Author: Mandala

New SVB Videos on YouTube

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Swami Veda

Please see below the videos that have been uploaded on the AHYMSIN YouTube channel with their URL links. I gave the general title “Wisdom from the Himalayan Sages” to the series and a specific title to each video.

– Next Steps in the practice of silence: https://youtu.be/WNQ4-M75fpA

– Purpose of the Guru’s Mission: https://youtu.be/D8VNfZaLDU4

– Yoga practices in the Himalayan Tradition: https://youtu.be/To-qEdYWIrs

– Who am I?: https://youtu.be/UVdFvArhXu0

– Yoga and human conduct: https://youtu.be/2jaSEJFWA4Y

– Natural state of being: https://youtu.be/nReeHQN_yZI

– Mastery: https://youtu.be/vuvdUt5PYLQ

– Yoga cosmology: https://youtu.be/Os2Us2-gL3w

– Healing through meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMMSMYM1Hdw

– Guidance from Gurudeva Swami Rama: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyY6kcijy60

Editor’s Note:

A listing of online videos of Swami Veda Bharati can be found at this link: http://ahymsin.org/main/swami-veda-bharati/swami-veda-on-youtube.html

Life and Karma

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So very few people understand what reincarnation, rebirth and the law of karma is. People are bound to believe, but their faith is not based on right knowledge. Flashes come from the subconscious mind and we cannot decide whether we have to believe or not. Life in this planet is sufficient, or is it in continuity? Life here is short we all know.

Now for your convenience I give you a simile. It will help you to understand what life is and what are the vital questions in your life. And, all the questions, you see, stand before you again and again for correct and proper answers. Now we have to decide what life is. Life is compared with a plant. As plant grows, then gives leaves, then flowers, fruits and then dies. When plant dies, plant leaves behind seeds and again the seeds grow, and again the plant comes up. So is the case with our life plant.

This life, for your convenience you should imagine that this life is just like a manuscript. Manuscript has been written by you. You are the author of this manuscript of your life. It is not published, for all of the individuals have written their own manuscripts. So the manuscript of this life, the beginning and the end of this manuscript is missing. Only the middle portion of this manuscript is with us. We know that we exist in this world. We come, we do not know from where. We go, but we do not know where we go. In this planet we stay for some time, and then we disappear. And we are not sure from where we come. Let us analyse this truth. So the manuscript of life or the life manuscript, beginning and the end is missing. Anybody who is in search of the missing pages of life, beginning and end, is called philosopher, and this search is called philosophy. No better simile can be given. So in a way we all have to go through this process. We have to understand how this life manuscript can be understood properly. What are the beginning pages and what are the pages of the end? Without knowing this truth we cannot understand life.

[Swami draws two circles on the blackboard connected by a single line.]

Now let us analyse how it is. Life in this planet is just like a line on two circles, two holes. We come from unseen world, invisible world to this gross world, and again we go to next world, we do not know where. So this life line is hung on two invisible zeros or dots or circles. We have to analyse who we are.

Editor’s note

This passage has been taken from a transcription of a lecture given by Swami Rama on the 6th of November, 1969

Is lust a natural feeling?

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Question

I have a question about sex and lust. Are these considered to be sinful? What if we are constantly surrounded by beautiful women? Is it wrong to have lust for them? Is lust a natural feeling?

Answers

Three have answered this question: Lalita Arya (Ammaji), Michael Smith, and Carolyn Hume.

Lalita Arya (Ammaji)

Maybe the quote given hereunder might help this student. I don’t need to say much except maybe to add “‘..and humans ..” of the world.

“The important thing is not to expect too much from the things (‘and humans’) of the world or from your relationships. You expect something that is not there, and it is your attachment and expectations that make you miserable. You think you can own the things of the world and try to claim them as yours. Nature will take them away from you the moment you think you possess them, and you will become unhappy.” – Swami Rama, Sadhana, The Path To Enlightenment

This student also seriously needs to read up on Distractions and Discipline. Any of Swami Rama’s or Swami Veda’s books in our tradition will be very helpful.

Michael Smith

“Lust” is by definition sinful, if we define “sin” as something which creates a habitual dependence and a karmic whirlpool – and does not lead to moksha (liberation). A lot of the students want to be shown a way have their cake and eat it too: spiritual and worldly at the same time, but Christ said, “You can’t serve God and Mammon,” in other words, you can’t go in two opposite directions simultaneously.

