Category: Swami Rama

It is only after you have learned to take care of the body that you can tread the path of inner life. Proper cleansing, nourishing, and exercise are the prerequisites for the next step in the cultivation of health. This step is called being still. It is very important and, if you study it systematically not very difficult. Once you have prepared the body, it is essential that you learn to sit quietly. Even if you eat the best diet, if you do not know how to be still your mind will not yet be under your control. The most magnificent sports car, if it is driven recklessly, will soon be destroyed: so it is also with the human being. A strong body willed by a reckless mind leads to restlessness and ill health. You should become aware of the integration of the mind and body, for the mind and body have such a close relationship that the body can disturb the mind: if the body is in a state of pain or disease, then the mind will also be ill at ease. Likewise, a restless mind creates a tense and nervous body.

It should be remembered, however, that in general the mind rules the body. The mind moves first, and then the body follows. So your body language is totally dependent on your mental functions. Try this and see. Try to raise your arm without first thinking about it. It cannot be done. In order to raise the arm you must first think “Arm, raise,” and then send this message through the nervous system from the brain to the arm. The arm will not move until the mind tells it to do so.

Furthermore, just as the mind sends messages to the body, the body is continually sending messages to the mind – “This chair is hard; this postures causes a pain in the back,” and so on. When then mind is constantly being badgered by all these body messages it becomes very active, agitates, and dissipated trying to integrate all the data. It cannot remain calm.

Therefore in order to learn to be still you must first quiet the chatter coming from the body. This begins by learning the art of sitting. By developing a steady, comfortable position you free yourself from the distractions of the body and are able to attend to the mind. For if your body is not steady your mind cannot be still; if you put your body into an uncomfortable position it will become a constant source of distraction. In addition, if you sit in a certain position for a week and then change to another position for a week and then change to another position the next week, your mental attitude will change as well. So choosing a position in which you can be still is very important.

The Bible talks about the importance of stillness: “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) If you learn this, then that godly part in you will reveal itself. But for that godly part to be revealed without being still is not possible. So you should direct your voluntary and conscious effort to learning how to be still. If you just learn this, there will be no problem. In the beginning this means not moving at all. Later, once you learn what stillness is, you will be able to move the body, to act and live in the world, yet remain still. Calmness, stillness, and a one-pointed mind are identical; when this is realized, it becomes possible to create them at all times. In other words, true stillness does not merely mean the absence of movement: it means having equanimity, and then performing your actions responsibly; it means attending effortlessly to your duties without being unduly affected by external circumstances.

Editor’s note

This passage has been taken from the book, A Practical Guide to Holistic Health, by Swami Rama, published in 1980 by the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the USA.

Those who are not aware of the law of expansion do not experience the joy of sacrificing and giving. But those who have practiced to strengthen the quality of giving cannot stop giving, for giving fills one with the highest of joys, whereas expecting and taking only lead to momentary pleasure that later results in disgust, disappointment, and a sorrowful state of mind. Those who do not learn to give or sacrifice the fruits of their actions do not know the art of living and being.

The essence of sacrifice is giving selflessly. It is a complete expression of love in the true sense. Those who learn to be content with only their essential needs fulfilled are truly happy, and they use all their resources in the love and service of others. The little bit that is left over is used for the sustenance of their existence in the world so they can continue giving. Such individuals live for others. But the selfish are not aware of the law of giving and are doomed.

Editor’s Note

This is an excerpt from Perennial Psychology of the Bhagavad Gita by Swami Rama as part of the commentary on III:14.

For all Swami Rama’s and Swami Veda Bharati’s published works, please email info@yogapublications.org

Published works of Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati are also available at other venues.

Western culture, which has increasingly welcomed and embraced traditions from the East in the last thirty years, has too often understood guru to mean simply a teacher. In the West guru is frequently considered to be merely someone who is trained in philosophy, meditation, and hatha yoga. From this point of view, the guru is expected to share this knowledge with the students, training them in scriptures and various spiritual disciplines. While the western student may become dependent on the teacher and have high expectations about what the teacher should do on behalf of the student, the guru is nonetheless viewed as a teacher only.

In ancient times students received formal education in gurukulas. The students lived with their guru from an early age and were given not only instruction on an intellectual level, but also were guided in spiritual development and in the maintenance of physical health. The guru had a very close relationship with the students and knew their habits and level of inner strength.

