Life 35 (Jan 20 - May 20)

Re: Life 34 (Sept 19 - Jul 20)

Postby winston » Sat Mar 07, 2020 9:33 am

What is the highest Spiritual Practice?

Where there is Love, there the Divine is certainly evident.

Love more and more people, love more and more intensely; transform the love into service and transform the service into worship - that is the highest spiritual practice.

There is no living being without the spark of love; even a mad man loves something or somebody intensely. But you must recognise this love as but a reflection of the Embodiment of Love that is your reality, the Divine who is residing in your heart.

Without that spring of Love that bubbles in your heart, you will not be prompted to love all.

Recognise that spring, rely on it more and more, develop its possibilities, try to irrigate the whole world with it, discard all touch of self from it, and do not seek anything in return for it from those to whom you extend it.

In your daily affairs, do not create factions, or revel in hatred. See the good in others and the faults in yourselves.

Revere others as having the Divine installed in them; revere yourself also as the seat of the Divine.

Make your heart pure so He can reside therein.

- Divine Discourse Mar 26, 1965.

Practice the vocabulary of love – unlearn the language of hate and contempt.

Source: radiosai.org
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Re: Life 34 (Sept 19 - Jul 20)

Postby winston » Sun Mar 08, 2020 8:33 am

Take Destiny into Your Own Hands

The events and circumstances of our lives do not happen by accident; rather they are the result of certain causes and conditions.

When we understand the conditions necessary for something to happen, we can begin to take destiny into our own hands.

—Joseph Goldstein, “The Evolution of Happiness”
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Re: Life 34 (Sept 19 - Jul 20)

Postby winston » Mon Mar 09, 2020 4:11 pm

We may experience winds of prosperity blowing into our lives and homes. Is that enough to live in peace and joy?

Lately, there is a huge progress everywhere in the material field, there are many schemes and plans to increase prosperity and comforts.

Schools, hospitals, offices and factories are multiplying but there is no peace in the hearts of people.

Why? Because there is no corresponding increase in moral conduct!

‘Man’ means, ‘One who has control over the mind.’

To remove dirt from a white cloth, what do you do? You soak it in warm water, rub soap flakes, and beat it on a hard surface. You do not make it white; it is white already! You only remove the non-whiteness during washing, isn’t it?

So also, never forget that your individual soul is pure! When it is soiled, cleanse it. To keep it pure, soak it in good conduct and noble character, soap it with meditation on the Divine, warm it in discriminatory wisdom helped by reason, and beat it on the slab of renunciation.

- Divine Discourse 18 July 1961.

A stick will help one walk up an incline but of what use is it to a person whose legs are amputated? Material prosperity is the stick, and virtue is the strength of the feet.

Source: radiosai.org
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Re: Life 34 (Sept 19 - Jul 20)

Postby winston » Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:37 am

Most of us light lamps in our homes and temples. But is that enough?

When a lamp is lit in the temple, remember, it is not the temple or the deity that needs illumination, it is the worshipper.

The material temple of stone and mortar might be lit up by means of a few bulbs and lamps but really speaking, everyone is a moving temple with the Divine installed in the shrine of the heart.

That shrine must shine, bright and clear. Now, it is plunged in the darkness of falsehood, injustice, cruelty and pride.

The act of ‘lighting up’ symbolises illumination of the heart, destruction of the darkness of egoism and ignorance, so that the Divine might be revealed in all His Glory.

The trouble is that even though knowledge is growing fast in all fields, wisdom is lagging. People are slaves of passion and pride, and are infected with envy, cynicism and conceit everywhere.

They let their mind drag them wherever it wills! Control of the mind can be achieved through spiritual discipline and training!

- Divine Discourse 18 July 1961.

Light is holy, sacred. Do not misuse it for lower ends but give it proper value and engage yourselves in holy pursuits.

Source: radiosai.org
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Re: Life 34 (Sept 19 - Jul 20)

Postby winston » Tue Mar 10, 2020 9:46 pm

Becoming Free from Thoughts

If you know a view as a view, you can be free of that view. If you know a thought as a thought, you can be free of that thought.