Carolyn Hume

Lust can be lust for many things, not just sex. And to lust after something is to both objectify whatever it is and also to seek satisfaction from things. Lust means that you have expectations from whatever/whomever you lust after. Such appetites do not lead one towards knowing the Self.

In yoga, sex is considered to be one of the four primitive fountains, which are: food, sleep, self-preservation and sex. As Swami Rama has said they “still control human life exactly as they do in the animal kingdom. That is why they are called primitive fountains.” (Conscious Living: A Guidebook for Spiritual Transformation) And Swami Rama further writes, “All of your emotions are related to the four primitive fountains. From these four urges or motivations rise the six main streams of emotions. Kama is the prime desire. The second stream is krodha or anger; if a desire is not fulfilled, you become angry and frustrated. If that same desire is fulfilled, you become puffed up with pride, mada, the third stream. If the desire is fulfilled, you become attached to the object that fulfilled your desire. That is moha. The next stream is lobha, which means that you become greedy and want more and more. When greed takes over, you do everything to feed ahamkara (ego); that prevents you from knowing your true Self.” (The Essence of Spiritual Life: A Companion Guide for the Seeker)

Swami Rama has explained, “The difference between lust and love is that love means selfless action; lust means that you have expectations.” And “When you love, you give and give and don’t expect anything in return. Your expectations are the mother of all your problems in life.” (The Art of Joyful Living)

“Love and attachment are two opposing principles. Attachment contracts the human personality, while love expands it. People think that they cannot survive without attachments. This is true: they survive temporarily only to finally destroy themselves with the black force of attachment. Attachment is like the veiler of the night who always delights in doing things in darkness, never in light. But those who understand the difference between attachment and love know that attachment means lust while love means selfless giving. Love is a great power that has liberating qualities. Love for God and attachment to lust are two entirely different motivations and have vastly difference consequences. When one learns to live in the world doing his duties lovingly and skillfully, then he or she remains unattached, unaffected, and liberated from the bondage of karma and the fruits of action that one receives due to karma. Such human beings are aware that although attachment is the cause of all misery, love is the very nature of life, and is a liberating force that comforts them in all conditions and circumstances of life.” – Swami Rama in Wisdom of the Ancient Sages: Mundaka Upanishad

Editor’s Note

If you have any questions about your spiritual practice, you may write to the AHYMSIN Spiritual Committee at adhyatmasamiti@gmail.com.

On Leaving the Body

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Inspired by Bhishma, a practising yogi can come to terms with the mystery of death with a peaceful mind. We may also receive inspiration from other great ones, well known or less known, the manner of whose death can guide us.

What we say about yogis is true of any one to whom philosophy and spiritual aspiration are a true reality. Such beings consider death not to be relevant to their processes of thought and emotions. They are neutral to it or create a mind-set whereby they welcome a spiritual dying to all worldly attractions.

The example of Socrates is well known and can be read in the Greek classics. Then there is the story of the Roman philosopher Seneca. He had been a tutor and mentor to a number of emperors in succession, and finally to the notorious Nero. Nero could not tolerate the good philosopher’s advice for long. Nero did not want to kill Seneca outright so he ordered him to go and commit suicide. Death meant nothing to Seneca. He chose a certain day to die. All his main disciples gathered around him. He opened a vein in his leg and continued giving his final discourse on philosophy. The blood was not flowing freely; so he ordered a vessel of hot water in which he soaked his bleeding leg and continued teaching. The disciples came closer and closer leaning over him as his voice began to go feeble and they tried to catch the last of his words. Finally he fell silent and was gone – calm as ever.

Such accomplishment is not possible unless one has first learnt to die to one’s false ego, to the identifications we have erroneously established with physical entities. When the monks of the Swami Orders take their vows, they perform unto themselves the ceremonies that are commonly performed in India after someone’s death. They burn all their identifications into a sacred fire by way of recitations and herbal-incense offerings, with verses like the ones below:

OM;

May my prana, apana, vyana, udana and samana be purified.

May I become a being of light, stainless (viraja) and sinless.

OM; Svaha

I offer my prana, apana, vyana, udana and samana.

