Learn the Science of Meditation with Swami Paramananda
Thursday 2 December 2010
Sunday 28 November 2010
Saturday 27 November 2010
London Kings Cross meditation sessions.
Date: 21st November 2010
5th December 2010
19th December 2010
9th January 2011
23rd January 2011
6th February 2011
20th February 2011
13th March 2011
27th March 2011
Time: 9-10am
Venue: The Place, 16 Flaxman Terrace ,London, WC1H 9AT (Click here for map)
There are two entrances, please use the Flaxman Terrace entrance.
5 minutes walk from Kings Cross Station (near The British Library). Free parking on Sundays (on Dukes Road.)
For more infor please go to www.londonmeditation.info or raj@londonmeditation.info
Cost for the event is only £5 which goes to SGAS-UK Charity (Reg No. 1111821).
Friday 19 November 2010
SGAS UK meditation session.
The meditation session will have both dynamic and passive methods commencing next Sunday.
Date: 21st November 2010
Time: 9-10am
Venue: The Place, Studio 10, 17 Dukes Road, Kings Cross, WC1H 9PY (Click here for map)
A 5 minute walk from Kings Cross Station (near the British Library). Free parking on Sundays (Dukes Road.)
Date: 21st November 2010
Time: 9-10am
Venue: The Place, Studio 10, 17 Dukes Road, Kings Cross, WC1H 9PY (Click here for map)
A 5 minute walk from Kings Cross Station (near the British Library). Free parking on Sundays (Dukes Road.)
Wednesday 18 August 2010
Tuesday 17 August 2010
'From Sex to Cosmic Consciousness' - secrets revealed by Swami Paramananda
'From Sex to Cosmic Consciousness' - secrets revealed by Swami Paramananda
Only £27 (buy ONE get ONE FREE)
All Proceeds go to Charity.
Only £27 (buy ONE get ONE FREE)
All Proceeds go to Charity.
Friday 6 August 2010
What Do The Scriptures Say?
“The purpose of scriptures is to make sincere seekers of Truth realise that the reality of man, God and the Universe lies beyond the lines of the scriptures.”
By Swami Paramananda
Scriptures take birth when a master, who is a God-realised being, a prophet or an incarnation, teaches so as to lead ardent seekers on the path of Truth. Truth, however, cannot be expressed in words. Devices must be found which can help the disciple to reflect deeply. When asked by Pontius Pilate, “What is truth?” Jesus kept silent. If Pilate were a seeker of Truth, maybe he would have understood the message. Sometimes, the master answers with his being, his silence does the work. That, of course, will depend on the mental evolution of the disciple.
Scriptures have been given by different prophets in different regions of the planet. Though fundamentally they teach the same truth, they vary in approach. There are a few reasons for that. In the first place, the level of evolution is not the same everywhere. Jesus spoke in parables to lead people to discover the truth by themselves. If he told them the truth directly, they would run the risk of completely misunderstanding him because of the loftiness of the teachings. There is also the probability that those who receive such teachings can become blind followers if they do not make any effort on their part to realise these. If they are curious enough, a parable is bound to provoke reflection. This will inevitably lead to the unfolding of their thinking faculty.
Furthermore, it is only direct experience that makes one become intelligent and an authority on the subject that has been meditated upon. Osho (Rajneesh) says, “I use word to bring you beyond words.” Enlightenment is a state beyond words. Masters use ways and means that they find most convenient to teach people. However, language, as we all know, is a very limited means of communication – error, misunderstanding and distortion are bound to take place. However, the misunderstanding or distortion will always come from the hearer. The reason is that he vibrates on a completely different plane. People are always living in a world of their own, with 95.5% of layers of unconsciousness veiling their mind. They will listen only to that which will not shatter their dreams. Masters use words to awaken the listener, their aim is not to make people knowledgeable.
Enlightenment is awakening from unconsciousness to consciousness. The means used by different masters may vary, but the aim is basically the same. Also, people should not be disturbed by truths that are beyond their mental capacity. Do not disturb the mind of others. The sleepwalker should not be brought back to the normal state abruptly – this may disturb his brain. Spiritual masters, mystics and prophets bring a message from the Beyond. They are witnesses to a reality that is beyond the grasp of the eyes and the mind. In short, they channel a mystery that is expressed and received only in silence.
Society lives according to certain norms and has a standard by which it can judge whether someone is right or wrong. These norms are products of unconsciousness, they are carbon copies. The virtues displayed by people in society are used to cover up their vices. People are sleepwalkers and because the virtues are not spontaneous, natural and motivated by the energy of Pure Consciousness, the vices of the unconsciousness cannot be suppressed for long. The result is crime, incest, violence, war and others – you can consult the media. One whose sleep of unconsciousness has been broken is moved by the plight of people. The awakened one wants to help others to attain enlightenment as well, since he knows that they all form part of the same sublime substance.
Buddha used to say, “I am pointing to the moon, but you are looking at my finger.” This has happened throughout the ages and is still happening in all religions. People are looking at the fingers of the prophets instead of focusing their attention in the direction towards which the fingers are pointing. Jesus said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you,” and people are still thinking of a kingdom with a king and things related to it.
Religion is both theory and practice. Knowledge and rituals should be made alive by experiencing the reality to which they point. Ganga Snan celebrated by the Hindus opens the mind towards the lofty realities of delving into the ocean of the soul. It points towards the dip in the holy water of the Spirit within, which gives complete purification and thus relaxation. The seven dips represent the seven stages through which the mind has to pass before attaining complete purification. Today, most people are lost in the ritual and even seize the opportunity to transform the ceremony into a material event.
Scriptures are divine. They reveal through symbols, parables, codices and techniques, the way to attain liberation from all forms of suffering. Misinterpretation and negligence have already cost humanity a lot of suffering. So many wars have been waged in the name of religion. Corruption, bribery, ego-trip have invaded the purity of religion and the scriptures. There have been instances when people with crooked minds have twisted the truth of the scriptures for their own selfish ends. But the time has come when, as Jesus said, “That which was hidden will be exposed in its nakedness.” There are a few great souls who have already taken birth for this purpose.
Scriptures have been given by different prophets in different regions of the planet. Though fundamentally they teach the same truth, they vary in approach. There are a few reasons for that. In the first place, the level of evolution is not the same everywhere. Jesus spoke in parables to lead people to discover the truth by themselves. If he told them the truth directly, they would run the risk of completely misunderstanding him because of the loftiness of the teachings. There is also the probability that those who receive such teachings can become blind followers if they do not make any effort on their part to realise these. If they are curious enough, a parable is bound to provoke reflection. This will inevitably lead to the unfolding of their thinking faculty.
Furthermore, it is only direct experience that makes one become intelligent and an authority on the subject that has been meditated upon. Osho (Rajneesh) says, “I use word to bring you beyond words.” Enlightenment is a state beyond words. Masters use ways and means that they find most convenient to teach people. However, language, as we all know, is a very limited means of communication – error, misunderstanding and distortion are bound to take place. However, the misunderstanding or distortion will always come from the hearer. The reason is that he vibrates on a completely different plane. People are always living in a world of their own, with 95.5% of layers of unconsciousness veiling their mind. They will listen only to that which will not shatter their dreams. Masters use words to awaken the listener, their aim is not to make people knowledgeable.
Enlightenment is awakening from unconsciousness to consciousness. The means used by different masters may vary, but the aim is basically the same. Also, people should not be disturbed by truths that are beyond their mental capacity. Do not disturb the mind of others. The sleepwalker should not be brought back to the normal state abruptly – this may disturb his brain. Spiritual masters, mystics and prophets bring a message from the Beyond. They are witnesses to a reality that is beyond the grasp of the eyes and the mind. In short, they channel a mystery that is expressed and received only in silence.
Society lives according to certain norms and has a standard by which it can judge whether someone is right or wrong. These norms are products of unconsciousness, they are carbon copies. The virtues displayed by people in society are used to cover up their vices. People are sleepwalkers and because the virtues are not spontaneous, natural and motivated by the energy of Pure Consciousness, the vices of the unconsciousness cannot be suppressed for long. The result is crime, incest, violence, war and others – you can consult the media. One whose sleep of unconsciousness has been broken is moved by the plight of people. The awakened one wants to help others to attain enlightenment as well, since he knows that they all form part of the same sublime substance.
Buddha used to say, “I am pointing to the moon, but you are looking at my finger.” This has happened throughout the ages and is still happening in all religions. People are looking at the fingers of the prophets instead of focusing their attention in the direction towards which the fingers are pointing. Jesus said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you,” and people are still thinking of a kingdom with a king and things related to it.
Religion is both theory and practice. Knowledge and rituals should be made alive by experiencing the reality to which they point. Ganga Snan celebrated by the Hindus opens the mind towards the lofty realities of delving into the ocean of the soul. It points towards the dip in the holy water of the Spirit within, which gives complete purification and thus relaxation. The seven dips represent the seven stages through which the mind has to pass before attaining complete purification. Today, most people are lost in the ritual and even seize the opportunity to transform the ceremony into a material event.
Scriptures are divine. They reveal through symbols, parables, codices and techniques, the way to attain liberation from all forms of suffering. Misinterpretation and negligence have already cost humanity a lot of suffering. So many wars have been waged in the name of religion. Corruption, bribery, ego-trip have invaded the purity of religion and the scriptures. There have been instances when people with crooked minds have twisted the truth of the scriptures for their own selfish ends. But the time has come when, as Jesus said, “That which was hidden will be exposed in its nakedness.” There are a few great souls who have already taken birth for this purpose.
By Swami Paramananda
The Truth behind Idol and Image Worship
Before commenting on the subject of idol worship, I would like to mention a few things that may help you to grasp the subtle truth behind such a practice. Osho makes mention of a certain Doctor Frank Rudolph who wanted to know about a certain practice performed by an African tribe. What he discovered among those people is that they would make a statue of a particular person using mud. Then if they have to cure that person of any illness, they would touch the appropriate part of the statue and the person would recover. In the same way, they could also cause any illness in that person if they so wished by touching a particular point on the image. This practice is called voodoo.
This may sound incredible to most rational people but it is possible indeed and experience has proved it. How is this possible? When the statue is being moulded or the picture is being drawn, the image of the said person should be brought at the third eye. And if one’s mind is totally focused at this point, it can be done without the medium of a statue or an image. Distance healing is based on a similar principle. Thought waves are very subtle, they can be transferred at incredible speed through space. This can be performed with willpower. After all, existence is homogeneous. In a state of silence all psychological barriers are broken.
Coming to idol worship, let it be very clear that if worship stops at the statue or the picture, then it is idolatry. The truth, however, is that idols are a means to reach the formless aspect of God. Form is used as a means to reach the formless. Many people talk about praying or worshiping directly, but this is impossible – no one can make it. Whether it is a mosque, a temple, a scripture, rites, rituals, prayers, meditation techniques, a prophet or a guru, all are forms and only means to reach the formless. Yes, it is absolutely true that people stagnate with idolatry, thus missing the opportunity to experience the formless.
Though there is absolutely no barrier between God and man, the latter has built many barriers, the very first one being man himself. Then in between also come his beliefs, conditionings, emotions, thoughts, scriptures and so on. Mind is form and thus limited, how then can it conceive the formless? Any conception will be a form. One of the Ten Commandments is, “Thou shalt not make any image of God.” The commandment is from Moses. During his time, people were blinded by idol worship; they were doing it irrationally. It was not used as an experiment to attain enlightenment but as an egoistical practice for personal satisfaction, out of fear and other reasons. Therefore the commandment was necessary. In ancient India, the mystics had discovered it as a means to reach the formless.
