Life 42 (Feb 22 - May 22)

[winston]

What are some pitfalls that we may perhaps be blindsided to in our own personality?

There was once a man who hired an aged elephant for the bridal procession on the occasion of the marriage of his daughter.

After the ceremony, when the procession returned home, the bride descended from the howdah and at that very moment, the elephant crumbled and died.

The owner of the elephant was shocked at the news; he refused to take it as an unavoidable misfortune.

He insisted that an identical animal be returned to him alive. He went to court on this issue.

The judge had some mud pots kept at the back of the door which the greedy owner had to open for passing through. When he opened it, the whole lot was broken.

The judge insisted that he had to restore those very pots! Thus sense was driven into that fellow's brain.

Do not have this type of stupid fanaticism; modify its rigour by little discrimination.

Be reasonable, considerate, sympathetic and full of toleration for other points of view! ​​Improve yourselves day by day in these matters.

- Divine Discourse Jan 14, 1967.

Do not exhibit anger, grief or pain. Be happy and spread happiness around you.
Sweetness alone is the offering that the Divine likes.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Loving Yourself First

Until you are able to love and take care of yourself, you cannot be of much help to others.

- Thich Nhat Hanh, “Cultivating Compassion”

[winston]

With what attitude should we take up the practice of meditation?

Meditation should be performed enthusiastically, with full faith and care and strictly according to the disciplines laid down.

If this is done, it will bestow not only all happiness and all victory but even the vision of the Divine.

This is bound to the science of Supreme Spirituality (Vedanta) and also to the science of Nature (Prakriti).

These two are different in only one respect. The students of nature (Prakriti) are immersed in the objects of life; the students of Vedanta are immersed in the basic truth of life. And all people are bound to both of them!

Nature is related to sense objects; Vedanta is related to one’s Self-reality.

If people desire to transform their lives into one of splendor, internally and externally, meditation is the best spiritual discipline (sadhana) they can adopt!

- Dhyana Vahini, Ch 1.

Just as wholesome food gives health and strength to the body, prayer purifies the mind and strengthens the spirit.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Each Step a Miracle

People say that walking on water is a miracle but to me, walking peacefully on the Earth is the real miracle.

The Earth is a miracle. Each step is a miracle.

Taking steps on our beautiful planet can bring real happiness.

- Thich Nhat Hanh, “Walk Like a Buddha”

[winston]

Are we wearing a jewelled crown or carrying a burden on our head?

Man is ever afflicted with a thirst of a different kind, to drink the poisonous water of sensual pleasure.

Each one of you is entitled to a crown after the surrender - the total surrender of the six enemies that threaten you: lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride and envy.

Man wears a crown with these formidable foes still inside him and thus carries on his brow not gems but stones!

A tube in the bicycle tyre gets punctured by nails on the track; "I" and "Mine" are two nails that puncture the progress of man.

Discrimination and Detachment, are the two aides-de-camp of man. Keep them strong and give them full support, for they help you live unharmed and joyful!

- Divine Discourse Jan 14, 1967.

Be always in the good company of His devotees. Through this, discrimination and renunciation will be implanted and increased.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Love Is Certain

In the midst of uncertainty, love is certain.

- Susan Moon, “Don’t Fear the Reaper”

[winston]

Why should we stay devoted to the Divine?

You become devoted to Him for your own sake. Whatever the name or form in which you worship Him, He will respond.

He is the provider of everything, who fulfills every wish. Whether the devotee is one in distress or craving for some object, or a seeker or a Jnani (one of wisdom), He responds according to the measure of one’s devotion.

To realise the Divine, Love is the easiest path. Just as you can see the moon only with the light of the moon, He, who is the Embodiment of love, can be reached through love.

Regard love as your life-breath. Love was the first quality to emerge in the creative process. All other qualities came after it. Therefore, fill your hearts with love and base your life on it!

- Divine Discourse, Nov 23, 1986.

Love is the seed of Love; it is also the branches, flowers and fruit. To enjoy the fruits,
one must practice Love.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the Purpose of Life?

There's no meaning to life and there's no need for a meaning.

- Sadhguru

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ7ZvPghdy8

[winston]

We’re Never Alone

No matter how despairing or cut off we can feel at any given time, we are not actually severed from the essential flow of life or from one another.

If we get quiet for a while and pay careful attention, this is what we realize.

- Sharon Salzberg, “Forever Connected”

[winston]

What should be the purpose of spiritual practices we take up?

One has to be clear about the purpose of repeating the name (japa) and meditation.

Without this knowledge, people believe them to be related to the objective world, capable of satisfying worldly desires and hope to demonstrate their value by means of sensory gains!

This is a grave error. Repetition of the Divine’s name and meditation, are for acquiring one-pointed attention on the Divine, for casting off sensory attachments and for attaining the joy derived from That which is the basis of all sensory objects.

The mind should not be wandering in all directions, indiscriminately, like the fly.

The fly dwells in the sweetmeat shop and runs after the rubbish carts; the fly that has such a mind has to be taught to understand the sweetness of the first place and the impurity of the second place, so that it may not desert the sweetmeat shop and pursue the rubbish cart.

When such teaching is imparted to the mind, it is meditation!

- Dhyana Vahini, Ch 2.

The purpose of sadhana is to enable us to worship the Divinity that is omnipresent and help us to see the Divinity that is in us.

Source: radiosai.org