In today’s life there is no spiritual environment in which a seeker can fully concentrate on learning the language of silence in order to find inner fulfillment. It is very difficult for the student not to be distracted by the temptations of the external world. Modern education focuses on memorizing facts of the external world, and ignores the growth and development of the inner being. The gurukula system of ancient times is not practical in today’s world, but a more holistic approach to education can be adopted. Such an approach emphasizes spiritual growth along with the development of the intellectual aspects of the mind, and also includes guidance in how to maintain the fitness and health of the physical body. In the Eastern tradition guru is much more than a teacher. He or she represents the special energy that is guiding individuals toward their fulfillment as human beings, toward perfection. Grace is the impulse of that energy.

The word guru is a compound of two words, gu and ru. Gu means darkness and ru means light. That which dispels the darkness of ignorance is called guru. The energy and action of removing darkness are guru. Guru is not a person, it is a force driven by grace.

To put this another way, there is an intelligent momentum that pervades the universe that is moving all human beings toward the perfection we call God. Guru is that intelligence. Everyone’s receptivity to that intelligence varies. It depends on preparation, which includes the development of vairagya or non-attachment, and abhyasa or practice. In other words, guru is always there, but the student may not be ready to receive what the guru has to offer. When the student is prepared, the guru always arrives to help the student do what is necessary to progress in removing the veil of ignorance. It is said that when the wick and oil are properly prepared, the master lights the lamp.

Guru is not a person, but guru can be represented in a person. One who has developed his or her own spiritual awareness to a very high level can guide others, and is considered to be guru. Only one who is finely attuned to the inner guide can inspire the awakening of the inner guide in another. Guru is not a physical being. If a guru begins thinking this power is her or his own, then they are no longer a guide. The guru is a tradition, a stream of knowledge.

In India guru is a sacred word that is used with reverence and is always associated with the highest wisdom. The guru is unique in a person’s life. The relationship between disciple and guru is like no other relationship. It is said that guru is not mother, father, son, or daughter. The guru is not a friend in any conventional sense. It also is sometimes said that the guru is father, mother, son, daughter, and friend all in one, the guru is sun and moon, sky and earth to the disciple.

The truth is that the relationship of guru to disciple is indescribable. The relationship extends to the realm beyond the world, transcends death, and stretches far beyond the limited karmic bonds associated with family and friends. A mother and father help sustain the body of their child, and nurture and guide the child through the formative years of life to adulthood. Guru sustains, nurtures, and guides a soul through lifetimes to ultimate liberation.

Editor’s Note

Reprinted from Sacred Journey, an HIHT publication.

I have not come to teach you religion, for that you already have. I have come to teach you something that you do not have, that which is missing. And that’s called a personal philosophy of life, which will support you no matter where you go. So I will tell you something about the mind and what is beyond the mind. I would like to give you both views, eastern and western, and try to explain to you the various aspects of mind and its modifications, so that there is no confusion and you can start working with yourself. We human beings are fully equipped and we can all attain the goal of life here and now. But sloth or laziness is the greatest of all sins. You have to work hard to learn anything. To learn English I had to work hard. Without working hard how can you accomplish anything? You have to know the language first, then you have to know the practice and finally, you have to follow it.

If you want to work with yourself you should start practicing and watch your activities and not be trapped by self-created misery that rises out of sloth. The question is have you decided? Are you determined to work with yourself? How long will it take? Ten minutes a day to work with yourself. In the external world you can get lost easily, but within, there is no chance of getting lost. Why are you afraid? Afraid of whom? Actually, all the fears are within you, are created by you, all the fears are yours. You have never examined them, that is why you are suffering. Therefore, O human being, learn to work with yourself. East and West meet here, and a day will finally come when all of humanity will say with one voice that the mind is the source of all problems and the mind is the source of all pleasures. They have been trying their best to explore something they do not understand. And this is true.

Whenever you sit down and examine your mind there is some image in your mind. Image within is called imagination. And you are brooding on that image and when that image passes, another image comes. Often, this is how we think, “Who does my neighbour think she is? She thinks that she has plenty of money. She thinks that she is better dressed than I am, that she has bigger diamonds than me. Who does she think she is?” All the time you go on thinking this way and waste your time and energy. Thus, the purpose of human life is defeated, because no one teaches you how to use this brief span of life such that life becomes productive, creative and fulfilling. But there is a way. This brief span of life can be utilized, and in this lifetime itself one can attain the purpose of life, one can become self-realized.