I had a friend who belonged to a religion that prohibits image worship. One day I asked the fellow, “How do you pray, I mean, how do you conceive God?” “I think of Jesus or God directly” was the answer. “But,” I said, “if you think of Jesus, it is nothing but your imagination, meaning you are worshipping your thought.” And for that matter, the images of Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu and so on are our own creation! Even the science of meditation is based on practices where form plays an important part. While meditation itself is the formless aspect of our being, the methods that lead to it are nothing but means based on forms. Though there are many subtle methods like watching the breath, the thought process, nevertheless they all have to do with certain forms – though subtle, still they are forms.
Only the enlightened beings have transcended all forms and thus dwell in the formless. Kabir has said, “I dwell in the formless and I sing the glory of the form.” But for him, form was the whole existence. Even a great master like Ramakrishna had to pass through the form aspect of God before realising Him. His realisation is an example of the efficiency of image worship to reach the formless. There have been many other such cases; I have myself experienced form. However, worship and prayer are methods for those on the path of devotion. Those on the path of knowledge, here I am not referring to bookish knowledge, will use this method as a means. I would like to make it clear that apart from someone who has attained enlightenment, everyone is an idolater.
If we can focus on an enlightened being with concentration, receptivity and love, then he can become a door to the formless. An enlightened one is a door because the person or the ego is not there, only God is. Here it is good to quote Kabir, “When I was, that is, when the ego or the lower self was, then the Lord was absent. Now I am not, the Lord is.” Jesus has said, “No one comes to the Father but by me.” Krishna said, “Shanti ka sidha marg mein houn,” meaning “I am the direct way to peace.” Through the form of the blessed one, we can easily enter into the meditative state, which is nothing but the state of godliness. Masters who have trodden this earth still have their field of vibration somewhere in space and by concentrating on any one of them, we can attract his energy upon us, which can lead us to meditation.
This may sound incredible to most rational people but it is possible indeed and experience has proved it. How is this possible? When the statue is being moulded or the picture is being drawn, the image of the said person should be brought at the third eye. And if one’s mind is totally focused at this point, it can be done without the medium of a statue or an image. Distance healing is based on a similar principle. Thought waves are very subtle, they can be transferred at incredible speed through space. This can be performed with willpower. After all, existence is homogeneous. In a state of silence all psychological barriers are broken.
Coming to idol worship, let it be very clear that if worship stops at the statue or the picture, then it is idolatry. The truth, however, is that idols are a means to reach the formless aspect of God. Form is used as a means to reach the formless. Many people talk about praying or worshiping directly, but this is impossible – no one can make it. Whether it is a mosque, a temple, a scripture, rites, rituals, prayers, meditation techniques, a prophet or a guru, all are forms and only means to reach the formless. Yes, it is absolutely true that people stagnate with idolatry, thus missing the opportunity to experience the formless.
Though there is absolutely no barrier between God and man, the latter has built many barriers, the very first one being man himself. Then in between also come his beliefs, conditionings, emotions, thoughts, scriptures and so on. Mind is form and thus limited, how then can it conceive the formless? Any conception will be a form. One of the Ten Commandments is, “Thou shalt not make any image of God.” The commandment is from Moses. During his time, people were blinded by idol worship; they were doing it irrationally. It was not used as an experiment to attain enlightenment but as an egoistical practice for personal satisfaction, out of fear and other reasons. Therefore the commandment was necessary. In ancient India, the mystics had discovered it as a means to reach the formless.
I had a friend who belonged to a religion that prohibits image worship. One day I asked the fellow, “How do you pray, I mean, how do you conceive God?” “I think of Jesus or God directly” was the answer. “But,” I said, “if you think of Jesus, it is nothing but your imagination, meaning you are worshipping your thought.” And for that matter, the images of Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu and so on are our own creation! Even the science of meditation is based on practices where form plays an important part. While meditation itself is the formless aspect of our being, the methods that lead to it are nothing but means based on forms. Though there are many subtle methods like watching the breath, the thought process, nevertheless they all have to do with certain forms – though subtle, still they are forms.
Only the enlightened beings have transcended all forms and thus dwell in the formless. Kabir has said, “I dwell in the formless and I sing the glory of the form.” But for him, form was the whole existence. Even a great master like Ramakrishna had to pass through the form aspect of God before realising Him. His realisation is an example of the efficiency of image worship to reach the formless. There have been many other such cases; I have myself experienced form. However, worship and prayer are methods for those on the path of devotion. Those on the path of knowledge, here I am not referring to bookish knowledge, will use this method as a means. I would like to make it clear that apart from someone who has attained enlightenment, everyone is an idolater.
If we can focus on an enlightened being with concentration, receptivity and love, then he can become a door to the formless. An enlightened one is a door because the person or the ego is not there, only God is. Here it is good to quote Kabir, “When I was, that is, when the ego or the lower self was, then the Lord was absent. Now I am not, the Lord is.” Jesus has said, “No one comes to the Father but by me.” Krishna said, “Shanti ka sidha marg mein houn,” meaning “I am the direct way to peace.” Through the form of the blessed one, we can easily enter into the meditative state, which is nothing but the state of godliness. Masters who have trodden this earth still have their field of vibration somewhere in space and by concentrating on any one of them, we can attract his energy upon us, which can lead us to meditation.
By Swami Paramananda
The Real Face of Religion
The Real Face of Religion
“What is truth?” asked Pontius Pilate to Jesus of Nazareth.
“What is truth?” asked Pontius Pilate to Jesus of Nazareth.
I have not continued to write on the above line for a symbolical reason. Jesus’ answer to the above question was not in words but in silence. Even today many people are under this delusion that Jesus ignored the question or that he did not answer. I would say that, at that moment, the whole atmosphere was vibrating with his answer. Truth was before them in body and flesh, it was impregnating every cell in Jesus’ body – what more could be said?
The Upanishadic sages say that the one who knows does not speak and if he does, he is lying. It is said that all prophets, incarnations and mystics speak nothing but truth, then does this imply that they are lying? Definitely not! Then what has been said by the great ones? And what is concealed behind the sacred words of the scriptures? Moses asked God, “What is Your name?” “I am what I am,” said the Lord. What are we to understand by this? Was He stating a truth concerning His existence or was He revealing His identity? Is He not beyond all names and forms? But how are we to understand that which is beyond all names and forms? “You will have to be born in spirit,” says Jesus to Nicodemus.
Jesus has always taught in parables. Zen masters use koans to answer the questions of their disciples. For example, a koan used by some Zen masters is “the son of a barren woman.” Buddha says, “I am pointing to the moon and you are looking at my finger.” When a small child asks about its origin, even the mother will tend to say that it came by aeroplane. Should all these be taken literally? Of course not! But this is the situation of our religions today. The teachings of the prophets and saints have been taken literally. People adore the scriptures and the words more than the truth that they reveal.
However, the great initiates in the mystery of life have not left us completely in the dark. They have given us everywhere a few glimpses that invite us to reflection and that may help us to move on the journey using their words as a map. But the inevitable had to happen: the maps have been mistaken for the journey. Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a hidden treasure and that to have it, one has to dig. The question is: where to dig to have this treasure and what kind of treasure is it? Shall we have to dig in a corner of space? Or in the scriptures?
As I said above, we are not left without a hint. The same Jesus says, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.” Could there be a kingdom with a Godhead at the throne and angels by His sides? How could there be such a thing within? In the Quran, it is said that God is nearer to you than the blood of your marrow. Think over it: what in your being could be nearer to you than your blood? What about the soul? Man was made by the dust of the earth. Then the Lord breathed in him. That life-breath is his essence; it is perfect, thus complete. Hence essentially man is divine, but this will have to be recognised and lived. Can a few rituals and the recitation of prayers or even some abstinence lead to that aim?
Jesus was well aware that the life-breath that the Lord breathed in us was part and parcel of the perfect Father, which made him utter, “Be ye perfect even as the Father in Heaven who is perfect.” The greatest experience, would it not really be to experience the Divine within? Therefore what is the real religion? It is to work for the attainment of the Divine within, the Spirit within. Our life should be spirit-oriented – that is what spirituality is all about. It is not, as believed by ignorant people, a mysterious sectarian affair. Of course, having gone far away from the spirit, one will have to make a little effort at least. How strange! To acquire one’s own self, one will have to make effort. But do not forget Jesus’ statement, “What avails a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his own soul?”
Since a long time we have indulged in rituals and debates on religion, now it is time to put into practice. The commandments have been followed blindly, that has led to no result. Now we are approaching a new age with a novel civilisation, both spiritually and materially. The name of spirituality has started blooming and I am fully convinced that it will invade the whole world. Shivoham, Inner Kingdom, Tao, Allah, all these mean the same sublime Truth which is seated in our being. Let us be ready and quick to start the inner journey to our own self. Know thyself and be free.
By Swami Paramananda
The Upanishadic sages say that the one who knows does not speak and if he does, he is lying. It is said that all prophets, incarnations and mystics speak nothing but truth, then does this imply that they are lying? Definitely not! Then what has been said by the great ones? And what is concealed behind the sacred words of the scriptures? Moses asked God, “What is Your name?” “I am what I am,” said the Lord. What are we to understand by this? Was He stating a truth concerning His existence or was He revealing His identity? Is He not beyond all names and forms? But how are we to understand that which is beyond all names and forms? “You will have to be born in spirit,” says Jesus to Nicodemus.
Jesus has always taught in parables. Zen masters use koans to answer the questions of their disciples. For example, a koan used by some Zen masters is “the son of a barren woman.” Buddha says, “I am pointing to the moon and you are looking at my finger.” When a small child asks about its origin, even the mother will tend to say that it came by aeroplane. Should all these be taken literally? Of course not! But this is the situation of our religions today. The teachings of the prophets and saints have been taken literally. People adore the scriptures and the words more than the truth that they reveal.
However, the great initiates in the mystery of life have not left us completely in the dark. They have given us everywhere a few glimpses that invite us to reflection and that may help us to move on the journey using their words as a map. But the inevitable had to happen: the maps have been mistaken for the journey. Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a hidden treasure and that to have it, one has to dig. The question is: where to dig to have this treasure and what kind of treasure is it? Shall we have to dig in a corner of space? Or in the scriptures?
As I said above, we are not left without a hint. The same Jesus says, “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.” Could there be a kingdom with a Godhead at the throne and angels by His sides? How could there be such a thing within? In the Quran, it is said that God is nearer to you than the blood of your marrow. Think over it: what in your being could be nearer to you than your blood? What about the soul? Man was made by the dust of the earth. Then the Lord breathed in him. That life-breath is his essence; it is perfect, thus complete. Hence essentially man is divine, but this will have to be recognised and lived. Can a few rituals and the recitation of prayers or even some abstinence lead to that aim?
Jesus was well aware that the life-breath that the Lord breathed in us was part and parcel of the perfect Father, which made him utter, “Be ye perfect even as the Father in Heaven who is perfect.” The greatest experience, would it not really be to experience the Divine within? Therefore what is the real religion? It is to work for the attainment of the Divine within, the Spirit within. Our life should be spirit-oriented – that is what spirituality is all about. It is not, as believed by ignorant people, a mysterious sectarian affair. Of course, having gone far away from the spirit, one will have to make a little effort at least. How strange! To acquire one’s own self, one will have to make effort. But do not forget Jesus’ statement, “What avails a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his own soul?”
Since a long time we have indulged in rituals and debates on religion, now it is time to put into practice. The commandments have been followed blindly, that has led to no result. Now we are approaching a new age with a novel civilisation, both spiritually and materially. The name of spirituality has started blooming and I am fully convinced that it will invade the whole world. Shivoham, Inner Kingdom, Tao, Allah, all these mean the same sublime Truth which is seated in our being. Let us be ready and quick to start the inner journey to our own self. Know thyself and be free.