They are no more mine

OM;

May my speech, mind, eyes, ears, tongue, nostrils, sexual essence, intelligence, wishes and resolves be purified.

May I become a being of light, stainless and sinless.

OM; Svaha

I offer my speech, mind, eyes, ears, tongue, nostrils, sexual essence, intelligence, wishes and resolves. They are no more mine.

OM;

May my epidermis, skin, flesh, blood, fat, marrow, muscles, and bones be purified.

May I become a being of light, stainless and sinless.

OM; Svaha

I offer my epidermis, skin, flesh, blood, fat, marrow, muscles, and bones. They are no more mine.

OM;

May my head, hands, feet, sides, back, stomach, thighs, and organs of elimination and generation be purified.

May I become a being of light, stainless and sinless

OM; Svaha

I offer my head, hands, feet, sides, back, stomach, thighs, and organs of elimination and generation. They are no more mine.

These are just a few of the offering verses recited. Having thus died, having symbolically cremated all his fleshly parts, the novitiate now becomes a new born swami with a new name granted by his spiritual guide.

This concept of dying to one’s old worldly fleshly self is well known in the Christian tradition. Christ taught his disciples to die to their old selves if they seek immortality in the kingdom of heaven. So, Saul who died to his old self on the road to Damishq (Damascus) and became St. Paul later challenged: O Death, where is thy sting?

So, among others, we read the inspiring story of Sister Clara, sister in God to St. Francis of Assisi. One night she chooses to abandon the worldly life. In those days the houses in the town of Assisi used to have two doors, the regular front door and a small back door only for taking out the dead. It was never opened except at the time of a funeral. On the night of her renunciation, she chose to clear up the clutter that was blocking the back door, normally reserved for the dead bodies, and stepped out of the house through that door.

Editor’s Note:

This passage has been taken from the book Death, Your Servant: Mahabharata´s Bhishma, Examples from a World Classic by Swami Veda Bharati

Can anyone teach us Sri Vidya now that Swami Veda left his body?

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Question

Can anyone teach us Sri Vidya now that Swami Veda left his body?

Answers

Three have answered this question: Swami Ritavan Bharati, Pandit Dabral, and Carolyn Hume.

Pandit Dabral

Yes, there are teachers in the Himalayan Tradition who can teach Shri Vidya and can also initiate into it.

Swami Ritavan Bharati

The person who asks such a question should first know about the essence of a living tradition, our Himalayan Tradition.

Once one understands these principles then, one prepares themselves.

Swami Veda has left specific instructions for all of us initiators in counseling such questions on the practices of Shri Vidya. In the ashram at SRSG, we continue to follow such dharmas of practices and disciplines in the lineage of Shri Vidya and guiding accordingly.

From “The Himalayan Tradition” booklet by Swami Veda.

Among the great teachers of this tradition are Swami Rama and his direct teacher Bengali Baba, as well as his [Bengali Baba’s] master Mahavatar Baba, also known as Babaji of the Himalayas.

The knowledge of the tradition is passed on in one line – from teacher to student. The student who is qualified for this will ultimately become a teacher who passes on the knowledge and practice of a further generation of aspirants.

The yogis of this tradition are the founders and preservers of Shri-Vidya, the science of which all the paths of yoga and meditation radiate.

Among other things, they transmit their deep knowledge and deepened states of consciousness through initiation.

From time immemorial, the tradition has been passed on experientially in an unbroken chain of master-disciple relationships. A meditation guide in this tradition is required to be able to create a common mind-field when leading a class or a group in meditation. The guide must be able to induce a meditative state by his/her mere presence and voice. A guide may only do so to the degree to which s/he is qualified and authorized.

Initiators of the Tradition have received the Grace of the Himalayan lineage to become a vehicle for such transmission.

Carolyn Hume

The task of the student is to prepare oneself. As Swami Rama has said, “It is true that when the disciple is ready, the master appears and gives the appropriate initiation.”

Editor’s Note

If you have any questions about your spiritual practice, you may write to the AHYMSIN Spiritual Committee at adhyatmasamiti@gmail.com.

