100 Years of Swami Rama:
Book of the Month

~ Sacred Journey: Living Purposefully and Dying Gracefully

We are delighted to invite all initiates and students of the Himalayan Tradition to dedicate our practices in honour of Gurudeva Swami Rama’s teachings and guidance during the special birth centenary celebrations in 2025. You may study, contemplate, and practice the teachings of Gurudeva in your daily life throughout this year.

In continuation of the ‘Book of the Month’ practice of Swadhyaya, we are now inviting all fellow family members to study Gurudeva Swami Rama’s book - Sacred Journey: Living Purposefully and Dying Gracefully. This was the last book that Gurudeva Swami Rama wrote before he left his body in 1996. In this book, he talks about the relationship between life and death, and the how and why of organizing one's life in a way that leads to expansion and growth, and that is helpful in preparing for the transition we call death.

Swami Rama has explained the Kathopanishad in modern and scientific language. Kathopanishad is the Upanishad that unveils the mystery of death and the true meaning of life. As Swami Rama has said, "To understand death, a person must try to understand the purpose of life and the relationship between life and death. The two are partners, each providing a context for the other. Death is not a period, but merely a pause on a long journey. When life and death are accepted as having real meaning and purpose, and death is understood and accepted as part of the human journey, then the fear of death disappears and life can be lived fully."

We pray to the Guru Lineage to strengthen and deepen our connection with the timeless wisdom that has been passed down through millennia and hope that this eternal connection inspires us to become fit instruments through which the teachings of “Love, Serve, Remember” come alive. As we unite in practice and intention towards honouring Gurudeva Swami Rama’s teachings, we hope that this year brings abundant blessings for each of us.

The Goal of Life is Spiritual - Love

~ Swami Rama

The goal of life is spiritual. Understand that as the guiding principle of your life. With an attitude of cheerfulness and with full attention, do your duties in life in your role as student, worker, child, parent, member of the community, and so on. Then let go and leave the rest up to the timeless process of spiritual unfoldment. It won't seem like work or duty, and everything will be in harmony.

This approach simplifies life and expands it; it purifies the seeker from karmas and attachments. There is no longer any concern for collecting odds and ends from your actions, piling up belongings, or needing reinforcement from others for what you've done. Your needs become less. Your sense of owning and having grows less and less. At the same time you become increasingly selfless. You do your actions greased with love. Great joy comes when actions are done with love. Personal gain is not the motivation behind your actions. Slowly you learn to do your actions selflessly. To do this is a spiritual discipline, a spiritual practice.

Living Fully in the World - Serve

~ Swami Rama

Living a spiritual life does not require escaping from the world. It is not useful to look at the flaws of the world and say it is ugly and sinful. Turning away from the world will not lead to spiritual happiness. Live in the world. By living fully in the world with all of its apparent imperfections one can attain spiritual perfection.

Along with the effort toward balance and nonattachment, practice selflessness. Selflessness is an art that requires much practice to perfect. Strength, nonattachment, love, and fearlessness grow from the practice of selflessness.

Make it a part of your daily life to do things for others without anyone knowing. To be selfless and attentive toward others is not so much an effort as it is a very natural way of being. At the same time, do not forget yourself. In the observances of yoga the first principle is ahimsa, nonharming. This principle is not meant to be applied only to others. Ahimsa should first be applied toward yourself. You should not harm yourself or allow yourself to be harmed by others. Be sensible in your nonattachment and love. While it is not helpful to be ego-or me-centered, it is also not beneficial to be exclusively you-centered. The Upanishads teach that all is One.

Approach your life wholeheartedly. Whatever you do, do with your whole heart and fullest attention. When you are with your children, be with your children, not your work. When you are at work, be with your work, not your children. Be in the moment at hand, not in the moment or day that has passed, or in the moment or day yet to come.

Mantra is a Spiritual Guide - Remember

~ Swami Rama

Mantra is a syllable or word or set of words. When the mantra is remembered consciously, it automatically is stored in the unconscious mind. At the time of parting, the mantra which is stored in the unconscious mind becomes one's guide. This period of separation is painful to the ignorant. This is not the case with a spiritual person who has remembered the mantra faithfully. The mantra serves as a guide through this period of transition. Mantra is a spiritual guide that dispels the fear of death and leads one fearlessly to the other shore of life.

For yogis and sages death is a minor event. To them it is merely a habit of the body, a change like other changes that occur in the process of growth. If everyone realized this, there would be less misery as people grow old and approach death. Death and birth are two gates of the same mansion. Coming out from one gate is called birth and passing through another gate is called death. Fortunate few know the mystery of birth and death.

Guru Disciple Relationship

~ with Swami Ritavan Bharati and Rabindra Sahu

On the most special occasion of Gurudeva Swami Rama’s 100th birthday (25 October), let us come together to honour His Birth Centenary and delve deep into the meaning and significance of the Guru Prayer and the sacred relationship between a Guru and a disciple.

Join us for this satsanga with Swami Ritavan Bharati and Rabindra Sahu, as we come together to pay homage to the Guru Lineage on this special day. We will have a week-long yajna with the akhanda-manadalakaram mantra. On the most auspicious day of 25 October 2025, we will offer our prayers and practices through a 24-hours akhanda (non-stop) japa and meditation at the feet of our Gurudeva Swami Rama.

AHYMSIN New Sangha Mantra Practice for the Next One Year

~ Akhanda-mandalakaram mantra

AHYMSIN

Contact Us

AHYMSIN, Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama
Virpur Khurd, Virbhadra Road, P.O. Pashulok Rishikesh 249203, India

Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama