• Table of Contents
  • Three Festivals by Swami Veda Bharati
  • Swami Veda Visits Ecuador by Gustavo Plaza (Arjuna)
  • Yama and Niyama Kriya by Pandit Tejomaya
  • Cosmos within Cosmos within Cosmos by Denise Martin-Harker
  • Burkina Faso 2012 by Stephen Parker (Stoma)
  • Destiny Crossroads – Why Meditate by Wolfgang Bischoff
  • Yoga Alchemy byJoanna Siauw
  • Celebrate Silence
  • Dear Yoga Mentor, My Question Is… by Swami Ritavan Bharati
  • Yoga Nidra, A State of Consciousness by Tina Gatterman
  • Without Fear by Randal Persad
  • Celebrating Vimala Chaitanya
  • With Gratitude by Daniel Hertz
  • Transitions in Self-Transformation by Swami Ritavan Bharati
  • 2012 Events and Beyond
  • Full Moon Meditation Dates
  • Location of our SRSG ashram
• AHYMSIN Newsletter Archive

Cosmos within Cosmos within Cosmos

by Denise Martin-Harker

UK Retreat, June 2012:
With Swami Veda Bharati and Swami Nityamuktananda

When we begin to realise life is about perspective – Is the moon above us or below us? – it depends which planet you are standing on and which moon you are talking about ! jokes Swamiji

When we begin to realise there is more to this universe than us and more universes than just this one.

When we begin to realise we are one spec (one spark) and only here for such a short time in this form, in this universe, in this Cosmos within Cosmos – life continues on with us and without us.

Perhaps when we have such realisations we start to Let Go, Let Go, Let Go.
Let Go of the ‘I-ness’
Let Go of me and mine
Let go of identifying with this body

Smile, relax and enjoy this life without getting attached to the things in this life For we know they are transient, impermanent, just like this body, we don’t own them - whether it is the people in our lives or the external objects of this world. But we can enjoy and learn from them while we are here.

In the Yoga Vasistha, through the ancient stories within stories (just like the cosmos within cosmos) we are offered a way to see life within 26,000 verses. Such stories help wake up the right brain (the creative, intuitive part), helping to balance the much overused left brain. Many of these stories make us laugh and appeal to our childlike nature; we get involved, begin to recognise the messages and how they apply to our lives.

These stories open our eyes so we can see a bigger picture – a much bigger picture. Helping us understand that we are all one. What I do to others I am actually doing to myself. Many of the stories refer to the illusion we are living in (maya). Once you know it’s an illusion you can let go …it’s not real – so don’t get attached. This can help us change how we see this life, how we see ourselves and how we behave in this life towards our self, others and this universe.

All of these stories happen in the eye blink of Brahman (Nimisha). Brahman chose to create and breathe life into the Cosmos within Cosmos from Pure Joy. You are here because of that Pure Joy. When we realise that surely we can let go of me, mine and I want. Let go of the need to be centre stage of this glorious story within a story – but be one of the Divine Sparks (specs from earlier) –acknowledge all the other Divine Sparks – be one of many that are all one, all Brahman, all created from Pure Joy.

At the end of the retreat Swamiji reminds us of these messages by saying
‘So which version of the universe are you actually living in? Which Cosmos? Which Story? Which Chapter? Which character do you think you are? ‘
Our response…One Big smile created from Pure Joy

Read the stories of Yoga Vasistha –smile, be inspired to change and Enjoy this Life as one of the Divine Sparks that acknowledges, shares, learns from and lives in harmony with all the Divine Sparks in this Cosmos within Cosmos, this story within a story.

With humble thanks to our teachers for all they share
Denise Martin-Harker