By Swami Paramananda
Tuesday 3 August 2010
Swami Paramanada shares the secrets of Sex to Cosmic Consciousness; on the 21st August 2010 in LONDON!
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| Dear Friend 21st August 2010 From Sex to Cosmic Consciousness
Parking meters in the surrounding streets. All Rights Reserved. © Satyam Gyanam Anandam Society(SGAS) You have subscribed or have been subscribed to this mailing list. This is NO SPAM. If you are not the intended recipient or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this message in error and that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this message, or any attachment thereto, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately notify SGAS by replying to this e-mail and delete the message and all of its attachments. Every effort is made to keep our network free from viruses. You should, however, review this e-mail message, as well as any attachment thereto, for viruses. SGAS takes no responsibility and have no liability for any computer virus which may be transferred via this e-mail message or any harm caused to your system. | Retreat in Somerset; peaceful and natural surroundings of Croydon Hall. 4 days of bliss with Swami Paramananda. Topic: Aphorism of love: ‘Narad Bhakti Sutra’ Date: Sunday 22nd – Wednesday 25th August 2010 Price: From £230 (depending on types of room) Are you looking for a summer holiday with a difference? Perhaps you are thinking of embarking on a spiritual journey leading to the discovery of your inner self? SGAS UK is organising a 4 days spiritual retreat. 4 days of bliss with Swami Paramananda; where he will share the secrets of The Path of Love and Devotion, which is one of the most powerful means to connect yourself to the Supreme Self. Imagine an opportunity to live for a few days in the picturesque, breathtaking and peaceful surroundings of suburban Somerset. Imagine yourself embracing an oasis of serenity in the midst of the lofty trees, the vast acres of land and the valleys; the coronet of the vicinity. Join us for our summer retreat! From dawn to dusk, you will submerge yourself in a pool of divine love. You will unleash your inner suppression, anger, jealousy, fear and like a Sufi you will dance with us, sing with us, meditate with us, share your experience and celebrate life with us. So join us for this unique event to the beautiful,natural and peaceful countryside of Somerset. "Dance your way with us and experience a spiritual renaissance".  Please note: Prices include, your meals, accomodation and activities of SGAS UK, however, it excludes your transportation, spa and other onsite facilities which are non-SGAS UK. For prices and special dietery requirement, including type of rooms, please call us for arrangements. Bookings will be made on a first come first serve basis due to limited spaces.    |
The Role of Religion in Economic Development
Before elaborating on the role that religion plays in the economic development of a country and why not that of the whole world, I find it extremely important to understand what we mean by religion. If we take religion as it is today, then I observe that it has done more harm than good to the economic development of the world. I will come to this shortly.
The origin of the word religion is religare meaning ‘to bind’, but I would rather use the word unite. Also, I would use the word spirituality instead of ‘religion’. Religion or spirituality is the science and art that teaches man how to get united with the cosmos or with God. It connotes the same meaning as the word yoga. Man is not separate from the cosmos, but due to ignorance and the limitations of his mind, he identifies himself with merely his physical body. This creates the notion of fragmented consciousness or separation from the whole, hence the feeling of ‘I, mine and thine.’
The other becomes a cause for desire and ambition. Desire brings attraction and repulsion. Since human desires are unlimited and the means with which to satisfy them are limited, frustration, anger, hatred, jealousy, anxiety, depression, greed and lust are born. Duality leads to craving as the mind wants to enjoy the other. In that endeavour, it creates a hell both for itself and others. And society is made up of innumerable minds, thus imagine the conflict and confusion that are created! Present day society bears testimony to this fact.
All the known evils and problems that have ever existed in society have their root in duality. Jean Paul Sartre, the French philosopher, rightly puts it, “The other is hell.” In other words, where there is duality, there is hell. The science of religion is meant to dissipate the notion of being separate from God or the cosmos. Then, whether it is devotion, yoga, meditation, tantra, and the science of breathing and so on, all are meant to eliminate our ignorance and to unite us to the whole, hence, the word religare.
How can religion in the above light help economic development and progress? Before going into it, let’s see the state of religion in the world. Religion is inexistent today. This statement may take almost everyone by surprise. If religion really existed, then the world would be a much better place, not to say a paradise. What we have nowadays is the distorted version, I would even say relics, of religion.
Religion has to do with the heart and mind of people, with their health. Living in harmony with the laws of nature is to be religious. Oneness with life is the first true sign of being religious. The outcome of that sublime state of consciousness is inner peace, love, bliss, eternal life and the spontaneous overflow of virtues. But what do we find today? Confusion, conflict, pandemonium, violence, greed, lust, selfishness, hatred, jealousy, fanaticism, exploitation, poverty and so on and so forth. And this, despite the fact that we have countless churches, temples, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship!
Religion has been reduced to a set of beliefs, dos and don’ts, rites and rituals, commandments and books that people blindly follow. How can these make people’s hearts and minds change? How can a person who is ignorant about himself become a virtuous, loving, peaceful, creative and responsible citizen? In the absence of the above, can there be economic progress? This comes when people are selfless, creative, dynamic and intelligent. Non-religious people always think for their own selfish motives, not for the progress of the nation; they think in terms of race, caste, community or family. Can division help in increasing the production of goods and services? To produce more and of a better quality, to be creative and satisfied, one needs to be at peace with himself and others. And here I mean that workers should be well-paid, well-treated and have a convenient work environment.
It has been said that united we stand, divided we fall! Who is ready to unite these days? Can’t we see that things are falling apart everywhere? Is it not because we are very much divided, because we don’t live as one family? Economic development takes place when there is trust, peace, harmony, love, political stability, mutual respect and professionalism. All these are born out of intelligence. By intelligence, I do not mean only academic formation, but primarily self-education. Corruption, absence of meritocracy, redtapism, selfishness, laziness and absence of creativity are the main causes of economic impediment. These can be eliminated by a transformed mind and a heart full of love, purity and compassion. Religion or spirituality is the only means to produce such an individual.
It has also been said that nature has enough for every man’s need, not for everyone’s greed. Today people have become so greedy that they have plundered and destroyed much of our natural resources. Consequently many countries are suffering from lack of food, energy and natural resources, thus leading to poverty. Greed can only be eliminated by religious or spiritual practices. Simple living can come only from balanced way of life, treading the middle path and avoiding excesses, thus from a religious mind.
Another factor that causes economic drawback is overpopulation. The more people we have, the more difficult it becomes to feed them, to provide for material comfort, to find jobs and housing space. And the more we will have to take from nature because we will have to produce more of everything. A small family is happier than a big one in many respects. But it is not always easy to make people understand that the aim of human existence is not only producing children and spending one’s whole life, energy and intelligence to grow them up. Only a religious mind can understand that, hence my emphasis on religion. However, religion should be practised as an alchemy. It should be meant to change people’s negative attitude and mentality. Merely accumulating religious knowledge will not lead to that.
A trustful and sane atmosphere can enhance the producing capacity of an individual, this is my firm conviction. A really religious person is religious everywhere. For him alone, duty becomes God and work is worship. However, any employer or the government should not expect employees to have such virtues solely for the purpose of producing more, without themselves possessing truly religious attitudes. That should be a corporate affair.
The world is a big family and we are all children of the one God (or cosmos for non-believers). Therefore what should concern us more is the progress of the whole world, not only ours. The end of economic progress is a sound material base so that the individual can evolve and flourish mentally and emotionally. Today that is far from being the case. Economic progress should be for the individual, not vice versa. What is the use of wealth or affluence if the individual does not know love, peace, freedom and bliss? We should have these in mind, then economic progress will become easy and attainable. It should be a means to a higher end that can be reached through religion (spirituality). Once we know the end, then the means becomes justified. And the means towards such a lofty end will automatically build a better human being. With intelligent, creative, honest and peaceful people, economic progress becomes inevitable.
The origin of the word religion is religare meaning ‘to bind’, but I would rather use the word unite. Also, I would use the word spirituality instead of ‘religion’. Religion or spirituality is the science and art that teaches man how to get united with the cosmos or with God. It connotes the same meaning as the word yoga. Man is not separate from the cosmos, but due to ignorance and the limitations of his mind, he identifies himself with merely his physical body. This creates the notion of fragmented consciousness or separation from the whole, hence the feeling of ‘I, mine and thine.’
The other becomes a cause for desire and ambition. Desire brings attraction and repulsion. Since human desires are unlimited and the means with which to satisfy them are limited, frustration, anger, hatred, jealousy, anxiety, depression, greed and lust are born. Duality leads to craving as the mind wants to enjoy the other. In that endeavour, it creates a hell both for itself and others. And society is made up of innumerable minds, thus imagine the conflict and confusion that are created! Present day society bears testimony to this fact.
All the known evils and problems that have ever existed in society have their root in duality. Jean Paul Sartre, the French philosopher, rightly puts it, “The other is hell.” In other words, where there is duality, there is hell. The science of religion is meant to dissipate the notion of being separate from God or the cosmos. Then, whether it is devotion, yoga, meditation, tantra, and the science of breathing and so on, all are meant to eliminate our ignorance and to unite us to the whole, hence, the word religare.
How can religion in the above light help economic development and progress? Before going into it, let’s see the state of religion in the world. Religion is inexistent today. This statement may take almost everyone by surprise. If religion really existed, then the world would be a much better place, not to say a paradise. What we have nowadays is the distorted version, I would even say relics, of religion.
Religion has to do with the heart and mind of people, with their health. Living in harmony with the laws of nature is to be religious. Oneness with life is the first true sign of being religious. The outcome of that sublime state of consciousness is inner peace, love, bliss, eternal life and the spontaneous overflow of virtues. But what do we find today? Confusion, conflict, pandemonium, violence, greed, lust, selfishness, hatred, jealousy, fanaticism, exploitation, poverty and so on and so forth. And this, despite the fact that we have countless churches, temples, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship!
Religion has been reduced to a set of beliefs, dos and don’ts, rites and rituals, commandments and books that people blindly follow. How can these make people’s hearts and minds change? How can a person who is ignorant about himself become a virtuous, loving, peaceful, creative and responsible citizen? In the absence of the above, can there be economic progress? This comes when people are selfless, creative, dynamic and intelligent. Non-religious people always think for their own selfish motives, not for the progress of the nation; they think in terms of race, caste, community or family. Can division help in increasing the production of goods and services? To produce more and of a better quality, to be creative and satisfied, one needs to be at peace with himself and others. And here I mean that workers should be well-paid, well-treated and have a convenient work environment.
It has been said that united we stand, divided we fall! Who is ready to unite these days? Can’t we see that things are falling apart everywhere? Is it not because we are very much divided, because we don’t live as one family? Economic development takes place when there is trust, peace, harmony, love, political stability, mutual respect and professionalism. All these are born out of intelligence. By intelligence, I do not mean only academic formation, but primarily self-education. Corruption, absence of meritocracy, redtapism, selfishness, laziness and absence of creativity are the main causes of economic impediment. These can be eliminated by a transformed mind and a heart full of love, purity and compassion. Religion or spirituality is the only means to produce such an individual.
It has also been said that nature has enough for every man’s need, not for everyone’s greed. Today people have become so greedy that they have plundered and destroyed much of our natural resources. Consequently many countries are suffering from lack of food, energy and natural resources, thus leading to poverty. Greed can only be eliminated by religious or spiritual practices. Simple living can come only from balanced way of life, treading the middle path and avoiding excesses, thus from a religious mind.