Many of us think that the mind cannot be tamed, cannot be polished, cannot be used, cannot be made useful. This is not true. Some of the great men have done it. Many of us want to, but we don´t practice. We have to understand something about the mind. You can easily understand the mind by understanding your thought patterns. A thought comes, then another thought comes, then another, another, another and this keeps on going. If you study your brain wave patterns you will find that there is a space between two thoughts. If you can eliminate this space between thoughts, there will be only one thought.

Cleansing the mind, purifying the mind, means learning to train it, just like training or breaking in a shoe. If you learn to train your attention, you can do wonders in the world.

Editor’s note

This passage has been taken from of the book Conscious Living: A Guidebook for Spiritual Transformation by Swami Rama, pages 55 – 57, published in 2005 by The Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust, Swami Rama Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

When you make meditation a part of your life, your children will follow your example. Exemplary education is very important for children. Children imitate their parents; you don’t have to teach them to meditate. Never do that. You should teach your children through example how to sit quietly and make their minds one-pointed. When you sit in meditation, your child will also come and sit next to you and pretend to do what you are doing. In this way the child will come to know what you are doing and will also form the habit of sitting with you.

I used to do that in my childhood. When my master would sit in meditation, I would sit next to him. When I wanted his attention, I would climb onto his lap. He wouldn’t say anything to me, so I would do something to get his attention. Then he would rub my forehead, and I did not know what had happened. I am sure I was not sleeping. If you sit in meditation, and your child comes and sits next to you and closes his eyes, it is very helpful for the child. Do you think the child is meditating? I say the child is meditating better than you are. Even when a child simply imitates you when you are meditating, it is very helpful for the child.

Meditation is a very powerful thing that gives helpful vibrations to all. When you meditate, it definitely affects your children. If you record the brain waves of a child who is sleeping while you are meditating, you will find a difference. Even your plants and your pets are affected when you meditate. Instead of imposing your ego or your emotional problems on your children in the name of discipline, please discipline yourself, and then your children will also learn.

Editor’s Note

The Swami Rama writing above is an excerpt from his book, Let the Bud of Life Bloom. “In Let the Bud of Life Bloom, Swami Rama gives us relevant, practical insights into forming the basis of a happy life through a happy childhood. Through blending the best of our ancient values with new inventions, children can grow into healthy, creative adults.”

Sit down and quietly think about what you have done in your life, because in the end, during the period of transition, you will have to face yourself. What have you done that is satisfying? Have you done anything selfless—totally selfless?

You go on doing your work and reaping the fruit, and then you hoard. In this way there can be no liberation. All the misery and chaos in the world is because of this. Somebody has an abundance; someone else doesn’t have even a square meal. This disparity and the suffering that we find are created by ourselves.

How can you be peaceful if your neighbour’s house is burning? How can you say you are at peace, and you don’t feel any warmth? Those who understand life, understand the ripples of life. We are like ripples in the vast ocean of bliss.

If you are suffering, I am suffering, though I am not aware of it. How can I live without suffering? If my foot is suffering, definitely my whole being is suffering. We are all limbs of one huge, one great prajapati (being)—the whole universe. How can we live happily? Let us learn not to hoard, but just to give. To whom? Not to strangers. I’m not telling you something impractical. Give to those with whom you live.

Do not work for yourself; that is not the way of life. You will become selfish. Learn to work for others. If the wife learns to work for her husband, and the husband learns to work for his wife, they both will be happy. Problems come when they both become selfish, demanding, and expecting. Learn the path of selflessness. That is the only way of liberation.

Learn to give to each other, and then slowly that learning will expand to the whole universe. One day you will feel that the whole universe is your family, and you are one of the members of that family.

On the path of selflessness there is great joy.

Selflessness is the singular expression of love.

Editor’s note

This is an excerpt from The Essence of Spiritual Life, A Companion Guide for the Seeker by Swami Rama, published by Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust, 1996, p 48.

July 12, 1984, given to sadhakas at The Meditation Center

This day, Guru Purnima, is celebrated with great encouragement by aspirants who follow the spiritual path. No matter which path is followed, whether it is raja, bhakti, jnana, laya or any other path, all celebrate this day. This day of Guru Purnima reminds us of our spiritual awaking and to be on the path sincerely, regularly and making efforts to attain the goal.

Guru is a fountainhead of knowledge, spirituality, and wisdom through which flows the knowledge that is traditionally handed down from generation to generation. This day reminds one of his goals. Let us rejoice this day and make a firm resolution and obtain our goal, which is peace, happiness and bliss, and serve others selflessly, and love others selflessly.