Meditation for Others’ Sake

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I want to bring you back, away from what the urban industrial civilisation and its corporate structures and workplace requirements have done to your psychology and your reactions. Sometimes I get very sad about it, because the rest of the world keeps reinforcing this “me” in you. And once a year you hear something like this, and at that time you say, “Yes, we’d like to elevate ourselves” and so on. But you go back into that world and it’s again the same thought pattern. It keeps getting reinforced.  And people do not step out of this “me” syndrome. Without stepping out of this “me” syndrome, there is no meditation. Meditation is dropping the “me”. What do I get out of it? What do I receive from it? What benefits come to me? And now today I heard a new phrase I hadn’t heard before – “yoga entrepreneurship” or “yoga fashion”, or something comprising of pictures of someone in yoga poses, in a very glamorous form. Underneath, the credit line ran “Suit designed by…”, “photographs taken by…” No, it’s no joke. And yoga magazines and all… people add glamour. This is very painful to me.

I’m not against the signboard of the wineshop. There was this wandering sage who came to a village. And when people hear of someone holy, sacred, they just come to pay respects. And they don’t come to say, “What’s in it for me? What benefit will I get by seeing him?” They just come for his darshan. My whole childhood was spent that way. I’d travel from city to city and people would just come. There was no question; they’re not there to ask for help or something, nor to ask for solutions to their problems. They’re there just to be there, just to sit in the orbit called darshan. And nobody comes empty handed. And that’s how I spent my childhood; that way my cultural conditioning. And I’ll tell you a very personal secret. I struggled with the question of whether to telly you or not. Half the cause of my illness is people’s cultural self-centredness and confrontational attitude, and harsh tone of voice, and me, me, me – “Solve my problems”, “do a therapy with me”. And I have to soothe everyone and take their conflicts and sorrows inside me. And I like to spread joy; I don’t like to share my sadness, but there is this sadness in me – for you, about you, about your self-created pains, about your self-created suffering. Meditation is NOT a therapy. It’s not for gaining something. It’s not a secret of success. Don’t do self-centred meditation. Transcend this molecular shield, into which the live consciousness-essence, the conscious life-essence that is you, has infused itself to make this molecular shield become alive and have a semblance of awareness. Whether I succeed or I fail, I am going to keep trying to say this. Enough therapy, and enough benefits! “Entrepreneurial yoga”, or “yoga entrepreneurial” – my mouth gets stuck! The word doesn’t want to come out of my mouth. A curse word! We are not into success, successful centres, successful classes! Transcendence. Success will come incidentally if you abandon the claims to benefits. Then the benefits will flow, and you will take those benefits and share them. You will take from the basket and throw to the world. Step out of this block if you want to make progress.

You know, I have no time to meditate for myself. I really don’t. Because I promise so many people: “I will pray for you.” And on my list there are always 300 to 400 people every day. I have to find time for that. The prayer in meditation is a whole different art. It’s even subtler than the use of the mantra. And the yogis pray not the way the religious people pray. The way the religious people pray is not the way the yogis pray. Eliminate your conflicts and angers while inhaling a sense of wisdom, love and grace. That is the preparation for the next step. And that is exhaling beauty, love, energy, compassion, and sending it to the entire universe. It is inhalation of the pain and the suffering and the conflict of the entire universe, and being able to absorb inside – dissipating it inside. That’s just the beginning of the meditational prayer. Meditational prayer, for anyone, takes less than a quarter second to achieve the full result. It’s non-verbal; it’s a form of including someone in your field. Every mind, all the minds join the guru-field. All the minds join the guru-field and a single field is created.

Editor’s Note

This passage has been taken from the book Meditation: The Art and Science by Swami Veda Bharati.

Spiritual Intimacy

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From the beginning of history there have been two major paths that people have taken in life in order to seek the goal of a deeper happiness and peace. A few sincere souls have decided to genuinely renounce the world’s attractions in order to attain the highest wisdom. The path of renunciation actually means not keeping or possessing anything for oneself. Instead, these wise ones serve others, knowing that by doing so they are utilizing their time and energy in the best way. Living their lives in service to others is the characteristic by which you will recognize them.

Most people, however, still experience strong and compelling attractions to many things. They want to fulfil the desires for marriage, parenthood, and the conventional life. Thus, there is a second path, which is travelled by most people in the world, called the path of action. Throughout history, there has been confusion about which of these paths is superior.

A story is told to help clarify this confusion. Once, an arrogant swami, who had meditated in the mountains for many years, boasted about his spiritual advancement, thinking that he was superior to householders. He came down from the mountains to exhibit the powers he had gained in his studies. He had such a powerful gaze that if he looked at a bird flying overhead, its wings would catch fire and burn, and the bird would fall to the ground. He was very egotistical about his supposed spiritual power.