Another factor that causes economic drawback is overpopulation. The more people we have, the more difficult it becomes to feed them, to provide for material comfort, to find jobs and housing space. And the more we will have to take from nature because we will have to produce more of everything. A small family is happier than a big one in many respects. But it is not always easy to make people understand that the aim of human existence is not only producing children and spending one’s whole life, energy and intelligence to grow them up. Only a religious mind can understand that, hence my emphasis on religion. However, religion should be practised as an alchemy. It should be meant to change people’s negative attitude and mentality. Merely accumulating religious knowledge will not lead to that.
A trustful and sane atmosphere can enhance the producing capacity of an individual, this is my firm conviction. A really religious person is religious everywhere. For him alone, duty becomes God and work is worship. However, any employer or the government should not expect employees to have such virtues solely for the purpose of producing more, without themselves possessing truly religious attitudes. That should be a corporate affair.
The world is a big family and we are all children of the one God (or cosmos for non-believers). Therefore what should concern us more is the progress of the whole world, not only ours. The end of economic progress is a sound material base so that the individual can evolve and flourish mentally and emotionally. Today that is far from being the case. Economic progress should be for the individual, not vice versa. What is the use of wealth or affluence if the individual does not know love, peace, freedom and bliss? We should have these in mind, then economic progress will become easy and attainable. It should be a means to a higher end that can be reached through religion (spirituality). Once we know the end, then the means becomes justified. And the means towards such a lofty end will automatically build a better human being. With intelligent, creative, honest and peaceful people, economic progress becomes inevitable.
By Swami Paramananda.
Thursday 29 July 2010
The Role of Religion in Economic Development
Before elaborating on the role that religion plays in the economic development of a country and why not that of the whole world, I find it extremely important to understand what we mean by religion. If we take religion as it is today, then I observe that it has done more harm than good to the economic development of the world. I will come to this shortly.
The origin of the word religion is religare meaning ‘to bind’, but I would rather use the word unite. Also, I would use the word spirituality instead of ‘religion’. Religion or spirituality is the science and art that teaches man how to get united with the cosmos or with God. It connotes the same meaning as the word yoga. Man is not separate from the cosmos, but due to ignorance and the limitations of his mind, he identifies himself with merely his physical body. This creates the notion of fragmented consciousness or separation from the whole, hence the feeling of ‘I, mine and thine.’
The other becomes a cause for desire and ambition. Desire brings attraction and repulsion. Since human desires are unlimited and the means with which to satisfy them are limited, frustration, anger, hatred, jealousy, anxiety, depression, greed and lust are born. Duality leads to craving as the mind wants to enjoy the other. In that endeavour, it creates a hell both for itself and others. And society is made up of innumerable minds, thus imagine the conflict and confusion that are created! Present day society bears testimony to this fact.
All the known evils and problems that have ever existed in society have their root in duality. Jean Paul Sartre, the French philosopher, rightly puts it, “The other is hell.” In other words, where there is duality, there is hell. The science of religion is meant to dissipate the notion of being separate from God or the cosmos. Then, whether it is devotion, yoga, meditation, tantra, and the science of breathing and so on, all are meant to eliminate our ignorance and to unite us to the whole, hence, the word religare.
How can religion in the above light help economic development and progress? Before going into it, let’s see the state of religion in the world. Religion is inexistent today. This statement may take almost everyone by surprise. If religion really existed, then the world would be a much better place, not to say a paradise. What we have nowadays is the distorted version, I would even say relics, of religion.
Religion has to do with the heart and mind of people, with their health. Living in harmony with the laws of nature is to be religious. Oneness with life is the first true sign of being religious. The outcome of that sublime state of consciousness is inner peace, love, bliss, eternal life and the spontaneous overflow of virtues. But what do we find today? Confusion, conflict, pandemonium, violence, greed, lust, selfishness, hatred, jealousy, fanaticism, exploitation, poverty and so on and so forth. And this, despite the fact that we have countless churches, temples, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship!
Religion has been reduced to a set of beliefs, dos and don’ts, rites and rituals, commandments and books that people blindly follow. How can these make people’s hearts and minds change? How can a person who is ignorant about himself become a virtuous, loving, peaceful, creative and responsible citizen? In the absence of the above, can there be economic progress? This comes when people are selfless, creative, dynamic and intelligent. Non-religious people always think for their own selfish motives, not for the progress of the nation; they think in terms of race, caste, community or family. Can division help in increasing the production of goods and services? To produce more and of a better quality, to be creative and satisfied, one needs to be at peace with himself and others. And here I mean that workers should be well-paid, well-treated and have a convenient work environment.
It has been said that united we stand, divided we fall! Who is ready to unite these days? Can’t we see that things are falling apart everywhere? Is it not because we are very much divided, because we don’t live as one family? Economic development takes place when there is trust, peace, harmony, love, political stability, mutual respect and professionalism. All these are born out of intelligence. By intelligence, I do not mean only academic formation, but primarily self-education. Corruption, absence of meritocracy, redtapism, selfishness, laziness and absence of creativity are the main causes of economic impediment. These can be eliminated by a transformed mind and a heart full of love, purity and compassion. Religion or spirituality is the only means to produce such an individual.
It has also been said that nature has enough for every man’s need, not for everyone’s greed. Today people have become so greedy that they have plundered and destroyed much of our natural resources. Consequently many countries are suffering from lack of food, energy and natural resources, thus leading to poverty. Greed can only be eliminated by religious or spiritual practices. Simple living can come only from balanced way of life, treading the middle path and avoiding excesses, thus from a religious mind.
Another factor that causes economic drawback is overpopulation. The more people we have, the more difficult it becomes to feed them, to provide for material comfort, to find jobs and housing space. And the more we will have to take from nature because we will have to produce more of everything. A small family is happier than a big one in many respects. But it is not always easy to make people understand that the aim of human existence is not only producing children and spending one’s whole life, energy and intelligence to grow them up. Only a religious mind can understand that, hence my emphasis on religion. However, religion should be practised as an alchemy. It should be meant to change people’s negative attitude and mentality. Merely accumulating religious knowledge will not lead to that.
A trustful and sane atmosphere can enhance the producing capacity of an individual, this is my firm conviction. A really religious person is religious everywhere. For him alone, duty becomes God and work is worship. However, any employer or the government should not expect employees to have such virtues solely for the purpose of producing more, without themselves possessing truly religious attitudes. That should be a corporate affair.
The world is a big family and we are all children of the one God (or cosmos for non-believers). Therefore what should concern us more is the progress of the whole world, not only ours. The end of economic progress is a sound material base so that the individual can evolve and flourish mentally and emotionally. Today that is far from being the case. Economic progress should be for the individual, not vice versa. What is the use of wealth or affluence if the individual does not know love, peace, freedom and bliss? We should have these in mind, then economic progress will become easy and attainable. It should be a means to a higher end that can be reached through religion (spirituality). Once we know the end, then the means becomes justified. And the means towards such a lofty end will automatically build a better human being. With intelligent, creative, honest and peaceful people, economic progress becomes inevitable.
By Swami Paramananda
The origin of the word religion is religare meaning ‘to bind’, but I would rather use the word unite. Also, I would use the word spirituality instead of ‘religion’. Religion or spirituality is the science and art that teaches man how to get united with the cosmos or with God. It connotes the same meaning as the word yoga. Man is not separate from the cosmos, but due to ignorance and the limitations of his mind, he identifies himself with merely his physical body. This creates the notion of fragmented consciousness or separation from the whole, hence the feeling of ‘I, mine and thine.’
The other becomes a cause for desire and ambition. Desire brings attraction and repulsion. Since human desires are unlimited and the means with which to satisfy them are limited, frustration, anger, hatred, jealousy, anxiety, depression, greed and lust are born. Duality leads to craving as the mind wants to enjoy the other. In that endeavour, it creates a hell both for itself and others. And society is made up of innumerable minds, thus imagine the conflict and confusion that are created! Present day society bears testimony to this fact.
All the known evils and problems that have ever existed in society have their root in duality. Jean Paul Sartre, the French philosopher, rightly puts it, “The other is hell.” In other words, where there is duality, there is hell. The science of religion is meant to dissipate the notion of being separate from God or the cosmos. Then, whether it is devotion, yoga, meditation, tantra, and the science of breathing and so on, all are meant to eliminate our ignorance and to unite us to the whole, hence, the word religare.
How can religion in the above light help economic development and progress? Before going into it, let’s see the state of religion in the world. Religion is inexistent today. This statement may take almost everyone by surprise. If religion really existed, then the world would be a much better place, not to say a paradise. What we have nowadays is the distorted version, I would even say relics, of religion.
Religion has to do with the heart and mind of people, with their health. Living in harmony with the laws of nature is to be religious. Oneness with life is the first true sign of being religious. The outcome of that sublime state of consciousness is inner peace, love, bliss, eternal life and the spontaneous overflow of virtues. But what do we find today? Confusion, conflict, pandemonium, violence, greed, lust, selfishness, hatred, jealousy, fanaticism, exploitation, poverty and so on and so forth. And this, despite the fact that we have countless churches, temples, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship!
Religion has been reduced to a set of beliefs, dos and don’ts, rites and rituals, commandments and books that people blindly follow. How can these make people’s hearts and minds change? How can a person who is ignorant about himself become a virtuous, loving, peaceful, creative and responsible citizen? In the absence of the above, can there be economic progress? This comes when people are selfless, creative, dynamic and intelligent. Non-religious people always think for their own selfish motives, not for the progress of the nation; they think in terms of race, caste, community or family. Can division help in increasing the production of goods and services? To produce more and of a better quality, to be creative and satisfied, one needs to be at peace with himself and others. And here I mean that workers should be well-paid, well-treated and have a convenient work environment.
It has been said that united we stand, divided we fall! Who is ready to unite these days? Can’t we see that things are falling apart everywhere? Is it not because we are very much divided, because we don’t live as one family? Economic development takes place when there is trust, peace, harmony, love, political stability, mutual respect and professionalism. All these are born out of intelligence. By intelligence, I do not mean only academic formation, but primarily self-education. Corruption, absence of meritocracy, redtapism, selfishness, laziness and absence of creativity are the main causes of economic impediment. These can be eliminated by a transformed mind and a heart full of love, purity and compassion. Religion or spirituality is the only means to produce such an individual.
It has also been said that nature has enough for every man’s need, not for everyone’s greed. Today people have become so greedy that they have plundered and destroyed much of our natural resources. Consequently many countries are suffering from lack of food, energy and natural resources, thus leading to poverty. Greed can only be eliminated by religious or spiritual practices. Simple living can come only from balanced way of life, treading the middle path and avoiding excesses, thus from a religious mind.
Another factor that causes economic drawback is overpopulation. The more people we have, the more difficult it becomes to feed them, to provide for material comfort, to find jobs and housing space. And the more we will have to take from nature because we will have to produce more of everything. A small family is happier than a big one in many respects. But it is not always easy to make people understand that the aim of human existence is not only producing children and spending one’s whole life, energy and intelligence to grow them up. Only a religious mind can understand that, hence my emphasis on religion. However, religion should be practised as an alchemy. It should be meant to change people’s negative attitude and mentality. Merely accumulating religious knowledge will not lead to that.
A trustful and sane atmosphere can enhance the producing capacity of an individual, this is my firm conviction. A really religious person is religious everywhere. For him alone, duty becomes God and work is worship. However, any employer or the government should not expect employees to have such virtues solely for the purpose of producing more, without themselves possessing truly religious attitudes. That should be a corporate affair.
The world is a big family and we are all children of the one God (or cosmos for non-believers). Therefore what should concern us more is the progress of the whole world, not only ours. The end of economic progress is a sound material base so that the individual can evolve and flourish mentally and emotionally. Today that is far from being the case. Economic progress should be for the individual, not vice versa. What is the use of wealth or affluence if the individual does not know love, peace, freedom and bliss? We should have these in mind, then economic progress will become easy and attainable. It should be a means to a higher end that can be reached through religion (spirituality). Once we know the end, then the means becomes justified. And the means towards such a lofty end will automatically build a better human being. With intelligent, creative, honest and peaceful people, economic progress becomes inevitable.
