Ravindranath Tagore: Dance like a dew drop

Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf.
Rabindranath Tagore

Travel with Swamiji: Go forward without a path

Note: Swami Vivekananda was known as Naren in his earlier days, as his name was Narendra Nath Dutta

Naren  proceeded to Rishikesh, a beautiful valley at the foot of the Himalayas, which is surrounded by hills and almost encircled by the Ganga. From an immemorial past this sacred spot has been frequented by monks and ascetics.  After a few days, however, Naren fell seriously ill and his friends despaired of his life. When he was convalescent he was removed to Meerut. There he met a number of his brother disciples and together they pursued the study of the scriptures, practiced prayer and meditation, and sang devotional songs, creating in Meerut a miniature Baranagore monastery.

After a stay of five months Naren became restless, hankering again for his wandering life; but he desired to be alone this time and break the chain of attachment to his brother disciples. He wanted to reflect deeply about his future course of action, of which now and then he was getting glimpses. From his wanderings in the Himalayas he had become convinced that the Divine Spirit would not allow him to seal himself within the four walls of a cave. Every time he had thought to do so, he had been thrown out, as it were, by a powerful force. The degradation of the Indian masses and the spiritual sickness of people everywhere were summoning him to a new line of action, whose outer shape was not yet quite clear to him.

In the later part of January 1891, Naren bade farewell to his brother disciples and set out for Delhi, assuming the name of Swami Vividishananda. He wished to travel without being recognized. He wanted the dust of India to cover up his footprints. It was his desire to remain an unknown sannyasin, among the thousands of others seen in the country's thoroughfares, market-places, deserts, forests, and caves. But the fires of the Spirit that burnt in his eyes, and his aristocratic bearing, marked him as a prince among men despite all his disguises.

In Delhi, Naren visited the palaces, mosques, and tombs. All around the modern city he saw a vast ruin of extinct empires dating from the prehistoric days of the Mahabharata, revealing the transitoriness of material achievements. But gay and lively Delhi also revealed to him the deathless nature of the Hindu spirit.

Some of his brother disciples from Meerut came to the city and accidentally discovered their beloved leader. Naren was angry. He said to them: 'Brethren I told you that I desired to be left alone. I asked you not to follow me. This I repeat once more. I must not be followed. I shall presently leave Delhi. No one must try to know my whereabouts. I shall sever all old associations. Wherever the Spirit leads, there I shall wander. It matters not whether I wander about in a forest or in a desert, on a lonely mountain or in a populous city. I am off. Let everyone strive to realize his goal according to his lights.'

Narendra proceeded towards historic Rajputana, repeating the words of the

Gautam Buddha:

Go forward without a path,

Fearing nothing, caring for nothing,

Wandering alone, like the rhinoceros!

Even as a lion, not trembling at noises,

Even as the wind, not caught in a net,

Even as the lotus leaf, untainted by water,

Do thou wander alone, like the rhinoceros!

Courtesy: Biography of Swami Vivekananda

Calm your soul with the Chinese Bamboo Flute

Courtesy: YouTube

Zen Stories: Nature's beauty

The word Zen comes from Sanskrit word dhyana or meditation. These stories are pregnant with timeless wisdom, and open doors to the higher levels of awareness. Just open up and experience the magic...

A priest was in charge of the garden within a famous Zen temple. He had been given the job because he loved the flowers, shrubs, and trees. Next to the temple there was another, smaller temple where there lived a very old Zen master.

One day, when the priest was expecting some special guests, he took extra care in tending to the garden. He pulled the weeds, trimmed the shrubs, combed the moss, and spent a long time meticulously raking up and carefully arranging all the dry autumn leaves. As he worked, the old master watched him with interest from across the wall that separated the temples.

When he had finished, the priest stood back to admire his work. "Isn't it beautiful," he called out to the old master. "Yes," replied the old man, "but there is something missing. Help me over this wall and I'll put it right for you."

After hesitating, the priest lifted the old fellow over and set him down. Slowly, the master walked to the tree near the center of the garden, grabbed it by the trunk, and shook it. Leaves showered down all over the garden. "There," said the old man, "you can put me back now."

Courtesy: Bilkent.edu 

Swami Vivekananda on Astrology

MAN THE MAKER OF HIS DESTINY

There was a very powerful dynasty in Southern India. They made it a rule to take the horoscope of all the prominent men living from time to time, calculated from the time of their birth. In this way they got a record of leading facts predicted, and compared them afterwards with events as they happened. This was done for a thousand years, until they found certain agreements; these were generalised and recorded and made into a huge book. The dynasty died out, but the family of astrologers lived and had the book in their possession. It seems possible that this is how astrology came into existence. Excessive attention to the minutiae of astrology is one of the superstitions which has hurt the Hindus very much.

I think the Greeks first took astrology to India and took from the Hindus the science of astronomy and carried it back with them from Europe. Because in India you will find old altars made according to a certain geometrical plan, and certain things had to be done when the stars were in certain positions, therefore I think the Greeks gave the Hindus astrology, and the Hindus gave them astronomy.