Eventually in his travels, he came to the home of a couple and he said rudely to the woman, “I want food, and I have no time to waste. It is your duty to feed me because I devote all my time to the Lord.” The woman, who was serving her husband’s dinner at the time, said to him quietly but firmly, “Right now, I am doing my duty toward my husband lovingly, but don’t ever make the mistake of thinking that I am as powerless as that bird you have killed! I have far more power than you; if you think you can hurt me you are mistaken!”

The swami was stunned to realize that she had acquired the power to know many things about him while she was still living in the world, doing her duties as a wife. He fell at her feet and said, “Mother, clearly I have yet to understand the path of the world. Now I see that it, too, is a great path.”

But the swami was not unusual; many people do not realize the power of family life. This is a path of living in the world, loving others, and also seeking and attaining the highest wisdom. Some people who want to follow the spiritual path are not content with their lives in the world. They do not appreciate how the path of marriage and parenthood helps them to fulfil life’s ultimate purpose.

The path of a human being is not meant to be that of a loner who travels through life by himself or herself. If we want to express the meaning of life in a single sentence, it is that life means having relationships. Without relationships, life has no significance at all. The closest relationship in the world is that between a wife and husband, and the next most intimate relationship is that between parents and children.
Sometimes people wonder why the institution of the family was established. Marriage and family relationships do not exist merely because of the biological necessities of sex or childbirth. There is something deeper, which is responsible for the establishment of family life and which differentiates humans from animals. The most basic urges and drives that influence human life are also found throughout the animal kingdom, but there is an important difference between human beings and animals: the life and behaviour of animals are primarily controlled by the forces of nature and instinct; but the life of a human being is not controlled this way. Instead, human beings are controlled mostly by mind, emotions, and by relationships. A human being thinks, understands, communicated, and participates in life in ways that animals cannot share. All these special qualities originate in the institution of the family. The family exists in order to foster and cultivate these qualities in human beings.

When the human race learns to live as a family, then the world will finally attain the next stage of civilization and enlightenment. Families are meant to be centres of love, which radiate their love outward to other families. A family is meant to radiate only love, rather than hatred, jealousy, competition, or other negative emotions. When people understand this purpose and can share the experience, then they can create joy and peace throughout society. When peace reigns, there will no longer be hatred or disturbances between people, and the human mind will automatically be led upward, towards the highest centre of consciousness.

The path of marriage and family life is not inferior to any other path, nor is marriage meant solely to express our biological or emotional needs. The purpose of marriage is to establish and teach the fundamental principles of society, so that all children can develop fully and the entire society can eventually attain a state of peace and happiness.

Homes are meant to be places where people create and preserve a state of serenity and peace. Homes exist to establish peace, so that every person can learn to radiate and share love. Our homes can satisfy many of our emotional needs and help us to learn to open our hearts. Homes are not places to create power struggles or ego battles. They are not places to demonstrate or show off our intellect. Some people use their mind and emotions in their homes destructively, arguing, judging others, or trying to establish control over others to satisfy their ego needs. That does not help us achieve the full potential of a home. When homes provide children with a chance to receive love and enjoy the experience of being loved, then children learn to share their love with others as well.

We all need to learn how to live in our homes and also how to live in the world outside the home. There are two different principles or concepts in life: You talk to your spouse and your business colleagues in different ways and on different levels. When you talk to your business associates, it is wise to be thoughtful and consider your doubts first, examining what people say carefully so that you protect yourself before you act. But at home, you should not maintain this attitude of scepticism, doubt or self-protectiveness. At home, you can express yourself openly and spontaneously; you can be completely yourself. In the family, you can develop a deep trust and intimacy that are not usually possible in the world outside. This is possible when we respect the special role of marriage in our lives.

Editor’s note

This passage has been taken from the book Love and Family Life by Swami Rama, published in 1992 by the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the USA.