By Swami Paramananda
Prayer – Reciting Recipes!
This is precisely how people pray: they recite recipes! For example, people pray, “From darkness, lead me unto light.” But what do they do to dissipate the darkness of their minds? Nothing! This can be compared to a person who has a recipe, but instead of gathering the ingredients and cooking the food, he recites the recipe and goes on doing so until he finally dies of hunger. This is what people all over the world and from all religions have been doing.
Some prayers are like equations which not only have to be solved, but which once solved give the key to eternal life, super power and self-knowledge, and answer the fundamental questions of life. In fact, people are mistaken about prayer; they think it is all about asking from God. Prayer happens when a person has become completely transformed. The experience is so mind blowing, so beyond words that a sense of awe and wonder is born. The experience of bliss, peace and freedom is so great that one becomes grateful and spontaneously expresses one’s feeling by praying.
People are so unconscious and ignorant that they recite any prayer at any occasion. For instance, they ask for daily bread even at a funeral ceremony! I know one so-called swami in Mauritius who recited a prayer from the Upanishads at a gathering of politicians, government members, foreigners and others. The prayer was completely out of context on that occasion. It goes like this: “Sahanavavatu sahanaw bhunaktu sahaviryam karavavahai, …” These were the words of an enlightened being or a guru which came spontaneously from his humility as he was about to start teaching a seeker or disciple.
This prayer has to do with spirituality. Reciting it in front of a group of ignorant and non-spiritual people makes no sense. On top of that, it is in the Sanskrit language which very few people in this world have mastered. Many of the prayers are sutras, that is, coded mystical texts which have to be meditated upon and which reveal great truths regarding man, God and the cosmos. But funny as it is may seem, we recite them blindly and most of the time independently of the context. Are we so stupid?
The priests say, “Do not question, simply believe. It is sin to doubt prophets, priests and scriptures.” But here we could ask: isn’t it a sin to tamper with the words of the scriptures? Isn’t it a sin not to allow people the freedom to question, enquire, doubt or seek? Isn’t it an irony or even funny that while people recite prayers of peace everyday, violence in and out is increasing daily? We ask for our daily bread while millions are malnourished or famished.
Prayer is not a recitation but a profound experience, just like eating and tasting. And unless we ‘cook’ the mind and the heart in the fire of awareness, we cannot taste bliss, peace, freedom and virtue. Prayer is a spontaneous overflow of that state of our being. It is an individual relationship with the universe. You need not copy from the prophets or enlightened people. For example, Jesus called God Father; you might choose to call him Mother like Ramakrishna, or why not brother or friend! Meerabai related to Him as a wife. It all depends on the temperament and spiritual mood of the meditator.
Prayer is born in silence, while recitation is not silence, it is noise. People believe that when you go to the temple, it is necessary that you recite prayers. My understanding is different. Instead of praying, or should I say reciting borrowed words from your scriptures, you should instead become aware so that you feel, understand and see God. The statues are not meant to be worshipped but rather observed, thought about deeply, then fixed upon without any judgement or concept so that they can reveal their secrets to you. But alas, you are ignorant! A temple is a place where you sit quietly, not where you make noise as is the case today.
The same thing applies to symbols and rituals. They conceal secrets to be discovered in deep silence or stillness of the mind, not to be worshipped or blindly used. All those prayers, rituals and symbols in our scriptures conceal great truths regarding human nature and life. They can only be decoded when the mind has reached a high level of stillness or meditation. But people are conditioned, lazy, orthodox and blind believers, so they miss the loftiest gems of life.
Some prayers are like equations which not only have to be solved, but which once solved give the key to eternal life, super power and self-knowledge, and answer the fundamental questions of life. In fact, people are mistaken about prayer; they think it is all about asking from God. Prayer happens when a person has become completely transformed. The experience is so mind blowing, so beyond words that a sense of awe and wonder is born. The experience of bliss, peace and freedom is so great that one becomes grateful and spontaneously expresses one’s feeling by praying.
People are so unconscious and ignorant that they recite any prayer at any occasion. For instance, they ask for daily bread even at a funeral ceremony! I know one so-called swami in Mauritius who recited a prayer from the Upanishads at a gathering of politicians, government members, foreigners and others. The prayer was completely out of context on that occasion. It goes like this: “Sahanavavatu sahanaw bhunaktu sahaviryam karavavahai, …” These were the words of an enlightened being or a guru which came spontaneously from his humility as he was about to start teaching a seeker or disciple.
This prayer has to do with spirituality. Reciting it in front of a group of ignorant and non-spiritual people makes no sense. On top of that, it is in the Sanskrit language which very few people in this world have mastered. Many of the prayers are sutras, that is, coded mystical texts which have to be meditated upon and which reveal great truths regarding man, God and the cosmos. But funny as it is may seem, we recite them blindly and most of the time independently of the context. Are we so stupid?
The priests say, “Do not question, simply believe. It is sin to doubt prophets, priests and scriptures.” But here we could ask: isn’t it a sin to tamper with the words of the scriptures? Isn’t it a sin not to allow people the freedom to question, enquire, doubt or seek? Isn’t it an irony or even funny that while people recite prayers of peace everyday, violence in and out is increasing daily? We ask for our daily bread while millions are malnourished or famished.
Prayer is not a recitation but a profound experience, just like eating and tasting. And unless we ‘cook’ the mind and the heart in the fire of awareness, we cannot taste bliss, peace, freedom and virtue. Prayer is a spontaneous overflow of that state of our being. It is an individual relationship with the universe. You need not copy from the prophets or enlightened people. For example, Jesus called God Father; you might choose to call him Mother like Ramakrishna, or why not brother or friend! Meerabai related to Him as a wife. It all depends on the temperament and spiritual mood of the meditator.
Prayer is born in silence, while recitation is not silence, it is noise. People believe that when you go to the temple, it is necessary that you recite prayers. My understanding is different. Instead of praying, or should I say reciting borrowed words from your scriptures, you should instead become aware so that you feel, understand and see God. The statues are not meant to be worshipped but rather observed, thought about deeply, then fixed upon without any judgement or concept so that they can reveal their secrets to you. But alas, you are ignorant! A temple is a place where you sit quietly, not where you make noise as is the case today.
The same thing applies to symbols and rituals. They conceal secrets to be discovered in deep silence or stillness of the mind, not to be worshipped or blindly used. All those prayers, rituals and symbols in our scriptures conceal great truths regarding human nature and life. They can only be decoded when the mind has reached a high level of stillness or meditation. But people are conditioned, lazy, orthodox and blind believers, so they miss the loftiest gems of life.
Prayer is not a recitation but a profound experience.
Prayer is born in silence, while recitation is not silence, it is noise.
By Swami Paramananda
Prayer is born in silence, while recitation is not silence, it is noise.
By Swami Paramananda
Lessons from Nature
From the tree I have learnt forbearance. It endures many cyclones, strong winds and the scorching sun rays, yet it is silent, always giving shelter, shadow and fruits, and finally it accepts to be used as fuel. The yogi is like a tree in some ways: he goes through all kinds of sufferings and tribulations, yet he bears them with patience for he knows that they are all from the Supreme Lord. He uses them as a blessing to go in the inner recesses of his heart. Just as wood has countless uses, similarly the wise is the store-house of virtue.
The sky is infinite, free, unattached to anything and simply a witness to the whole creation. The mind of a yogi is calm, always united to the infinite inner sky, untainted and unaffected by outer events. Where does it begin, whither it ends! It is all-encompassing. The sky conceals infinite secrets in its womb. When the clouds are present, no one can see the sky, but when there is no cloud, the sky is clear. Similarly, when the cloud of ignorance is in the mind, man does not know his true self. Once ignorance dissipates, the mind becomes clear like the sky.
From the sea, I have learnt how turbulent the mind is and also how life consists of ups and downs. As the wind blows, the sea becomes rough. Similarly, when the wind of external events touches the mind, creating all kinds of emotions, the mind becomes wavy and restless. Whether calm or wavy, the sea conceals pearls and other precious materials. The mind, too, hides in its deepest level the secrets of human life, God and the universe. When plunging in the sea, one may have a few pearls and other precious materials. Through meditation, one dives deep in the subconscious and the supra-conscious, and one may acquire much useful knowledge. In the sea, there are both harmful and harmless creatures; likewise, the mind has both vice and virtue.
Mother Earth gives us all the ingredients for a suitable life, yet She Herself bears all the load. How many secrets are hidden in Her womb! It is the laboratory of human transformation into the Divine. Buddha, Jesus, Krishna and Mohammed have blessed Her. Mother Earth bears so many evil aggressions from human beings, yet She continues to give in abundance the precious gems that lay in Her bosom. Like Her, saints, incarnations and devotees bear so many tribulations, yet they continue to shower blessings on those who harm them. Though he was nailed to the cross and was suffering atrociously, Jesus said, “Forgive them Father, for they do not know what they are doing.”
From the fruit-tree, I have learnt the lesson of humility. The more a tree is laden with fruit, the more it bends forward, and also attracts more stone-throwing. Similarly, sages filled with wisdom are simple and humble. They are more prone to criticism than others as they are revolutionaries; they have to face the scorn of society. A famous example is Jesus of Nazareth.
Looking at a pregnant woman, the realisation dawned upon me as to how the universe is born. The seed is planted in the womb and after nine months, a complete being is born. On the cosmic level, the seed of creation is sowed in the womb of Primordial Matter by the Supreme Mind. After manifesting in nine stages, the universe, child of the Divine Couple, is born.
The Truth reflects in the whole creation as an invitation for us human beings to seek the Eternal. Let those who have eyes see and those who have ears hear.
By Swami Paramananda
The sky is infinite, free, unattached to anything and simply a witness to the whole creation. The mind of a yogi is calm, always united to the infinite inner sky, untainted and unaffected by outer events. Where does it begin, whither it ends! It is all-encompassing. The sky conceals infinite secrets in its womb. When the clouds are present, no one can see the sky, but when there is no cloud, the sky is clear. Similarly, when the cloud of ignorance is in the mind, man does not know his true self. Once ignorance dissipates, the mind becomes clear like the sky.
From the sea, I have learnt how turbulent the mind is and also how life consists of ups and downs. As the wind blows, the sea becomes rough. Similarly, when the wind of external events touches the mind, creating all kinds of emotions, the mind becomes wavy and restless. Whether calm or wavy, the sea conceals pearls and other precious materials. The mind, too, hides in its deepest level the secrets of human life, God and the universe. When plunging in the sea, one may have a few pearls and other precious materials. Through meditation, one dives deep in the subconscious and the supra-conscious, and one may acquire much useful knowledge. In the sea, there are both harmful and harmless creatures; likewise, the mind has both vice and virtue.
Mother Earth gives us all the ingredients for a suitable life, yet She Herself bears all the load. How many secrets are hidden in Her womb! It is the laboratory of human transformation into the Divine. Buddha, Jesus, Krishna and Mohammed have blessed Her. Mother Earth bears so many evil aggressions from human beings, yet She continues to give in abundance the precious gems that lay in Her bosom. Like Her, saints, incarnations and devotees bear so many tribulations, yet they continue to shower blessings on those who harm them. Though he was nailed to the cross and was suffering atrociously, Jesus said, “Forgive them Father, for they do not know what they are doing.”
From the fruit-tree, I have learnt the lesson of humility. The more a tree is laden with fruit, the more it bends forward, and also attracts more stone-throwing. Similarly, sages filled with wisdom are simple and humble. They are more prone to criticism than others as they are revolutionaries; they have to face the scorn of society. A famous example is Jesus of Nazareth.