I have seen some astrologers who predicted wonderful things; but I have no reason to believe they predicted them only from the stars, or anything of the sort. In many cases it is simply mind-reading. Sometimes wonderful predictions are made, but in many cases it is arrant trash.

In London, a young man used to come to me and ask me, "What will become of me next year?" I asked him why he asked me so. "I have lost all my money and have become very, very poor." Money is the only God of many beings. Weak men, when they lose everything and feel themselves weak, try all sorts of uncanny methods of making money, and come to astrology and all these things. "It is the coward and the fool who says, 'This is fate'" — so says the Sanskrit proverb. But it is the strong man who stands up and says, "I will make my fate." It is people who are getting old who talk of fate. Young men generally do not come to astrology. We may be under planetary influence, but it should not matter much to us. Buddha says, "Those that get a living by calculation of the stars by such art and other lying tricks are to be avoided"; and he ought to know, because he was the greatest Hindu ever born. Let stars come, what harm is there? If a star disturbs my life, it would not be worth a cent. You will find that astrology and all these mystical things are generally signs of a weak mind; therefore as soon as they are becoming prominent in our minds, we should see a physician, take good food and rest.

If you can get an explanation of a phenomenon from within its nature, it is nonsense to look for an explanation from outside. If the world explains itself, it is nonsense to go outside for an explanation. Have you found any phenomena in the life of a man that you have ever seen which cannot be explained by the power of the man himself? So what is the use of going to the stars or anything else in the world? My own Karma is sufficient explanation of my present state. So in the case of Jesus himself. We know that his father was only a carpenter. We need not go to anybody else to find an explanation of his power. He was the outcome of his own past, all of which was a preparation for that Jesus. Buddha goes back and back to animal bodies and tells us how he ultimately became Buddha. So what is the use of going to stars for explanation? They may have a little influence; but it is our duty to ignore them rather than hearken to them and make ourselves nervous. This I lay down as the first essential in all I teach: anything that brings spiritual, mental, or physical weakness, touch it not with the toes of your feet. Religion is the manifestation of the natural strength that is in man. A spring of infinite power is coiled up and is inside this little body, and that spring is spreading itself. And as it goes on spreading, body after body is found insufficient; it throws them off and takes higher bodies. This is the history of man, of religion, civilisation, or progress. That giant Prometheus, who is bound, is getting himself unbound. It is always a manifestation of strength, and all these ideas such as astrology, although there may be a grain of truth in them, should be avoided.

There is an old story of an astrologer who came to a king and said, "You are going to die in six months." The king was frightened out of his wits and was almost about to die then and there from fear. But his minister was a clever man, and this man told the king that these astrologers were fools. The king would not believe him. So the minister saw no other way to make the king see that they were fools but to invite the astrologer to the palace again. There he asked him if his calculations were correct. The astrologer said that there could not be a mistake, but to satisfy him he went through the whole of the calculations again and then said that they were perfectly correct. The king's face became livid. The minister said to the astrologer, "And when do you think that you will die?" "In twelve years", was the reply. The minister quickly drew his sword and separated the astrologer's head from the body and said to the king, "Do you see this liar? He is dead this moment."

If you want your nation to live, keep away from all these things. The only test of good things is that they make us strong. Good is life, evil is death. These superstitious ideas are springing like mushrooms in your country, and women wanting in logical analysis of things are ready to believe them. It is because women are striving for liberation, and women have not yet established themselves intellectually. One gets by heart a few lines of poetry from the top of a novel and says she knows the whole of Browning. Another attends a course of three lectures and then thinks she knows everything in the world. The difficulty is that they are unable to throw off the natural superstition of women. They have a lot of money and some intellectual learning, but when they have passed through this transition stage and get on firm ground, they will be all right. But they are played upon by charlatans. Do not be sorry; I do not mean to hurt anyone, but I have to tell the truth. Do you not see how open you are to these things? Do you not see how sincere these women are, how that divinity latent in all never dies? It is only to know how to appeal to the Divine.

The more I live, the more I become convinced every day that every human being is divine. In no man or woman, however vile, does that divinity die. Only he or she does not know how to reach it and is waiting for the Truth. And wicked people are trying to deceive him or her with all sorts of fooleries. If one man cheats another for money, you say he is a fool and a blackguard. How much greater is the iniquity of one who wants to fool others spiritually! This is too bad. It is the one test, that truth must make you strong and put you above superstition. The duty of the philosopher is to raise you above superstition. Even this world, this body and mind are superstitions; what infinite souls you are! And to be tricked by twinkling stars! It is a shameful condition. You are divinities; the twinkling stars owe their existence to you.