Love all selflessly.

May you love all and exclude none.

OM. Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

Even the worse experiences in the world can teach you something. Sometimes, however, even the best experiences in the world cannot teach you because you are not ready, and you have not prepared yourself. You should work with yourselves constantly, and remember that you are working with yourself.

You should develop thirty goals for thirty days, and pick one goal for each day. Practice this yourself, it is a very simple thing. For example, you may decide that today you are not going to lie. That does not mean that you will redouble your lies tomorrow, but rather, that today your whole thinking process is about this: that you are not going to lie. You never claim that you will be able to speak the total Truth, but simply decide that you are not going to consciously lie.

Then, the next day, you may resolve, “I will not be unkind to anyone,” and the day that you decide to do that, everything challenging will come to you. You decide, “I will not lie,” and suddenly many occasions will present themselves that you could lie. This happens because you are trying to conquer your nature, the part of your nature that you have built unconsciously for a long time. All your actions in life have unconscious results, as if you are digging a hole and therefore making a heap of dirt somewhere else, but you do not understand that. Suddenly, when you stop digging the hole, you discover that you have created both a heap and a hole.

The day that you resolve, “I will love everyone and not hate anyone today,” you will find that all your enemies are coming to you. They come via telephone calls, or in letters, or you may hear someone talking about you. Once, when I was young, this happened to me and I became very upset. Someone had written something very nasty to me, and my Master noticed and asked me what has happened to me. He used to tell me that I was like mercury, so he called me “Thermometer.” He said, “Thermometer, what has happened?”

I said, “Look at this nasty letter.”

He replied, “Do you want to become more nasty yourself by replying to it in a nasty way? That is not the way to deal with it; read the letter six times, and eventually you will not find anything nasty in it.” And that happened: I read, reread, and reread the letter again, and my Master told me not to reply to it immediately, so I waited, and then six days later I replied to it very calmly.

When you become accustomed to witnessing certain things in yourself, you may still feel bad, but you do not feel so very bad, and if something good happens, then you do not feel so incredibly good. You can develop the habit of being more balanced, or of losing your destructive sensitivity and reactivity to both positive and negative things.

If you adopt thirty points to work on for thirty days, mark them on your calendar and do not tell anyone what you are doing. Just watch the calendar, and see what you have accomplished in thirty days’ time. The point is not, for instance, whether you have lied or not lied: it is that you have built your willpower. This is the real process of building willpower. After thirty days, you will conclude, “Yes, I have done what I wanted to do.” But do not choose big principles that you cannot fulfill –that is destructive. Instead, select little things.

If you decide that for one day you will speak very little – only that which is accurate, purposeful, and non-hurting, you may continue to talk to everyone, but in setting this goal you will be building your willpower. After you develop willpower, you will have greater self-confidence.

Editor’s Note

This is an excerpt from ‘The Art of Joyful Living‘ by Swami Rama. Chapter “Developing Strength and Will power. ” Pages 128 – 129 in the 1989 edition.

Although this book is out of print, for all other Swami Rama’s and Swami Veda Bharati’s published works, please email hyptbooks@gmail.com

Published works of Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati are also available at other venues.

All human beings want to attain a state of happiness that is free from all pains and fears. This can be attained by practicing a self-training method. The ancients described such a program in the traditional yogic manuscripts; it provides us with a way to reach a state of health on all levels. In following this program we learn through direct experience, and that alone is valid; it cannot be challenged by anyone. Most people are influenced by the opinions of others; they rarely take the opportunity to form their own opinions. Suggestion has been the very basis of modern life, and few of us draw our conclusions from direct experience. But without having direct experience, the information that we gather from external forces always remains questionable. That is why we need confirmation from others. Even in our relationships at home we expect others to tell us that it is good to do this or that: “You look good”; “Your clothes are nice”; “You speak well”. These expressions show that we constantly seek the confirmation and appreciation of others because we are not sure on our own that we are doing well.

Once you have direct experience, however, you will be sure of your own actions. Direct experience does not need any evidence to prove its validity. When you have direct experience no external force can ever influence you, no matter how strong it is. The suggestions and opinions of others will not affect you then. For abstract knowing alone is not true knowledge: you obtain true knowledge only when you start experiencing. So in the program described by the ancient masters you are actually your own textbook and you compare your own experience with that of the sages to verify the theories they give.

Editor’s note

This is an excerpt from A Practical Guide to Holistic Health by Swami Rama. Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the USA. 1999. Page 89.