Looking at a pregnant woman, the realisation dawned upon me as to how the universe is born. The seed is planted in the womb and after nine months, a complete being is born. On the cosmic level, the seed of creation is sowed in the womb of Primordial Matter by the Supreme Mind. After manifesting in nine stages, the universe, child of the Divine Couple, is born.
The Truth reflects in the whole creation as an invitation for us human beings to seek the Eternal. Let those who have eyes see and those who have ears hear.
By Swami Paramananda
Wednesday 28 July 2010
Monday 26 July 2010
To seek peace, love, bliss and freedom is an act of bravery
“A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave only,” rightly said Mahatma Gandhi. Those who are not brave stop at what nature has given them. At most, they explore new ways of enjoying their sensuality. Sexual pleasure, for example, becomes pornography; food is made more attractive and tasty. Anger is easily expressed and thrown on people. Who knows about forgiveness? We are all seeking peace, love, bliss and freedom, but we do not know the way. And even if we know a little about it, we are not ready to take the path as it demands much courage, patience and a lot of virtues, which are not easily achieved.
Great courage is needed to tread the path of virtue, which is acquired only from the depth of our being. To reach there, one needs to be a revolutionary and that demands much bravery. How much courage was needed by Jesus to declare, “I am the son of God” during his epoch! Today anyone can proclaim it, at most he would be a subject of mockery. But in his time, the state, the church and the stupid and orthodox masses were not ready to accept it. And that led Jesus to the cross. There he demonstrated and confirmed that virtue is indeed the prerogative of the brave and said, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they are doing.” People often say, “I forgive you,” but how many can express it sincerely when they are being turned down by their worst enemy?
It is easy to answer to provocation, but a little bit difficult to suppress it and only cowards do that. But how much courage is needed to watch one’s anger, be wise, forgive or find the stupidity of answering to provocations! Peace, bliss, love, forgiveness and intelligence are like hidden treasures in the depth of our being. One needs much patience, courage and wisdom to get them. People talk of peace as if it is something that can be achieved by mere negotiations. One must live in truth to have it and that means the determination to change one’s mind and heart so that one can live in harmony with nature.
Tremendous energy is required to do that as it cannot be done by living in isolation from society or the environment. Society, however, by its very nature is against peace, love, intelligence and freedom. Look into the annals of history and see the fate of lovers. See how those who have wished to build up a peaceful, loving and free society have been treated. Jesus, Mohammed, Kabir, Gandhi and many others have all known fierce opposition and hatred. The reason is that when a society becomes peaceful, loving, free, blissful and intelligent, it is no longer possible to dominate and to exploit people. That is why the so-called leaders of society have always in some way or the other, at times in a very subtle way, opposed revolutionaries.
The Bible says to love thy neighbour as thyself, but is that an easy thing? If it were so, then the world would be more beautiful and enjoyable than paradise. People would not wish to die, because who would want to go elsewhere, especially when there is no tangible proof of its existence and when the earth itself is lovelier than paradise? People are hypocrites, thus without any shame they do not hesitate to use that commandment to exploit, possess and dominate one another and yet call it love.
People easily give vent to their animalistic nature, thus murder, rape, violence, theft, corruption, lies and so on have become daily news in the media. They easily kill innocents – animals and human beings (who are not so innocent) – but do they dare to master the inner animal and kill it? Kill the inner beast, not the outer one! What will you gain apart from negative reactions by so doing? Here we are not talking of physical but essentially of mental bravery. The courage to speak, listen, accept and live in truth is the greatest virtue and only such a person can be at peace with himself and others.
Who lies? Why do people lie? And who speaks the truth? Cowardly people lie and the brave speak the truth. Man’s life itself is a big lie. To change that lie into a big truth, how much courage is needed! To get an idea, just recall how often you have lied and hesitated to acknowledge a simple truth. Are you brave enough to tread the path that leads to inner peace, bliss, freedom and love? To know or to get an answer to this question, try a little experiment. When you are all alone, look into yourself and reflect on how much you have lied, are continuing to lie and will probably continue to do so. How often you have refused to listen, accept, speak and go deeper into a matter to know the truth about it? The answers will indicate where you stand.
Are you brave enough to tread the path that leads to inner peace, bliss, freedom and love?
By Swami Paramananda
Great courage is needed to tread the path of virtue, which is acquired only from the depth of our being. To reach there, one needs to be a revolutionary and that demands much bravery. How much courage was needed by Jesus to declare, “I am the son of God” during his epoch! Today anyone can proclaim it, at most he would be a subject of mockery. But in his time, the state, the church and the stupid and orthodox masses were not ready to accept it. And that led Jesus to the cross. There he demonstrated and confirmed that virtue is indeed the prerogative of the brave and said, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they are doing.” People often say, “I forgive you,” but how many can express it sincerely when they are being turned down by their worst enemy?
It is easy to answer to provocation, but a little bit difficult to suppress it and only cowards do that. But how much courage is needed to watch one’s anger, be wise, forgive or find the stupidity of answering to provocations! Peace, bliss, love, forgiveness and intelligence are like hidden treasures in the depth of our being. One needs much patience, courage and wisdom to get them. People talk of peace as if it is something that can be achieved by mere negotiations. One must live in truth to have it and that means the determination to change one’s mind and heart so that one can live in harmony with nature.
Tremendous energy is required to do that as it cannot be done by living in isolation from society or the environment. Society, however, by its very nature is against peace, love, intelligence and freedom. Look into the annals of history and see the fate of lovers. See how those who have wished to build up a peaceful, loving and free society have been treated. Jesus, Mohammed, Kabir, Gandhi and many others have all known fierce opposition and hatred. The reason is that when a society becomes peaceful, loving, free, blissful and intelligent, it is no longer possible to dominate and to exploit people. That is why the so-called leaders of society have always in some way or the other, at times in a very subtle way, opposed revolutionaries.
The Bible says to love thy neighbour as thyself, but is that an easy thing? If it were so, then the world would be more beautiful and enjoyable than paradise. People would not wish to die, because who would want to go elsewhere, especially when there is no tangible proof of its existence and when the earth itself is lovelier than paradise? People are hypocrites, thus without any shame they do not hesitate to use that commandment to exploit, possess and dominate one another and yet call it love.
People easily give vent to their animalistic nature, thus murder, rape, violence, theft, corruption, lies and so on have become daily news in the media. They easily kill innocents – animals and human beings (who are not so innocent) – but do they dare to master the inner animal and kill it? Kill the inner beast, not the outer one! What will you gain apart from negative reactions by so doing? Here we are not talking of physical but essentially of mental bravery. The courage to speak, listen, accept and live in truth is the greatest virtue and only such a person can be at peace with himself and others.
Who lies? Why do people lie? And who speaks the truth? Cowardly people lie and the brave speak the truth. Man’s life itself is a big lie. To change that lie into a big truth, how much courage is needed! To get an idea, just recall how often you have lied and hesitated to acknowledge a simple truth. Are you brave enough to tread the path that leads to inner peace, bliss, freedom and love? To know or to get an answer to this question, try a little experiment. When you are all alone, look into yourself and reflect on how much you have lied, are continuing to lie and will probably continue to do so. How often you have refused to listen, accept, speak and go deeper into a matter to know the truth about it? The answers will indicate where you stand.
Are you brave enough to tread the path that leads to inner peace, bliss, freedom and love?
By Swami Paramananda
There is only one life
The one and same life-force is throbbing in every human being. All creatures have common elements in their DNA, only their proportion and arrangement differ. Every human being was created with the same stuff. Each one of us is equally filled with good and evil and also, we all possess the capacity to vanquish evil and to be good. Then why so much hatred amongst human beings? It is a scientific fact that every particle of existence has a common source, the same as all creatures have. Doesn’t this knowledge arouse respect and love for all forms of life? Alas! Who has time to ponder over all this? By going deep into the heart of matter, scientists have come to know that we are essentially one and that the outer appearance of separation is only illusory. We are the cells of the cosmic body. Space is like an infinite sea, we are like fish in it.
Once in a Buddhist monastery, the monks were disturbed by a curious noise coming from the garden. One of them went outside to cast a glance. He noticed that pumpkins were quarrelling amongst themselves. The monk then ordered the pumpkins to do zazen. This seems to be a very strange and even absurd situation, but it is only a story told by a Zen master, therefore let us be patient and see what truth it reveals. It is said that the pumpkins obeyed the order of the venerable monk and started the practice of zazen. This is similar to the practice of meditation in the East. It demands sitting silently with both hands on the head, eyes closed and staying motionless like a statue. After a while, the monks were again disturbed by the pumpkins, but this time they were laughing. The monk came out again and questioned the pumpkins about the reason of the laughter.
“We were foolish to quarrel amongst ourselves,” said one of them. “Quarrel is always a foolish affair,” said the monk, “but how did you realise that?” “Well,” said the pumpkin, “while doing zazen, our hands touched the chain that binds us all, which made us aware that we all form part of one thing like beads in a chain. Hence, it is foolish to quarrel!”
This small story reveals the actual state of mankind and also the way to achieve release from it. By quieting the functions of the mind, heart and body, one can realise that every human being, every particle, every galaxy is held or is interlinked by the one silent but infinite vibration. Give it a name if you wish. I would prefer not to give it a name, but just for reference purposes, I associate myself with the Upanishadic masters and call it “Tat” or “That.”
Once in a Buddhist monastery, the monks were disturbed by a curious noise coming from the garden. One of them went outside to cast a glance. He noticed that pumpkins were quarrelling amongst themselves. The monk then ordered the pumpkins to do zazen. This seems to be a very strange and even absurd situation, but it is only a story told by a Zen master, therefore let us be patient and see what truth it reveals. It is said that the pumpkins obeyed the order of the venerable monk and started the practice of zazen. This is similar to the practice of meditation in the East. It demands sitting silently with both hands on the head, eyes closed and staying motionless like a statue. After a while, the monks were again disturbed by the pumpkins, but this time they were laughing. The monk came out again and questioned the pumpkins about the reason of the laughter.
“We were foolish to quarrel amongst ourselves,” said one of them. “Quarrel is always a foolish affair,” said the monk, “but how did you realise that?” “Well,” said the pumpkin, “while doing zazen, our hands touched the chain that binds us all, which made us aware that we all form part of one thing like beads in a chain. Hence, it is foolish to quarrel!”
This small story reveals the actual state of mankind and also the way to achieve release from it. By quieting the functions of the mind, heart and body, one can realise that every human being, every particle, every galaxy is held or is interlinked by the one silent but infinite vibration. Give it a name if you wish. I would prefer not to give it a name, but just for reference purposes, I associate myself with the Upanishadic masters and call it “Tat” or “That.”
By Swami Paramananda
Saturday 24 July 2010
'From Sex to Cosmic Consciousness' - secrets by Swami Paramananda
Join us on our journey towards understanding the esoteric and the exoteric and our relationship to the external forces in the Universe.
Just imagine if orgasmic pleasure is just a replica of a glimpse of a no-mind state, then how would you feel if you delve in mindfulness for hours?
And yet this glimpse can be tasted through intense meditation practice.
21st August 2010
10am - 2pm
Regent's Warf
8 All Saints Street
LONDON
N1 9RL
Only £27
More info contact us on:
raj@londonmeditation.info
tel: 07984 769 888
07588 880 286
Friday 23 July 2010
The University of Life
Academic education normally prepares us to face the social, financial, economic and psychological aspects of life. We can therefore say that whatever we learn in schools and universities teaches us to contribute to life in such a way so as to enable us to secure food, clothing, shelter and a few sensual pleasures. With the best technological devices and scientific discoveries, we have failed insofar as our real nature is concerned. It is said that man is a social animal, to which I agree, but that is not the whole truth. Man is a potential, not only does he conceal the possibility of becoming animal, but also of becoming divine.