I was once travelling in the Himalayas, and the long road stretched before us. We poor monks cannot get any one to carry us, so we had to make all the way on foot. There was an old man with us. The way goes up and down for hundreds of miles, and when that old monk saw what was before him, he said, "Oh sir, how to cross it; I cannot walk any more; my chest will break." I said to him, "Look down at your feet." He did so, and I said, "The road that is under your feet is the road that you have passed over and is the same road that you see before you; it will soon be under your feet." The highest things are under your feet, because you are Divine Stars; all these things are under your feet. You can swallow the stars by the handful if you want; such is your real nature. Be strong, get beyond all superstitions, and be free.

Complete Works of Swami Vivekanada Volume 8

Taste the Khusrau's poetry

O Khusrau, the river of love Runs in strange directions. One who jumps into it drowns, And one who drowns, gets across.    710th Urs of Hazrat Khwaja Amir Khusrau

How I start my day: Deepak Chopra

"Mornings are the time to inculcate a passion" 

"Morning is the time when nature sends out its most delicate messages, and you are most sensitive to them. Your nervous system has been built in a way that the sight of dawn, the still air on your skin, the faint sounds of birds and animals awakening” all set the state for renewal. Listen to what is happening around you. Be alert to the slightest influence; the whole body is silent and poised in a delicate balance. 

When you wake up, you feel alert and clearheaded. It indicates that your nervous system is ready to be renewed. It is harmful to disturb or ignore this one opportunity to be naturally recreated. Mornings are a time to inculcate a passion, this will help you achieve the extraordinary in life. Use early morning as a time to tune into your core self. The core self is where deep fulfillment arises from. If you wish to map out the ideal way to start your day, it would arrange itself naturally around the following pivotal points:

Wake up without an alarm clock 

Drink a glass of warm water (to encourage regular morning bowel movements)

Brush your teeth 

Clean your tongue if coated 

Massage your body with sesame oil 

Bathe (in warm water, not too hot or cold)

Exercise or do surya namaskar

Do yoga 

Practise balanced breathing, meditate 

Eat your breakfast 

Take a mid-morning walk (for half an hour).

Times Life, The Sunday Times of India

The Choice

Every moment we exercise the choice is to BE or not to BE- Ramananda

Thinking Cap: Worthwhile Success - J.R.D Tata

No success or achievement in material terms is worthwhile unless it serves the need or interests of the country and its people and us achieved by fair and honest means - J.R.D Tata, 1904-1993

"Trying to remain yourself." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

How I start my day: Start a New Life Every Morning

OGYEN TRINLEY DORJE, His Holiness The 17th Karmapa 

We sometimes wake up fresh in the morning yet still go through the day half asleep.Our busy 21st century lives overwhelm us with a relentless stream of immediate tasks.We lose sight of how precious it is just to have a human life.This is an awareness that we need to feel in our hearts.I would like to share with you a practice that I call living your whole life in a single day. You can do this by starting with this thought in the morning: I am starting a whole new life.It begins right now.Initially,leave yourself a note at your bedside to remind you,and then slowly cultivate the habit of waking up with this thought.Your body is fresh from the nights rest;when you wake up with this awareness,so does your mind.Ask yourself what kind of person you want to be in the life that you will live today.Throughout the day,remind yourself that your life is happening right now.In the afternoon,check to see how your life is going and readjust as needed.A whole lifetime of possibilities stretches out before you every moment.This is the basic truth of interdependence.Conditions are constantly shifting,and what seemed impossible earlier can suddenly become possible.Every moment counts.Every action counts.A single kind act can have a positive impact on the future of many others you share the earth with.You can change the course of the future in any moment.Do so consciously,and the whole world will benefit.

As told to Nona Walia
Source: Times Life July 7, 2013

Self Knowledge: Sage Vasishta Educates Prince Rama

Swami Venkatesananda
Self-knowledge is not gained by explanations and descriptions,nor by the instructions of others but by direct experience.Whatever is experienced and known here in this world,all that is the Self,consciousness devoid of the duality of the experiencing and the experience.It is the Self alone that exists everywhere at all times,but because of its extreme subtlety,it is not experienced.

In all beings,it is the jiva.All activities take place in the light of the sun,but if the activities cease,the sun does not suffer loss: even so,it is on account of the Self that the body et al function,but if the body et al perish,the Self does not suffer loss.The Self is not born,nor does it die;it does not acquire,nor does it desire;it is not bound,nor is it liberated the Self is the Self of all,at all times.

That (Self) is unconditioned by time and space;how does it become bound Abandon these two false concepts that of bondage and of liberation,and live an enlightened life here.There is no liberation in the sky,on earth or in the nether world;liberation is but a synonym for pure mind,correct Self-knowledge and a truly awakened state.

The complete absence of all desires and hopes is liberation.Until one reaches this true inner awakening or Self-knowledge,one considers oneself bound and strives for liberation.Abandon these wrong notions of bondage and liberation.

O Rama,he who knows that all activities happen because of the mere existence of consciousness even as a crystal reflects the objects around it without intending to do so is liberated.They,who,even after taking this human birth,are not interested in such non-volitional activity,go from heaven to hell and from hell to heaven again.

