Self-surrender is considered to be the highest of all yogas. In this path the yogic exercises and other techniques like concentration and meditation are not involved. The yoga of self-surrender has been explained by Lord Krishna in the eighteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita. According to this method of attainment, the aspirant surrenders all that he has-his body, mind, intellect, and ego-entirely to the Lord of life in order to establish truth and supreme bliss. Two qualities of action lead the aspirant to self-surrender: faithfulness and sincerity. Faithfulness is to admit and to manifest no movement other than that which is promoted by the innermost conscious-ness. Sincerity requires the lifting of all movements of mind, body, and action to the level of the highest consciousness where the thought of individuality or duality ceases. Sincerity is one of the qualities that aspirants should cultivate with all efforts. Those who surrender without reserve, to them Atman reveals itself. Desire for self-surrender and mere assumptions of mental attitude do not help much in this path. When total surrender is accomplished, the entire personality is transformed. Without complete self-surrender, it is not possible to attain the Divinity. In the process of self-surrender, the student opens himself to the divine force and allows it to work through his mind, action, and speech. Divine grace and bliss are ever-present, but the human ego creates a wall and resists this force because of the ignorance he develops with the association of the mind, which flows to the external world with the help of the senses. Mind has its own ideas and always clings to them. It has its habits and always flows to the grooves of its habits. The ego controls the life of the ignorant: he lives in the world that is ruled by ego. Unless there is a burning desire to go beyond, self-surrender is impossible. Self-surrender should be unconditional. Self-surrender is the way of accepting the divine with the whole heart and mind. It is the shortest of all paths, yet very difficult and very easy also. The Ishopanisad declares, “Tena tyaktena“; that is, the way of practicing self-surrender is to “offer all the fruits of thy actions and then enjoy.”
Editor’s Note
This is an excerpt from Choosing a Path by Swami Rama, published in 1996, The Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of USA, pp. 129-130
Doing all of one’s actions for others that is the way to liberation. The great people of the world have tried to go with the law of karma by doing their actions skillfully, selflessly, and lovingly, and by surrendering the fruits of their actions to others so that the fruits would not create bondage for them. But ordinary people do not do that. They get attached to the fruits and create a whirlpool for themselves.
The whirlpool of karma, which is created by our own ignorance, wants to annihilate our inborn desire for freedom, and many in this world are swept away by the glittering nature of the objects of the world. The Upanishads say, “Tene tyaktena bhunjitha“—”Therefore enjoy the objects of the world with renunciation.” That is the difference between the ordinary person and the great person. Great is he who does all deeds selflessly for others. Petty and ignorant is he who does deeds for himself and gets attached and creates a whirlpool of misery for himself. When one applies the formula: “All the things of the world are for me, and I should learn to enjoy them and to use them, but they do not belong to me,” then doing one’s duty will not become an obstacle in the path of liberation. In such a case, the objects of the world do not create obstacles; they become means.
Editor’s Note
This is an excerpt from Choosing a Path by Swami Rama, published in 1996, The Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of USA, pp. 100
To be loved means to love. Love means giving, giving, giving, where there is no thought of any return or reward. To give wholeheartedly and unconditionally is called love. One should learn to love without expectation, or if one cannot live without it, he should expect less and love more. One should not expect any reward from the beloved one. In the path of bhakti, one doesn’t expect any rewards. He surrenders; he gives completely. When one gives completely, he has given up everything, and he gives everything. That is called love, self-surrender. And self-surrender is the highest of all yogas. As long as one has not surrendered his mere self to the highest Self, he cannot learn to love. One has to surrender himself. The principle is to give and to feel delight in giving.
Editor’s Note
This is an excerpt from Choosing a Path by Swami Rama, published in 1996, The Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of USA, pp. 74
Camaldoli: a place where time seems to flow more slowly, measured by the daily commitments of prayer and work. Its wood is a living monument, a witness to many pilgrimages, and its majestic, ancient and silent trees are essential to the life of this thousand-year-old community that lovingly cares for them. Everywhere one breathes harmony and symbiosis between man and nature.
Everything seems an invitation to slow down, to enjoy slowly, to meditation and silence.