This is an irony: the more we are moving further in scientific development, the more man is becoming barbarous. In every nook, there are crimes, rapes, burglaries, fights and other real yet unbelievable evil things. So much money is spent in armament yet man has failed to discover the secrets of human behaviour. Psychology has made a good progress in discovering that man is an unconscious being as unconsciousness forms the greatest part of his mind. Despite this, it has failed to give man the ultimate satisfaction towards which he is running madly, though unconsciously. Today and as always, who is not seeking peace, bliss and omnipotence?
Though we possess the richness of modern education, money and advanced technology, yet we are filled with greed, anger, lust, hatred, jealousy and innumerable evil qualities that make us an enemy to both ourselves and others. Scientific education is good and even indispensable for a comfortable material life. But without emotional development, man has become a robot. By emotional development, I do not mean that we should be taught how to be drowned or veiled by sentiments that flow from our heart, but the development of compassion, sympathy, forgiveness, tolerance and sharing which should be the foremost qualities of a loving heart.
Therefore, man should be active not only mentally, but we should see to it that his heart also grows so as to create a complete human being. An intellectually developed person is only half human, while an emotionally and intellectually grown person is a complete human being. Hence, our education system should be such that it gives us a sound body, mind and heart. In this connection, there should be more emphasis on art, culture and religion in the school curriculum. Man is both scientific and artistic. Art, poetry, culture and religion will fill a missing dimension in his life. In this way, there would be less criminals, drug addicts and greedy persons.
Man, however, is not meant to end up as mere human being. He conceals a spark of the Divine, which can grow into an infinite flame. In fact, man is on a journey from animal through man to the Divine. The end of his journey is Divinity. If he rests content with being human, then the ultimate goal is missed. Apart from being a body and a mind, man is a soul too. Life is a university from where he has to learn the art and science of gaining his status as a soul, hence as Divinity. The whole of life is brought to help man to achieve that blessed end. One incarnation in the university of life is one class. After going through different classes, one learns the secret concerning the reality and oneness of God, man and the creation.
The human mind is such a seed that can only be unfolded after passing through innumerable animal as well as human lives. We have already said that man is a social animal. Thus, the animal aspect of his mind should find complete fulfilment. But this can happen in an animal body in the animal kingdom. A strange mishap has befallen man. Though he has acquired a human body, he behaves as if he was still an animal. The reason for this is that the world appearance, which is the hypnotiser par excellence, draws man towards it, thus preventing the expansion of his consciousness. The expansion of human consciousness is the key stage in the development of human mind into the Divine Mind. Nature, in her compassion, has provided us with enlightened ones who have gone beyond the snares of the hypnotic world. They have produced methods and devices and also have written scriptures so as to help man to attain freedom from the grip of the ignorance that one is only a body meant to enjoy the pleasures of the world.
To enable man to enjoy a complete human life, he has been endowed with innumerable opportunities in thousands of incarnations. Using the human nature as an aid, he has to move forward to the Divine. Throughout life, man learns continuously. At home, when he is a baby, he acquires basic skills in the bosom of his mother. She is thus his first teacher. When he becomes a child, man learns at school from his teachers, friends and environment. During adulthood, he becomes more active socially, thus he learns through his own experiences from his married life and society. The last lessons are learnt from contemplation and solitude as the end of life approaches. However, this demands a training and one has to start at a young age. While material education answers to our material needs, spiritual education trains and prepares us to attain to cosmic consciousness, which is the true worth of a human life.
The spiritual education consists of giving us a sound body, a pure heart and an enlightened mind. Meditation, yoga, self-introspection, study of scriptures are the summum bonum of spiritual education. All these have to be done under the guidance of a competent guide or master. The lessons of spiritual life are taught by everything in the university of life. The tree, for example, teaches us forbearance, patience, generosity, forgiveness and other virtues. It supports everything calmly, gives shade to everyone without discrimination and lives always in the present moment.
The Guru or the spiritual guide is the foremost teacher on the ladder of spiritual evolution. The daily events of our life are test papers set before us so that we may learn and develop the divine qualities latent in us. A successful human life consists of living in complete harmony with the laws of Nature and fulfilling one’s duty with the utmost righteousness. This will automatically contribute to a large extent to unfold the divine Spirit latent in us. Man is a body, a mind and a soul; his actions and thoughts should be spiritually oriented. In other words, whatever he does should be done in such a way that he is spiritually uplifted. That is the way to social harmony, peace and eternal happiness.
By Swami Paramananda
This is an irony: the more we are moving further in scientific development, the more man is becoming barbarous. In every nook, there are crimes, rapes, burglaries, fights and other real yet unbelievable evil things. So much money is spent in armament yet man has failed to discover the secrets of human behaviour. Psychology has made a good progress in discovering that man is an unconscious being as unconsciousness forms the greatest part of his mind. Despite this, it has failed to give man the ultimate satisfaction towards which he is running madly, though unconsciously. Today and as always, who is not seeking peace, bliss and omnipotence?
Though we possess the richness of modern education, money and advanced technology, yet we are filled with greed, anger, lust, hatred, jealousy and innumerable evil qualities that make us an enemy to both ourselves and others. Scientific education is good and even indispensable for a comfortable material life. But without emotional development, man has become a robot. By emotional development, I do not mean that we should be taught how to be drowned or veiled by sentiments that flow from our heart, but the development of compassion, sympathy, forgiveness, tolerance and sharing which should be the foremost qualities of a loving heart.
Therefore, man should be active not only mentally, but we should see to it that his heart also grows so as to create a complete human being. An intellectually developed person is only half human, while an emotionally and intellectually grown person is a complete human being. Hence, our education system should be such that it gives us a sound body, mind and heart. In this connection, there should be more emphasis on art, culture and religion in the school curriculum. Man is both scientific and artistic. Art, poetry, culture and religion will fill a missing dimension in his life. In this way, there would be less criminals, drug addicts and greedy persons.
Man, however, is not meant to end up as mere human being. He conceals a spark of the Divine, which can grow into an infinite flame. In fact, man is on a journey from animal through man to the Divine. The end of his journey is Divinity. If he rests content with being human, then the ultimate goal is missed. Apart from being a body and a mind, man is a soul too. Life is a university from where he has to learn the art and science of gaining his status as a soul, hence as Divinity. The whole of life is brought to help man to achieve that blessed end. One incarnation in the university of life is one class. After going through different classes, one learns the secret concerning the reality and oneness of God, man and the creation.
The human mind is such a seed that can only be unfolded after passing through innumerable animal as well as human lives. We have already said that man is a social animal. Thus, the animal aspect of his mind should find complete fulfilment. But this can happen in an animal body in the animal kingdom. A strange mishap has befallen man. Though he has acquired a human body, he behaves as if he was still an animal. The reason for this is that the world appearance, which is the hypnotiser par excellence, draws man towards it, thus preventing the expansion of his consciousness. The expansion of human consciousness is the key stage in the development of human mind into the Divine Mind. Nature, in her compassion, has provided us with enlightened ones who have gone beyond the snares of the hypnotic world. They have produced methods and devices and also have written scriptures so as to help man to attain freedom from the grip of the ignorance that one is only a body meant to enjoy the pleasures of the world.
To enable man to enjoy a complete human life, he has been endowed with innumerable opportunities in thousands of incarnations. Using the human nature as an aid, he has to move forward to the Divine. Throughout life, man learns continuously. At home, when he is a baby, he acquires basic skills in the bosom of his mother. She is thus his first teacher. When he becomes a child, man learns at school from his teachers, friends and environment. During adulthood, he becomes more active socially, thus he learns through his own experiences from his married life and society. The last lessons are learnt from contemplation and solitude as the end of life approaches. However, this demands a training and one has to start at a young age. While material education answers to our material needs, spiritual education trains and prepares us to attain to cosmic consciousness, which is the true worth of a human life.
The spiritual education consists of giving us a sound body, a pure heart and an enlightened mind. Meditation, yoga, self-introspection, study of scriptures are the summum bonum of spiritual education. All these have to be done under the guidance of a competent guide or master. The lessons of spiritual life are taught by everything in the university of life. The tree, for example, teaches us forbearance, patience, generosity, forgiveness and other virtues. It supports everything calmly, gives shade to everyone without discrimination and lives always in the present moment.
The Guru or the spiritual guide is the foremost teacher on the ladder of spiritual evolution. The daily events of our life are test papers set before us so that we may learn and develop the divine qualities latent in us. A successful human life consists of living in complete harmony with the laws of Nature and fulfilling one’s duty with the utmost righteousness. This will automatically contribute to a large extent to unfold the divine Spirit latent in us. Man is a body, a mind and a soul; his actions and thoughts should be spiritually oriented. In other words, whatever he does should be done in such a way that he is spiritually uplifted. That is the way to social harmony, peace and eternal happiness.
By Swami Paramananda
A Life Without Problem and Death?
A gambler suddenly awoke and realised that he was no longer on earth but in heaven. During his time on earth, he had wished to gamble to his heart’s content when he would be in heaven. Here he was with the most beautiful damsels around, sumptuous foods and in the most beautiful place he had ever seen. Without wasting time, he tried his hand on the betting table and his luck did not leave him as he started winning. He went on winning day after day, week after week, month after month and even year after year.
Gradually, he started to get annoyed and restless with the routine. Nothing changed: there were the same beautiful women, sumptuous foods, beautiful place, pleasant perfume and other heavenly pleasures. One day he approached the one in charge of heaven and told him that he was extremely restless and bored. He asked to be moved to some other place. “But there is no other place for you as this is what you had sought during your whole life. In fact, this is the other place,” came the reply.
Now, just imagine a life without problems and death! If that happened, people would be bored to death or become mad. Fortunately, the mind is here to seek for trouble all the time and also fortunately there is death. What are human beings aiming at by developing more advanced technology in all fields of science and art? No illness, no famine, mechanisation and computerisation of almost all systems of work. Then what will people do? The mind will always find some occupation or create some suffering so that it can assert itself. It is a psychological fact that deep within, people do not want to get liberated from their suffering. This is why, consciously or unconsciously, they are always creating new circumstances in which they are caught.
Suffering, boredom and death: is there a way out of these? Yes, of course there is. These are created by the mind, therefore if one can go beyond mind, then there is neither birth nor death, neither joy nor sorrow and no boredom. Instead one will experience timelessness, eternal now, bliss, supra-sensual joy and supra-mental delight. Such a state is beyond feelings, thoughts and the senses. There is no ‘I am enjoying,’ there is simply ‘enjoying’. In fact, that is the real ‘I’, sheer bliss. The greatest sensual pleasure is nothing compared to it. But how does one go beyond mind? By understanding it, and to understand it, one must stop and observe it intensely. Today people are much hectic, going very far away from themselves. Even though one may discover innumerable means of sense gratification, new technologies and have more knowledge, one will still be faced with the same temporary sensual pleasures followed by much suffering, boredom, misery and death.
Man! You have been moving constantly throughout your life, even in your dreams. You are not at rest. Why not try to be calm and silent for a few hours, watching the inner mechanism so that you can know what inner silence is? All your sufferings and miseries are caused by an absence of inner silence. Yes, the cause is within, not without. Stop finding scapegoats and face yourself.
Gradually, he started to get annoyed and restless with the routine. Nothing changed: there were the same beautiful women, sumptuous foods, beautiful place, pleasant perfume and other heavenly pleasures. One day he approached the one in charge of heaven and told him that he was extremely restless and bored. He asked to be moved to some other place. “But there is no other place for you as this is what you had sought during your whole life. In fact, this is the other place,” came the reply.