Some are devoted to inaction,having turned away from or suppressed all action;they go from hell to hell,sorrow to sorrow,fear to fear.Others know the Self;blessed indeed are they,they have carefully enquired into the nature of the mind and overcome all cravings;they do go to higher planes of consciousness.

He who has taken birth for the last time now,is endowed with a mixture of light (satva) and a little impurity (rajas).Right from birth he grows in holiness.Noble qualities like friendliness,compassion,wisdom,goodness and magnanimity seek him and take abode in him.He performs all appropriate actions,but is not swayed if their results appear to be gain or loss,nor does he feel elated or depressed.His heart is clear.He is much sought after by people.

One,who is full of all the noble qualities,seeks and follows an enlightened master who directs him along the path of Self-knowledge.He then realises the Self which is the one cosmic being.Such a liberated one awakens the inner intelligence,and instantly knows itself to be the infinite consciousness.

Such is the normal course of evolution,O Rama.However,there are exceptions.For those who have taken birth in this world,two possibilities exist for the attainment of liberation.The first is: treading the path indicated by the master,the seeker gradually reaches the goal of liberation.The second is: Self knowledge literally drops into ones lap,as it were,and there is instant enlightenment.

Source: The Times of India, Speaking Tree 

Rabindanath Tagore's poem on the greatness of mother

PURITY

Life of my life, I shall ever try 

to keep my body pure,

Knowing that thy living touch 

is upon all my limbs.

I shall ever try to keep all untruths 

out from my thoughts,

knowing that thou art that truth 

which has kindled

the light of reason in my mind.

I shall ever try to drive 

all evils away from my heart

and keep my love in flower, knowing that

thou hast thy seat in the inmost shrine 

of my heart.

And it shall be my endeavour 

to reveal thee in my actions,

knowing it is thy power 

gives me strength to act.

                                                                                            Rabindranath Tagore, Gitanjali (1910)

PAYING IT FORWARD

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

meghna.mukherjee@timesgroup.com

A recent study of behavioral psychology concluded that greed mostly overrides generosity.But in a fast-paced,material world,the need to believe in the spirit of giving,multiplies. Meghna Mukherjee re-evaluates what it means to be generous

A recent experiment conducted in the US showed that greed is a far more powerful emotion than generosity in today's world.Moral psychologist Kurt Gray,who led the study along with researchers at the Harvard University,observed through various experiments that people who were victims of greed had a strong tendency to repay a future recipient with the same greed.But when the same people benefited from an act of generosity,they didn't have the urge to pay it forward.

In an evers o - cy n i c a l world,its a wo r r i s o m e revelation.At a time when compassion and empathy are on a steadfast decline,and the disparity between the haves and the havenots is too in-your-face to ignore;the need to see generosity as a positive emotion,multiplies.Why and how did generosity lose its appeal over the years

Gray explains: Greed is more powerful than true generosity because negative emotions are more powerful than positive ones.We live in bodies and minds designed to be more influenced by negatives.Evolution designed us so that we took notice of negative things in our environment and sought to change them. Popular culture has made bad,wicked,nasty terms cool whereas goodness is frowned upon.Its a loser trait.Dr Sarala Bijapurkar,associate professor of sociology,KJ Somaiya College,Mumbai,says,In our material world,generosity is an alien word.Most people think generosity and money are always linked.Thats why so much cynicism has set in.

Digital descent

Our digital lives have played a big part in reducing the empathy and compassion we once had as individuals.Edna Rienzi,a generosity volunteer based in the US,says,Generosity focuses on the connection between individuals.Although we can connect with hundreds of people through social media,the opportunities to connect with one another face to face seem harder to find.

She cites an example: Earlier,at

my childrens school,parents would speak to one another while waiting for the kids to come out.We would offer kind words and support to each other,and these moments brightened my day.Now,almost everyone stays in their cars,hunched over their phones rather than with the people they see on a daily basis.

Pratyush Rajvanshi,a generosity volunteer in Delhi,says,In the ancient times,based on available texts,people understood that being generous was a vital factor in a human beings personal growth.They consciously practised these values,and they were a part of their inherent nature.These practices were passed on to us,and and we continued to live them;but,perhaps,we overlooked the wisdom behind the act.Henceforward most acts of generosity got diluted and a lot of cynicism set in.But now,we have started feeling empty inside.So we are again reviving the past wisdom and practices,especially generosity.

Generosity does not require grand gestures.Gray advises everyone to acknowledge even the little things others do to make a positive impact on their lives.The more grateful we are of others helping us,the more likely we are to pay it forward, he says.

Rienzi adds,Often,generosity is just a matter of being considerate.You can hold the door open for the person behind you.You can leave a large tip for a waitress who is working hard.When someone is speaking,you can give them your full attention.All these are generous acts that do not require time or energy.And,once you start taking these small steps,you will probably be tempted to make time for larger acts.