In this place of deep spirituality, like so many pilgrims, we gathered together for the “Mantra and Meditation” International Retreat, at the presence of Swami Ritavan Bharati, Spiritual Guide of the Himalayan Tradition: 115 participants gathered in a sanctuary of nature, enjoying this magical place and appreciating the strength and power of the Sacred Forest.
So many sadhakas who came from different parts of Italy and also from abroad (Hungary, Switzerland, Germany and China), new and experienced practitioners, students of the current Italian Teacher Training Programme, graduated teachers, all united by the same intention: to be gathered together in a Sangha and nourished by the simple, humble, precious presence of Swami Ji, and of the entire Himalayan Tradition to which we belong to, certain of the Guru’s love and strength among us.
Our being together, truly so heartfelt and full of participation, in such a special year – Swami Rama’s birthday centenary and Swami Veda Bharati’s Mahasamadhi tenth anniversary – reminded us of the international events we used to organise at the presence of Swami Veda Bharati, Swami Ritavan Bharati and other senior teachers in equally sacred places, such as La Verna.
Four intense days of sharing teachings, practices, meditations, initiations, chants and music, silence, presence and awareness, fragrances and sounds of the forest, listening, nourishment, emotion and commotion: an uninterrupted stream of knowledge flowing from the Source through the direct Guru-disciple relationship.
Swami Ji, with His sweetness in joy, at times truly moving, led us into “a bubble of magical silence”, that Silence that only Meditation allows one to experience.
And on this true pilgrimage to our Divine Shrine walking along the path of awareness, Swami Ji reminded us of the importance of the personal mantra: “The mantra is your guide. There are no words that your mantra is forming, it is only carrying you and it is merging into the universal prana flow.” “Mantra is that friend, that love one, who will never create loneliness in you, the mantra will never disappoint you, the mantra will help you when you seek solace and comfort, especially during those times in human life when loneliness and doubt exist.”
“Meditation and mantra are the two sides of the same coin.” “In Meditation the goal is to go beyond mind and experience that true Nature, that Atman, that Soul, that you are.”
“Prayer can purify the way of the Soul.” “In prayer open up your heart and speak openly and sincerely to the Lord.”
“Let your mantra be your prayer. Let your prayer be your mantra.”
“Meditation is experiencing the essential Nature as peace, happiness, bliss. The very Nature of the God: Sat, Cit, Ananda, Existence, Intelligence and Bliss.”
“Grow to love your personal mantra because it is the source of love that you will recognize.”
“Let your mantra become a feeling that becomes the wave of that joy within yourself.” “The joy of meditation that brings the feeling, bhava, of joy that too is sweet.”
“Meditation is my reconnection to that state of Consciousness.” “Meditation is beyond all your power.”
“Continue with that attitude I am not the Meditator. Let the breath flow as the prana Life Force. Invite the mantra to deepen into that feeling of that presence. Then you will experience that every cell of your body dances with that Life Force. That is your meditation. To dance with the Divine as One.”
And like a great Master, Swami Ji brings us back to the essence of everything: “Do Less, Be More.” “Live life as Meditators.”
Deep gratitude to Sister Myriam and her sisters, who hosted us in such a loving and careful way, a pure example of selfless service and of unity in diversity.
Immense gratitude to all those who have allowed this to happen.
Infinite Gratitude to Swami Ji and this uninterrupted flow of Knowledge of the Ancient Himalayan Lineage that wrap us in a shawl of Immense Love.
Some participants’ impressions:
“In a long, uninterrupted shared breath, the Himalayan Tradition, and its Lineage, call us back at the feet of our Master. In a flowing breath, the sound of the mantra invites every cell to dance to the life dance. Kindred souls are reunited; the crystalline laughter of children resounds in the practice hall in an explosion of pure joy that pervades all. In the infinite ocean of peace, light lives in us and we live in the light.“
“To meet again in a magic place like Camaldoli, to embrace great Friends, united by this great joy of research, of sharing, of listening to the Himalayan Tradition. Together, it is Love. And the Tradition, as always, has welcomed us and given us incredible gifts.”
“..to find, oneself, teacher and student, disciple, at the feet of the Master is a precious gift.”
“Joy, love, freedom and much more that only the Himalayan Family can infuse. Special occasions of beauty for the soul nourishment.”