Now, just imagine a life without problems and death! If that happened, people would be bored to death or become mad. Fortunately, the mind is here to seek for trouble all the time and also fortunately there is death. What are human beings aiming at by developing more advanced technology in all fields of science and art? No illness, no famine, mechanisation and computerisation of almost all systems of work. Then what will people do? The mind will always find some occupation or create some suffering so that it can assert itself. It is a psychological fact that deep within, people do not want to get liberated from their suffering. This is why, consciously or unconsciously, they are always creating new circumstances in which they are caught.
Suffering, boredom and death: is there a way out of these? Yes, of course there is. These are created by the mind, therefore if one can go beyond mind, then there is neither birth nor death, neither joy nor sorrow and no boredom. Instead one will experience timelessness, eternal now, bliss, supra-sensual joy and supra-mental delight. Such a state is beyond feelings, thoughts and the senses. There is no ‘I am enjoying,’ there is simply ‘enjoying’. In fact, that is the real ‘I’, sheer bliss. The greatest sensual pleasure is nothing compared to it. But how does one go beyond mind? By understanding it, and to understand it, one must stop and observe it intensely. Today people are much hectic, going very far away from themselves. Even though one may discover innumerable means of sense gratification, new technologies and have more knowledge, one will still be faced with the same temporary sensual pleasures followed by much suffering, boredom, misery and death.
Man! You have been moving constantly throughout your life, even in your dreams. You are not at rest. Why not try to be calm and silent for a few hours, watching the inner mechanism so that you can know what inner silence is? All your sufferings and miseries are caused by an absence of inner silence. Yes, the cause is within, not without. Stop finding scapegoats and face yourself.
It is a psychological fact that deep within, people do not want to get liberated from their suffering. This is why, consciously or unconsciously, they are always creating new circumstances in which they are caught.
By Swami Paramananda
Stress
The incapacity, owing to ignorance, to adapt to given circumstances produces stress. The body and the mind can comply to a certain extent, in their actual state, to a number of responsibilities. When these two, that is body and mind, go beyond that limit, stress ensues. Our day is composed of twenty-four hours, but the number of things that we want to do does not tally with the amount of time we have. The law of economy and commerce says, “Human wants are unlimited but the means with which to satisfy them are limited.”
When responsibilities remain undischarged, fear and guilt crop in. Other emotional waves such as anger may also surge. The human mind has to cope with all these and when it is not possible, the brain fights to keep the balance. Consequently, stress comes forward. An easy but dangerous and foolish way is to escape the situation by having recourse to drugs and alcoholic drinks.
Ambition produces thoughts; by it the thought process becomes nearly chaotic. The brain is not at rest. Is it possible to achieve all things in life? Can all dreams become true? Of course, it is not bad to dream and to have ambitions. Are we ready to accept our failure? Where desires are strong, frustration is always waiting to manifest in case of failure. When religions say, “Shun desire”, it is not a moralistic principle, but the mystic knows that there is a plan behind everything. It is foolish to desire uselessly and load one’s mind.
Lower instincts such as greed, anger, lust and hatred should be studied. By saying that all these are bad, we have relegated them deep down in our mind to form our unconsciousness. Many illnesses, be it mental or physical, result from suppression of natural instincts. We have prevented our children and ourselves to grow by suppressing our nature-born qualities.
The following question may arise: is evolution, progress and the like possible without desire? To have a better living, a very comfortable life is important, but that is not the end of life. A comfortable living is good as it can create a suitable condition to seek eternal bliss. Desire is at the heart of man, but one should not be a slave of this force. It should be directed for a more sublime end. Life is not governed by straight lines. To fulfil a desire, one may have to go through innumerable miseries; there are also many obstacles. At times, in trying to accomplish a desire at all cost, one may have to go against many harmonious principles or against the laws of Nature itself.
Stress may never end if man delays to realise that his life consisting of body, mind, heart is meant for a higher purpose. By making our aims material, we have a chaotic world. Education should bring humility, peace, knowledge, discrimination and so many divine virtues. The CPE exam in our country is always here to prove that we are far from the right education. Knowledge should bring liberation of body, mind and heart. Intelligence will show us that life is much more than meets the senses, then seeking will develop. Only those who are seeking sincerely can be taught. The gist of spiritual education is that life is a gift. We are given a seed: seeking the proper soil, planting the seed and seeing to it that it grows to give flowers and fruits should be our prime concern. The absence of this knowledge has created boredom, ambition and thus stress. It may be difficult to accept the fact that we have been groping in the dark since aeons. But there is no way out – through acceptance only, a door will open. Therefore we will have to be brave, we should be ready to be deprogrammed and be prepared for the journey towards a higher life.
The immediate solution to the problem of stress is for the body to be released of its blockage and tension through exercises like jogging, swimming and walking in nature; complete body massage can be of much help for the body. The next step is to get relief from mental stress through breathing and other exercises under the guidance of an enlightened master or a psychologist. In our body, there are power stations that are stagnant or blocked by suppressed impulses. They have to be treated so as to release the energy locked therein. The best advice, of course, is sought from enlightened persons. Stress may be very deep-rooted, to such an extent that it may have touched the subtle bodies. In such a case, a master of yoga, here I do not mean physical yoga but yoga as a science, can help.
“Simple living and high thinking,” goes the saying. If this was followed, a stress-free society would exist. My own realisation is that education is that which starts by teaching who we are, what is our purpose and how to reach there. The whole of our life would be governed by the answers to the above questions. Very few people possess such education. Unfortunately, it is very difficult for them to voice their saying. If they succeed, then a cross or a sword is ready for them. They also become a laughing stock.
By Swami Paramananda
When responsibilities remain undischarged, fear and guilt crop in. Other emotional waves such as anger may also surge. The human mind has to cope with all these and when it is not possible, the brain fights to keep the balance. Consequently, stress comes forward. An easy but dangerous and foolish way is to escape the situation by having recourse to drugs and alcoholic drinks.
Ambition produces thoughts; by it the thought process becomes nearly chaotic. The brain is not at rest. Is it possible to achieve all things in life? Can all dreams become true? Of course, it is not bad to dream and to have ambitions. Are we ready to accept our failure? Where desires are strong, frustration is always waiting to manifest in case of failure. When religions say, “Shun desire”, it is not a moralistic principle, but the mystic knows that there is a plan behind everything. It is foolish to desire uselessly and load one’s mind.
Lower instincts such as greed, anger, lust and hatred should be studied. By saying that all these are bad, we have relegated them deep down in our mind to form our unconsciousness. Many illnesses, be it mental or physical, result from suppression of natural instincts. We have prevented our children and ourselves to grow by suppressing our nature-born qualities.
The following question may arise: is evolution, progress and the like possible without desire? To have a better living, a very comfortable life is important, but that is not the end of life. A comfortable living is good as it can create a suitable condition to seek eternal bliss. Desire is at the heart of man, but one should not be a slave of this force. It should be directed for a more sublime end. Life is not governed by straight lines. To fulfil a desire, one may have to go through innumerable miseries; there are also many obstacles. At times, in trying to accomplish a desire at all cost, one may have to go against many harmonious principles or against the laws of Nature itself.
Stress may never end if man delays to realise that his life consisting of body, mind, heart is meant for a higher purpose. By making our aims material, we have a chaotic world. Education should bring humility, peace, knowledge, discrimination and so many divine virtues. The CPE exam in our country is always here to prove that we are far from the right education. Knowledge should bring liberation of body, mind and heart. Intelligence will show us that life is much more than meets the senses, then seeking will develop. Only those who are seeking sincerely can be taught. The gist of spiritual education is that life is a gift. We are given a seed: seeking the proper soil, planting the seed and seeing to it that it grows to give flowers and fruits should be our prime concern. The absence of this knowledge has created boredom, ambition and thus stress. It may be difficult to accept the fact that we have been groping in the dark since aeons. But there is no way out – through acceptance only, a door will open. Therefore we will have to be brave, we should be ready to be deprogrammed and be prepared for the journey towards a higher life.
The immediate solution to the problem of stress is for the body to be released of its blockage and tension through exercises like jogging, swimming and walking in nature; complete body massage can be of much help for the body. The next step is to get relief from mental stress through breathing and other exercises under the guidance of an enlightened master or a psychologist. In our body, there are power stations that are stagnant or blocked by suppressed impulses. They have to be treated so as to release the energy locked therein. The best advice, of course, is sought from enlightened persons. Stress may be very deep-rooted, to such an extent that it may have touched the subtle bodies. In such a case, a master of yoga, here I do not mean physical yoga but yoga as a science, can help.
“Simple living and high thinking,” goes the saying. If this was followed, a stress-free society would exist. My own realisation is that education is that which starts by teaching who we are, what is our purpose and how to reach there. The whole of our life would be governed by the answers to the above questions. Very few people possess such education. Unfortunately, it is very difficult for them to voice their saying. If they succeed, then a cross or a sword is ready for them. They also become a laughing stock.
By Swami Paramananda
Eat according to the needs of your body
Our body and mind perform a wide range of activities. These, however, can be hampered if we do not take the right type of food at the right time and in the required amount. But it seems obvious that most people overlook this basic fact and have improper or unbalanced diet. The main reason is that they have made eating a habit. How this has come about is very simple. People derive much pleasure from food or by eating. The pleasure is sensual, that is, it is a reaction of the food with the sense of taste and that reaction soothes the brain and the mind in a certain way. Since the mind is always seeking bliss and also since bliss is its essence, it gets stuck to eating, which becomes a great source of pleasure. Indeed, well-prepared food is very appealing and tasty.
Being mostly unconscious, we get carried away by the pleasure we derive from food and thus eating becomes a habit that inflames the senses and the mind, and we end up asking for more. We look for food mostly for their taste and less for their nutritional value. Consequently, we disturb the harmony of the body, which is so refined and delicate. A very strange fact is that, even in the third millennium, many people consider it very natural to eat mainly for the pleasure of the palate.
Human beings are supposed to be more intelligent as compared to animals, yet the latter do not have the serious problem we have with regards to bad eating habits. Most of us know what is good and what is bad for our body, yet we are as if drawn by an irresistible force to keep consuming things that are harmful to our body. Who can deny that cigarette is a poison to our health and that much alcohol, fat and so on is not good for our body? Yet, we do not refrain from them. Why? There is carelessness, ignorance, habit and the overwhelming desire for pleasure. Right, the key word here is pleasure! But is it really pleasure or is it an illusion that leads to a nightmarish life?
Food is not the problem, contrary to what some people believe. They say rice is very bad for the tummy, and oil is a great poison for the heart. How can that be? Of course, if we consume too much of anything, it becomes harmful to our health. Hence the problem lies within us. There is absolutely nothing wrong in seeking for pleasure. It is very legitimate and natural. One of the four basic natural aims of life is kama (pleasure) and food is one of the most pleasurable things after sex. The trouble is that we are not conscious enough to avoid making a habit of it. Just like everything else, pleasure too should have its limit. Of course, here I am referring to pleasure that we derive through our senses while performing certain activities. My proposal is that we increase our awareness and the rest will come by itself. That applies to all habits and evils arising from unconsciousness. A little more awareness will do the work.
Presently, we are like slaves, nay, we are slaves! We need to become masters and it is only when we are awakened that we can become a master, not before. It is an irony that man’s real nature – his soul – is paramanand (supreme bliss), yet he seeks for pleasure from a utilitarian activity like eating. Eat according to your needs, not according to your sense of taste. The way to it is simple: be more alert whenever the desire for eating for things that could be harmful to your body arises.
By Swami Paramananda
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