Social responsibility

That is not to say the people with means shouldnt pay it forward with money.The world over,some of the richest people are also the biggest philanthropists.Some of them have pledged half of their billion-dollar fortunes for the development of the other half.For instance,tech tycoon Azim Premji ranked Indias third richest person with a fortune of over $13 billion announced two months ago that he was donating $2.2 billion to his education-focussed trust Giving Pledge.

Even the corporate sector in India has made positive steps to build a future that entails empathy as one of the driving forces for a better future.The Revised Companies Bill,passed by the Lok Sabha recently,will make India the first country in the world to make corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditure mandatory all successful companies will soon have to set aside and use 2 per cent of their profits towards the upliftment of society ecological and social.

The need of the hour,however,is for people to believe and engage in acts of generosity without it being a mandate.Since most things,like charity,begin at home,its still an adults responsibility to inculcate values like compassion and the spirit of giving early in a childs life.

American writer and philanthropist Gray Keller believes we live in an age where generosity should be a part of school curriculums.Since most of us are selfish by nature,we must be taught to give and share from an early age;like children learn to share their toys.

Times Life, Sunday May 5, 2013

Think: The central principle of meditation

“This is the central principle of meditation: we become what we meditate on.” EKNATH EASWARAN (1910–1999)

Thinking Cap: The mark of an educated mind - Aristotle

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

― Aristotle, Metaphysics

Make Your Mind Powerful With Yoga

Radhika Ravi Ranjan

Our mind can be the solution to our problems or the source of all our problems, says Dr Swami Shankardev Saraswati. It is where all our thoughts arise, where ideas concretise, where we decide whether we are happy or sad. Therefore, harnessing our mind and our thoughts is crucial to our sense of well-being and happiness.

When the mind is silent and peaceful, it becomes very powerful. It can become a receptor of bliss and wisdom, enabling life to become a spontaneous flow and expression of joy and harmony. However, this inner silence cannot arise while there is a continual stream of disturbing thoughts and emotions. All this inner noise has to be removed before one can truly experience the soundless sound of inner silence.

This silence of the mind can be achieved through yoga. The aim of all yoga is to help people unfold their potential and become relaxed, strong and integrated beings. The first step is managing the mind. He says most people come to a yoga class without having worked with their minds.

Indeed, many people find that their mind is their biggest problem, because it is undeveloped and undisciplined. Majority of the people are forever seeking methods to calm and manage their minds. This is not an easy task primarily because the mind is a vast, luminous and creative power.

According to Dr Saraswati, it is because the mind is so powerful that it is difficult to manage. The untrained mind has been likened to a wild horse. Once tamed, it is a great friend; but untamed, it is a wild animal that can turn on us.

An untrained and undisciplined mind is a jumble of chaotic thoughts and feelings that can lead to poor perception, confusion and destructive emotions. A trained and disciplined mind, on the other hand, is a powerful tool that can think clearly, solve creatively and work to realise its desires and dreams.

There are methods in yoga by which people can discipline as well as enlighten their minds. Gradually, they become masters of powerful, happy, compassionate, and heart-centered minds.

Before one controls the mind, one must know the mind. The human mind has two parts - the lower and the higher. The lower mind is connected to the senses and allows us to conduct ourselves in the world. This, therefore, becomes our thinking mind. The higher mind is the subtle mind that links us to our higher consciousness. This, therefore, becomes our intuitive mind.

The lower mind has three main components: a rational, thinking mind, called manas in Sanskrit, a memory bank called chitta, and an ego or sense of individuality called ahamkara. Manas measures sense impressions and stores these in our chitta. The build-up of these impressions creates our ahamkara, our sense of who we are as human personalities.

The higher mind is called buddhi. It is connected to consciousness and has the characteristics of intelligence, intuition, knowledge, faith, generosity, compassion and wisdom. Usually, it is dominated by the louder and more compelling lower mind.

A yoga teacher can impart techniques about how the higher mind or buddhi can regulate the workings of the lower mind.

A monkey mind is precisely that - that which cannot be controlled easily and that which will behave impulsively and rashly, with no logical process. An undeveloped mind has been called the monkey mind for just those reasons. It is dominated by tamas, or darkness, represented by selfish thoughts, worry, insecurity, greed, rage, and petty judgments. Emotions and desires can erupt at any time, compelling one to act and react. When the monkey mind starts jumping around, the buddhi falls asleep.

Yogic and meditative processes help calm down the thoughts and emotions arising in our mind and allow the deeper and subtler intuitive elements to manifest. In yoga, the usual way to achieve our goal is to focus on the centre-point between the eyebrows, also called the third eye or ajna chakra. This is the point that controls both the higher mind as well as the lower mind.

One way to focus on the third eye is to chant Om. The root sound has a magical effect on the meditative process. Begin by sitting in a comfortable posture and emptying your mind of all thoughts. Then, direct attention to the eyebrow centre and visualise a point of light at this place. Now, chant the Om mantra for as long as your breath allows. Then simply sit in silence, noticing your state of deep relaxation and peace.