—Norman Fischer, “Beyond Language”
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Re: Life 35 (Jan 20 - Jul 20)

Postby winston » Wed Mar 11, 2020 2:08 pm

How should we approach our spiritual practices and what results are we to anticipate?

Devotees should consider the body as the field and good deeds as seeds and cultivate the name of the Divine, with the help of the heart as the farmer, in order to get the harvest, the Divine Himself.

How can one get the crop without cultivation? Like cream in milk and fire in fuel, the Divine is in everything. Have full faith in this.

As the milk, so the cream; as the fuel, so the fire; so also, as the spiritual discipline, so the direct experience of the Divine, right?

Even if the attainment of liberation isn’t directly realised as a consequence of taking up the Divine’s name, four fruits will clearly be evident to everyone who sincerely does the spiritual practice:-
1. Company of the good and holy
2. Truth
3. Contentment and
4. Control of the senses.

Through whichever of these gates one enters, whether one is a householder, recluse, or a member of any other class, one can reach the Divine without fail. This is certain.

- Prema Vahini, Ch 60.

There is no penance higher than fortitude, no happiness greater than contentment, no good deed holier than mercy, no weapon more effective than patience.

Source: radiosai.org
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Re: Life 35 (Jan 20 - Jul 20)

Postby winston » Wed Mar 11, 2020 9:40 pm

How to Cultivate Relationships with Obstacles

When challenges or obstacles arise for us, we don’t have to get so intimidated; we can say, “Yes, it’s an obstacle, but it is not intrinsically bad; it’s not going to destroy me.”

To create a relationship with the obstacle, learn about it, and finally overcome it … gives us a chance to cultivate wisdom and skillful means.

—Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, “Old Relationships, New Possibilities”
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Re: Life 35 (Jan 20 - Jul 20)

Postby winston » Thu Mar 12, 2020 7:13 am

What is the real characteristic of true devotion?

Devotion is not wearing an ochre cloth or organising festivals or performing ritual sacrifices or shaving the hair or carrying water pot or rod or matting the hair, etc.

The Divine will never judge you at any time on the basis of the religion or caste you belong or the precepts you traditionally follow.

The real characteristics of true devotion are:
(1) Having a pure mind
(2) Uninterrupted contemplation on the Divine, whatever be your profession in daily living
(3) The feeling that everything is the His creation and therefore One
(4) Acceptance of all with equal love
(5) Non-attachment to sense objects, and
(6) Practicing true speech.

Whoever you are, in whatever condition you may be, if you do not give room for dispiritedness, if you have no fear at all, and if you remember the Divine with unshaken faith and without any ulterior motive, all your suffering and sorrow will surely fall away!

- Prema Vahini, Ch 61.

Moderate food, moderate sleep, love and fortitude will help in the upkeep of the health of both body and mind.

Source: radiosai.org
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Re: Life 35 (Jan 20 - Jul 20)

Postby winston » Thu Mar 12, 2020 9:24 pm

How Mindfulness Leads to Autonomy

Mindfulness is not only about paying attention and being aware but also about deciding where we want to put our attention.

—Interview with Gina Biegel by Wendy Joan Biddlecombe Agsar, “How to Support Your Teen’s Meditation Practice”
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Re: Life 35 (Jan 20 - Jul 20)

Postby winston » Fri Mar 13, 2020 5:59 pm

What are the qualities a spiritual aspirant must be ever wary about?

People crave worldly happiness. Analysed properly, this itself is the disease, and sufferings are but the drugs we take.

In the midst of these worldly pleasures, one rarely entertains the desire to attain Divinity. Besides, it is necessary to analyse and discriminate every act of a person, for the spirit of renunciation, is born out of such analysis. Without it, renunciation is difficult to get.

Miserliness is like the behaviour of a dog; it has to be transformed.

Anger is enemy Number 1 of the spiritual aspirant; it is like spittle and has to be treated as such.

And untruth? It is even more disgusting —through untruth, the vital powers of all are destroyed. It should be treated as scavenging itself.

Theft ruins life; it makes the priceless human life cheaper than a pie; it is like rotten foul
smelling flesh.

- Prema Vahini, Ch 61.

Live, avoiding evil deeds, hateful and harmful thoughts, and don’t get attached to the world.

Source: radiosai.org
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