. Are you plugging the holes? First of all, stop puncturing yourself, that's most important. If, you stop punching holes into yourself, the holes that are already there are easy to close. If you stop creating new negativities, new karmas, the old holes are easy to handle. Your only problem is creating newer and newer karmas. That's the whole problem, do you understand ? If that is stopped, you will see that the sense of buoyancy increases every day. Day by day, you will see that things are going up, not down any more. It cannot go down any more, because every moment, every moment here, everywhere, within you, without you - God is, His Grace is. It is just that you don't have the right receptacle to receive Him, that's all. Watch yourself and do not make new holes. That is the most important aspect of sadhana.
My response to the predicament has been, " You cannot choose a Guru. Deepen your longing and the Guru will choose you," a reality from my own life.
Once some awareness seeps into you, working out the past, working your way through the past becomes simple. Going to the river with a bucket to get water is one thing. Going to the river with a sieve and trying to bring water to the ashram is something else. This is what you are doing with your life. Your mind is full of holes. Your life is full of holes. With that you want to catch something. What can you catch? You put whatever grains through the sieves only to catch impurities, isn't it ? That is what you catch, nothing worth while in life. Whether you have one hole or one hundred holes, it makes no difference. Until you plug that, you won't bring water. You'll only come empty handed.
So in every life that you come here, whether you have one hole or one hundred holes, every time people come, they go back empty handed. Nothing attained, nothing gained, you are coming and going, birth and death. Punarpi Jananam, Punarpi Maranam ( refers to the repeated cycle of birth and death.) Only when you plug those holes you don't have to go to the river. The river comes to you; that is how it is. You don't have to go in search of God anymore. The moment your receptivity is right, God is. There is no need to search for God. There is no need to search for Truth. The moment your receptivity is right, Truth is.
It is more essential than you and me. It is more essential than existence itself. It's not something that you search for; it is just that you are prepared to receive; that's all. It's not a piece of stone or a diamond or something to find. It's something that is everywhere, something that is always. So there is no question of finding it. It's just that you have to create the right kind of receptivity and it is there.
Plug all your holes and it is there. Are you plugging the holes? First of all, stop puncturing yourself, that's most important. If, you stop punching holes into yourself, the holes that are already there are easy to close. If you stop creating new negativities, new karmas, the old holes are easy to handle. Your only problem is creating newer and newer karmas. That's the whole problem, do you understand ? If that is stopped, you will see that the sense of buoyancy increases every day. Day by day, you will see that things are going up, not down any more. It cannot go down any more, because every moment, every moment here, everywhere, within you, without you - God is, His Grace is. It is just that you don't have the right receptacle to receive Him, that's all. Watch yourself and do not make new holes. That is the most important aspect of sadhana.
In meditation you withdraw from others and focus your attention inside to gain purity of mind and Dhamma energy.
Then you must become extroverted and use this energy. When you take a long jump, you must first take some steps backward. Then you run, and make the jump.
Like this, you first withdraw, observe yourself inside and get the energy. Then you make a long jump into society, to serve society.
These two steps cannot be separated.
Then you must become extroverted and use this energy. When you take a long jump, you must first take some steps backward. Then you run, and make the jump.
Like this, you first withdraw, observe yourself inside and get the energy. Then you make a long jump into society, to serve society.
These two steps cannot be separated.
On a free day, just lie down somewhere outdoor and keep looking at the sky. A moment will come when the mind becomes still, there are no thoughts and you don't know where you are, but you know you are.
Beings
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