Another way to focus on the crucial eyebrow centre is to breathe through alternate nostrils, the yog called Pranayam. Inhale through one nostril, exhale through the other. Do the same with the other.

www.speakingtree.in

NirvanaShatkam- The Essense of Vedanta by Shankaracharya

The Atma_shatkam (Devanāgarī: आत्मषट्कम्) is also known as Nirvana Shatkam (Devanāgarī: निर्वाणषट्कम्) and by other variations of these names. It is a śloka in six stanzas written by the great Ādi Śaṅkara (first Shankaracharya) summarizing the basic teachings of Advaita Vedanta, or the Hindu teachings of non-dualism. It was written around 788-820 CE. He mastered the Vedas by the age of 6. This shows he is a re-incarnation, as Vedas take a whole lifetime to master.

When a young boy of eight (Adi Sankara), while wandering in the Himalayas, seeking to find his Guru, he encountered a sage who asked him, "Who are you?". The boy answered with these stanzas, which are known as "Nirvana Shatakam" or Atma Shatakam".

The sage the boy was talking to was Swami Govindpada Acharya, who was, indeed, the teacher he was looking for. These few verses can be of tremendous value to progress in contemplation practices that lead to Self-Realization.

"Nirvana" is complete equanimity, peace, tranquility, freedom and joy. "Atma" is the True Self.

The speaker of the poem is nominally Śiva, but it is generally seen as a statement by a knowing person of identity with Śiva or Brahmān. The speaker lists in the earlier verses what he (or Brahmān) is not. He is not body or mind, nor the things that attach them to each other and to the world, including the intellect, the senses, the practices of life, the occurrences of life such as birth and death. In the last verse he says that he permeates the universe, and that he is consciousness, bliss and the soul, and by implication, the Atman and Brahmān.

निर्वाण षटकम् (मूल संस्कृत)	निर्वाण षटकम् (हिंदी भावानुवाद)	NirvanaShatkam (English)
मनोबुद्ध्यहंकारचित्तानि नाहं न च श्रोत्रजिह्वे न च घ्राणनेत्रे।न च व्योमभूमिर्न तेजो न वायुः चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्॥१॥	मैं मन, बुद्धि, अहंकार और स्मृति नहीं हूँ, न मैं कान, जिह्वा, नाक और आँख हूँ। न मैं आकाश, भूमि, तेज और वायु ही हूँ, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ ॥१॥	I am not mind, intellect, ego or repository of memories. I am not ear, tongue, nose or the eyes. I am not space, earth, fire or air. I am of the form of aliveness, eternal bliss, auspiciousness. I am Shiva. ॥1॥
न च प्राणसंज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायुः न वा सप्तधातुर्न वा पञ्चकोशाः।न वाक्पाणिपादं न चोपस्थपायू चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥२॥	न मैं मुख्य प्राण हूँ और न ही मैं पञ्च प्राणों (प्राण, उदान, अपान, व्यान, समान) में  कोई हूँ, न मैं सप्त धातुओं (त्वचा, मांस, मेद, रक्त, पेशी, अस्थि, मज्जा) में कोई हूँ और न पञ्च कोशों (अन्नमय, मनोमय, प्राणमय, विज्ञानमय, आनंदमय) में से कोई, न मैं वाणी, हाथ, पैर हूँ और न मैं जननेंद्रिय या गुदा हूँ, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ ॥२॥	I am not principal life force (prana) or any of the five pranas (Prana, udana, apana, vyan, saman). I am not any of the seven constituents (skin, flesh, fat, blood, muscle, bone, marrow) of the body or any of the five sheaths (annamaya, manomaya, pranamaya, vigyanmaya, anandmaya). I am not speech, hands, feet, genitals or anus. I am of the form of aliveness, eternal bliss, auspiciousness. I am Shiva. ॥2॥
न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभ मोहौ मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः।न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्॥३॥	न मुझमें राग और द्वेष हैं, न ही लोभ और मोह, न ही मुझमें मद है न ही ईर्ष्या की  भावना, न मुझमें धर्म, अर्थ, काम और मोक्ष ही हैं, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ ॥३॥	I am devoid of aversion, attachment, greed, delusion, pride or jealousy. I am beyond four major goals of life, righteousness, wealth, pleasure or liberation. I am of the form of aliveness, eternal bliss, auspiciousness. I am Shiva. ॥3॥
न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखम् न मंत्रो न तीर्थ न वेदा न यज्ञाः।अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्॥४॥	न मैं पुण्य हूँ, न पाप, न सुख और न दुःख, न मन्त्र, न तीर्थ, न वेद और न यज्ञ, मैं न भोजन हूँ, न खाया जाने वाला हूँ और न खाने वाला हूँ, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ ॥४॥	I am beyond virtues, sins, joy or sorrow. I am beyond mantras, pilgrimage, Vedas or yagyas. I am not food, eatable, or its eater. I am of the form of aliveness, eternal bliss, auspiciousness. I am Shiva. ॥4॥
न मे मृत्युशंका न मे जातिभेदः पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्म।न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यः चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् ॥५॥	न मुझे मृत्यु का भय है, न मुझमें जाति का कोई भेद है, न मेरा कोई पिता ही है, न कोई माता ही है, न मेरा जन्म हुआ है, न मेरा कोई भाई है, न कोई मित्र, न कोई गुरु ही है और न ही कोई शिष्य,  मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ ॥५॥	I have no fear of death or distinction of caste. I have no father or mother. I am unborn. I have no brothers, friends, master or disciples. I am of the form of aliveness, eternal bliss, auspiciousness. I am Shiva. ॥5॥
अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकाररूपः विभुर्व्याप्य सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम्।सदा मे समत्वं न मुक्तिर्न बन्धः चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्॥६॥	मैं समस्त संदेहों से परे, बिना किसी आकार वाला, सर्वगत, सर्वव्यापक, सभी इन्द्रियों को व्याप्त करके स्थित हूँ, मैं सदैव समता में स्थित हूँ, न मुझमें मुक्ति है और न बंधन, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ ॥६॥	I am beyond all doubts, formless, all-pervading, everywhere and surround all sense organs. I am always established in equanimity. There is no liberation or bondage in me. I am of the form of aliveness, eternal bliss, auspiciousness. I am Shiva.॥6॥

