Articles by Swami Rama 
Guru Purnima Message
1 July, 2015 @ 3:17 pm
This day of Guru Purnima is a great day which is considered to be a spiritual day to celebrate the reverence to the noble heritage of the spiritual knowledge. This day makes the aspirant aware that the light of knowledge is eternally flowing, and overflowing internally and externally both. This day reminds us not to be caught by snares of the charms and temptations of the world, but to discharge one's own duties selflessly, lovingly and skillfully.
Determination
10 June, 2015 @ 11:32 am
Faith and determination are two essential rungs on the ladder of enlightenment. Without them enlightenment can never be realized. Without faith we can attain some degree of intellectual knowledge, but only with faith can we see into the most subtle chambers of our being.
Vairagya
5 May, 2015 @ 3:26 pm
Vairagya is translated variously as nonattachment, detachment, or dispassion. It should not be confused within difference, lack of emotion, lifelessness, numbness, or anything of that sort. Vairagya is hardly in difference or numbness. Vairagya is a vibrant, open, expansive way of living. It would more accurately be described as love, as a wonderful energy of openness, freedom, joy, giving, selflessness, and fearlessness.
Unconscious Mind Stays with You
5 April, 2015 @ 2:26 pm
You have to understand your mind properly in its totality. You have to know yourself within and without both. It is very easy to know yourself provided you want to. You are trying to escape. You are afraid of knowing yourself. From childhood onward you are trained to see and examine things in the external world. Nobody teaches you to look within, to find within, or to see within. You are a stranger to yourself, and others are also strangers to you. Two strangers make promises to each other, smile, talk, and establish home, and then create disaster for themselves in society. This is going on all over the world. Life as it is seems to be summed up with one word – relationship – relationship in the external world and relationship within.
Ten Commitments
4 March, 2015 @ 3:49 pm
In order to attain the highest state of consciousness, or samadhi, Patanjali describes eight rungs on the yoga ladder. The first two rungs are ten commitments – not commandments, but commitments. You do not have to be commanded to follow them by some teacher, yogi, sage, or scripture. You should be committed to them because you know what you are doing. So first, learn to know what you are doing; then start following. A blind follower will not arrive anywhere. On this path you come in touch with two sets of commitments: yamas and niyamas. One set helps your communication with others, the other improves your internal being.
The Ancient Traveller
4 February, 2015 @ 4:02 pm
The most ancient traveller in the universe is love. It is love that travels from the unknown to the known, from eternity to eternity.
Teaching Children
4 December, 2014 @ 3:36 pm
When you practice meditation, initially you come in touch with yourself and all your thought patterns; you come to understand your inner dialogue. Then, you learn to discriminate—to select and reject; and finally, you learn how to work with yourself. These seeds should be sown in childhood.
Contentment
13 November, 2014 @ 3:26 pm
Another fundamental practice is the cultivation of contentment. Many westerners grow up believing their lives ought to be perfect. That will not happen. That is not the nature of life. Life is always changing, shifting, decaying, dying. That is its nature. To accept and understand that is the way to contentment.
Conscience
15 October, 2014 @ 3:21 pm
You will have to practice for a long time. Abhyasa vairagyabhyam tannirodhah. Practice means repetition of the same thing again and again and again to form a strong habit. Habits are motivation in life. If you do not have determination to attain that which should be attained, if you are not constantly aware of that Reality, how can you practice? You will feel lazy and you will not be able to sit in meditation.
Worrying
7 August, 2014 @ 10:19 am
Worrying is a disease you have acquired. You have been worrying your whole life and yet you are still alive. If you look at your past, you will find that your whole past was filled with worries, but you are still alive and you are smiling. Based on this experience, ask yourself not to be affected by worries. Worrying consumes your energy. Worrying is like a car in motion that is not going anywhere.