The Pull of the Strings of Attachment

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You create stress for yourself because you do not know how to perform your duties, though you have imposed them on yourself. The only way is to learn to love your duties. If you only love the objects of joy, and you think that your partner is an object like your home, your furniture, and other things in life, you can never be happy. Human beings are not objects. Human beings are higher than objects. Learn to love those persons for whom you perform your duties and take all the objects of the world as means. Never be attached to the means, for means are only means. You love the means because they help you. But if the same means become obstacles for you, they are no longer helpful. In the path of the world, the path of enlightenment through action, learn how to perform your duties with love and without being attached to the objects of the world. The objects of the world are only means. They do not belong to you. They are only for you to use. Learn to enjoy them as means and do not get attached to them or claim ownership on them. This sense of “mine” and “thine” creates serious problems for you. When you do your duties with love there will be no stress and you will be free.

So my first point is, you cannot stop doing your actions. Secondly, all the fruits of your actions should be given to others. Thirdly, learn to grease your duty with love. There is a formula. Skillful action done selflessly becomes a means, a sort of worship. Those who do skillful action selflessly and lovingly are free from the bondage of karma.

When you do your actions, perform them as a duty, lovingly, skillfully, and without any attachment. You can learn to live peacefully in this world, attaining your goal of life in this lifetime, in a few years’ time, in a few months’ time, in a few days’ time, even in a second’s time, if you understand the philosophy of vairagya or nonattachment. To be nonattached you do not have to leave the world or impose many “don’ts.” You do not have to follow any rigid discipline. Discipline should not be rigid or create tension or stress. Disciplining yourself means guiding all the powers and resources that you have toward your goal. Discipline is something unique that helps you to keep your powers from being dissipated. You should understand discipline before you follow it. Do not make too many big rules for yourself. That will only weaken your willpower. Do not decide that you are going to do something and then not complete the task. Once you decide to do something you have to do it. No one should stop you. You are killing your conscience and your willpower all the time by deciding, I am going to do this, I am going to do this, I am going to do this, but never accomplishing anything. Every day you make a resolution and you never accomplish anything because you do not strengthen your will, you do not have determination, you do not coordinate and apply all the resources you have. You do not work with mind, action, and speech together. That is the reason for your failure.

If you really want to live happily in the world, you have to practice vairagya. Gathering the twigs of success in the external world and having all the worldly means of comfort can become a problem for one who does not know the philosophy of nonattachment. St. Bernard said, “Learn to use the things of the world, but love God alone.” He understood the philosophy of nonattachment. You mistakenly take this to mean that the whole world is meant for you to use. With this idea you cheat others and think that you are successful. If you think that the whole world is meant for you to use, why do you not think that you are also meant to be used by the world? You should compromise. Neither should you use the world nor should you allow anyone to use you. It is very important to learn the philosophy of nonattachment.

You are committing two mistakes—possessing something that does not belong to you, and being attached to that; or even just using it and being attached. When something is not yours, what right do you have to be attached to it? This unauthorized possession makes you small. There is one thing that you should remember: I am so grateful to You, oh Lord, for all the things of the world. You have given me the best of things. I have the right to use them and I should make them a means, but I have no right to possess them because they are not mine. I cannot create even a blade of grass. How can I say anything is mine? All the things of the world are meant for me, and I can use them as means, but I will not possess them nor will I be attached.

Why do you create attachments? If you do not have a child of your own, you are not satisfied. You do not think, God has given me this opportunity. Since I do not have a child I will devote my time to the Lord. Instead, you want to adopt somebody else’s child and create more attachment for yourself.

Editor’s Note

Reprinted from Samadhi the Highest State of Wsidom by Swami Rama.

Is there any point in doing meditation or japa if I am not feeling devotional?

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Question

Is there any point in doing meditation or japa if I am not feeling devotional?

Answers

Five have answered this question: Swami Ritavan Bharati, Pandit Hari Shankar Dabral, Lalita Arya (Ammaji), Stephen Parker (Stoma), and Michael Smith.

Swami Ritavan Bharati

“There are two aspects to a mantra. One is the prayer contained in it, and the other is the vibration. One is the prayer itself, and the other is the vibration of the sound.
The sentiment that is in that prayer should become very intense; that is one should work to increase the intensity of the sentiment contained in the prayer translation and the intensity of the concentration on the vibration that is the sound of the mantra. Therefore you do not ‘do’ the mantra; that is, we do not just ‘say’ the mantra; mantra is happening by itself.” ~Swami Veda Bharati in The Science of Mantra and the Study of Mrtyunjaya Mantra

Pandit Hari Shankar Dabral

It is natural for all humans to not feel devotional at times. We go through all types of emotions.