English Transliteration:

Mano Budhyahankaar Chitani Naaham, Na Cha Shrotra Jihve Na Cha Ghraana netre
Na Cha Vyoma Bhumir Na Tejo Na Vayuh, Chidananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

Na Cha Praana Sanjno Na Vai Pancha Vaayuhu, Na Vaa Sapta Dhaatur Na Va Pancha Koshah
Na Vaak Paani Paadau Na Chopasthapaayuh, Chidaananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

Na Me Dvesha Raagau Na Me Lobha Mohau, Mado Naiva Me Naiva Maatsarya Bhaavah
Na Dharmo Na Chaartho Na Kaamo Na Moksha, Chidaananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

Na Punyan Na Paapan Na Saukhyan Na Dukham, Na Mantro Na Tirthan Na Vedaah Na Yajnaah
Aham Bhojanan Naiv Bhojyan Na Bhoktaa, Chidaananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

Na Mrityur Na Shanka Na Me Jaati Bhedah, Pitaa Naiva Me Naiva Maataa Na Janma
Na Bandhur Na Mitram Guru Naiva Shishyah, Chidaananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

Aham Nirvikalpo Niraakaara Rupo, Vibhutvaaccha Sarvatra Sarvendriyaanaam
Na Chaa Sangatan Naiva Muktir Na meyah Chidananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

Compact meaning from geetganga.org :

1) I am not mind, nor intellect, nor ego, nor the reflections of inner self. I am not the five senses. I am beyond that. I am not the ether, nor the earth, nor the fire, nor the wind (i.e. the five elements). I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. 

2) Neither can I be termed as energy (Praana), nor five types of breath (Vaayu), nor the seven material essences (dhaatu), nor the five coverings (panca-kosha). Neither am I the five instruments of elimination, procreation, motion, grasping, or speaking. I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. 

3) I have no hatred or dislike, nor affiliation or liking, nor greed, nor delusion, nor pride or haughtiness, nor feelings of envy or jealousy. I have no duty (dharma), nor any money, nor any desire (refer: kama), nor even liberation (refer: moksha). I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. 

4) I have neither virtue (punya), nor vice (paapa). I do not commit sins or good deeds, nor have happiness or sorrow, pain or pleasure. I do not need mantras, holy places, scriptures, rituals or sacrifices (yajna). I am none of the triad of the observer or one who experiences, the process of observing or experiencing, or any object being observed or experienced. I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. 

5) I do not have fear of death, as I do not have death. I have no separation from my true self, no doubt about my existence, nor have I discrimination on the basis of birth. I have no father or mother, nor did I have a birth. I am not the relative, nor the friend, nor the guru, nor the disciple. I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. 

6) I am all pervasive. I am without any attributes, and without any form. I have neither attachment to the world, nor to liberation. I have no wishes for anything because I am everything, everywhere, every time, always in equilibrium. I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. 

Source List:   1. Wikipedia  page
                         2. geetganga.org
                         3. vedicscripturesinc (google site)

Random thoughts- by Ramananda

Work is its own reward. You don't  have  to wait  for things  to HAPPEN. The mundane,  routine , predictable  can transform  into something  magical.

Do not form opinion  about others. As sooner or later you are bound to revise  them.  Live light. King size!

Find what you love or love what you have- Anonymous

Accept  the things  as they are. Face the reality. In the process  if change is necessary, change  yourself. It is very difficult  to change  others.
 
Be self centered. The more you are centered, the less you depend  on outside things  and situations. It is the beginning  of peace and contentment in your life.

Sant Surdas: The great Bhakti poet

Surdas (Sant Kavi Surdas) was a 15th century blind saint, poet and musician, known for his devotional songs dedicated to Lord Krishna. Surdas is said to have written and composed a hundred thousand songs in his magnum opus the 'Sur Sagar' (Ocean of Melody), out of which only about 8,000 are extant. He is considered a saint and so also known as Sant Surdas, a name which literally means the "slave of melody". 