As far as japa and meditation goes, if one sits to meditate or perform japa, regardless of feeling, then slowly our feelings change and japa and meditation leads us to devotion and inclination.

Lalita Arya (Ammaji)

One of the main ideas regarding japa or meditation is to learn to monitor the emotions (feelings) and eventually get to a state where one is the master of emotions. So this “not feeling” is something you can try to discover where it’s coming from and why.

Before we learn to do japa/meditation we learn a lot of preparatory procedures like how to breathe properly, how to sit in the correct posture to help the breathing, how to flow in life and so on.

It has nothing to do with devotion. This happens automatically afterwards.
Merely out of curiosity – do you always give in to this ‘not feeling’ feeling? So if it’s time to have dinner and you do not ‘feel’ like eating, do you not eat?

Wishing you many blessings once you start on the path.

Stephen Parker (Stoma)

I agree completely with Hari Shankar. Over time, the collaboration between our efforts and the grace of the Guru moves our hearts in a more devotional and a more meditative direction. I often tell students, “Follow the Nike slogan—‘Just do it!’”

Michael Smith

Sometimes people say that that their meditation and japa has become mechanical.

If you are feeling “blah,” that’s something to observe: “Okay, I’m feeling ‘blah,’” and that observation will take you beyond “blah,” because your witnessing faculty is beyond emotions.

A devotional attitude (bhakti) is good to cultivate. Sometimes people find it difficult to give devotion to a mantra or a deity or a certain image or figure.  Then, I would feel gratitude for the opportunity to be still, or for the yoga teachings that have come your way — and then let that gratitude flow into your japa and meditation.

Ashutosh Sharma said, “If we keep awareness of the flow of our breath, we will never be bored.” Because breath awareness brings us out of our heads and into the present moment. The present moment is always alive and magical – and to be present to what is now happening, rather than lost in thought, is something for which we can be very grateful. This is not the experience of getting some object that we want. Being available to what is now happening is humbling. We feel very small, and there is wonderment and awe at the majesty of it all.  It’s a bhaktic feeling.

Editor’s Note

If you have any questions about your spiritual practice, you may write to the AHYMSIN Spiritual Committee at adhyatmasamiti@gmail.com.

Transformation of Thoughts

Posted on by Mandala

The sages say that the only difference between you and them lies in the nature of your thoughts and your mind. If someone tells you that you are bad or have done something wrong you accept it, and you become bad. If you even think it, then you feel bad. You cannot forget about that. You want to forgive yourself, but you have a habit of retaining such negative thoughts. Some people retain good and helpful thoughts, and others retain negative and passive thoughts. That is why the view of yoga is that those thoughts that are helpful should be encouraged, and those thoughts that are not helpful should not be encouraged. On the path of meditation you learn this process.

Suppose a thought comes into the mind that you should slap someone. The faculty of discrimination can tell you that it is not a good thing to do, and then the thought will diminish. An ordinary man retains the negative thought, while a sage allows it to pass away.

There is one issue that is very practical and concrete, and you should remember it if you really want to practice meditation. Often a thought comes into your mind and you become absorbed by that thought because of your habits and lack of training. Then, after a few minutes or hours, you suddenly wake up; you wonder what has happened and why this thought has controlled you. You need to practice to be free from the strong grip of those thoughts that do that to you. If one thought comes and then another thought comes, and if this continues indefinitely, then what becomes of your mind?

Then you mind is a catalogue of thoughts, which include desires, wishes and wants, and you can put them into various categories, such as inclinations or sensations. You can certainly create a hell that way! Every individual makes hell for himself. You create hell wherever you go because wherever you go, your mind goes with you. As we said earlier, the world created by you is the mind. When you use the word “mine” and emphasize your individual identity, you strengthen your sense of “I”. That is a mental habit: you strengthen that vibration by repeating and repeating “I”. But this sense of “I” is ignorance; it is what keeps you from expanding your sense of self. By taking off this shackle and barrier for yourself, you are beginning to understand your essential nature. You create this barrier of the ego out of insecurity.

Editor’s note

This passage has been taken from the book Path of Fire and Light Volume 2 by Swami Rama, published in1988 by the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the USA.