Early life 

Surdas was born in 1478 in Runkta near Agra. While some say it is village Sihi, Faridabad, Haryana. He started parsing Lord Krishna since he was young . There is a little disagreement regarding the exact birth date of Surdas, some scholars believe it to be 1478 AD, while others believe it to be 1479 AD. As per the limited authentic life history of Surdas, it is said that he lived in Braj(or Bhraj), near Mathura. Surdas was born blind and because of this, he was neglected by his family. As a result, he left his home at tender age of six. 

Surdas's Guru - Shri Vallabharacharya 

A chance meeting with the saint Vallabharacharya at Gau Ghat by the river Yamuna in his teens transformed his life. Shri Vallabhacharya taught Surdas lessons in Hindu philosophy and meditation and put him in the path of spirituality. Since Surdas could recite the entire Srimad Bhagavatam and was musically inclined, his guru advised him to sing the 'Bhagavad Lila' - devotional lyrical ballads in praise of Lord Krishna and Radha. Surdas lived in Vrindavan with his guru, who initiated him to his own religious order, and later appointed him as the resident singer at Srinath temple in Govardhan. 

Surdas attains fame 

Surdas' lilting music and fine poetry attracted many laurels. As his fame spread far and wide, the Mughal emperor Akbar (1542-1605) became his patron. Surdas spent the last years of his life in Braj, the place of his birth and lived on the donations, which he received in return of his bhajan singing and lecturing on religious topics, until he died in c. 1586. 

Great devotion for lord Krishna

Surdas also attained fame for his purity of devotion towards Lord Krishna. In one incident, Surdas falls into a well and is rescued by Lord Krishna when he calls him for help. Radha asks Krishna why he helped Surdas for which Krishna says its for his devotion. Krishna also warns Radha not to go near him. She however goes near him but Surdas, recognizing the divine sounds, pulls her anklets. Radha tells him who she is but Surdas refuses to return her anklets stating that he cannot believe her as he is blind. Krishna gives Surdas vision and allows him to ask for a boon. Surdas returns the anklets says he has already got what he wanted (the blessings of Krishna) and asks Krishna to make him blind again as he does not want to see anything else in the world after seeing Krishna. Radha is moved by his devotion and Krishna grants his wish by making him blind again thus giving him everlasting fame. 

One of the popular poems by Surdas

अखियाँ हरि दर्शन की प्यासी । 

देखो चाहत कमल नयन को, निस दिन रहत उदासी ॥ 

केसर तिलक मोतिन की माला, वृंदावन के वासी । 

नेहा लगाए त्यागी गये तृण सम, डारि गये गल फाँसी ॥ 

काहु के मन की कोऊ का जाने, लोगन के मन हाँसी । 

सूरदास प्रभु तुम्हरे दरस बिन लेहों करवत कासी ॥ 

Meaning:

Our eyes thirst for a vision of Hari; 

They long to see the lotus-eyed one, 

Grieving for him day and night. 

Wearing a saffron tilak and pearl garland 

And dwelling in Vrindavan, 

He gave us his love, then cast us aside like a blade of grass, 

Throwing a noose around our necks. 

No one knows what is in another's mind, 

There is laughter in people's hearts; 

But Lord of Surdas, without a vision of you 

we would give up our very lives. 

Source: Wikipedia

Swami Vivekananda: Love is the Law of Life

All love is expansion, all selfishness is contraction. Love is therefore the only law of life. He who loves lives, he who is selfish is dying. Therefore love for love's sake, because it is law of life, just as you breathe to live.
- Swami Vivekananda

Saranaagathi: Surrender to the Divine -by Swami Sivananda

I came across a good website on Hindu religion and philosophy. http://saranaagathi.wordpress.com is the treasure trove of message of the great spiritual masters. It provides the life and teachings of the saints and sages of india. There is a section on Bhagwad Gita and Vishnu Sahasranama, and Govinda Damodara Strotam. A great resource for the spiritual seekeers. This brillant article by Swami Sivananda lucidly explains the concept of Surrender or Saranaagati in the context of the Shastras. 

Saranaagathi means “Surrender Unto the Lord”. Surrender is also called as “आत्मनिवेदन or AtmaNivedana” is the highest form of Bhakti or Devotion, where the Self is surrendered to God in entirety. This Surrender is the culmination of the sadhana of Bhakti and Jnana.

Saranaagathi in its true sense is the ultimate aim of all branches of yoga – Karma, Jnana and Bhakti. In Saranaagathi, the devotee is just like a small child, barely months old, which surrenders itself completely and exclusively to the mother’s care, because the child is innately assured of mother’s caring for it. The child does not depend on its self even for a small work. The devotee also becomes completely child-like, entrusting everything into the hands of God.

In most of our day-to-day lives and actions, we have very little “ Saranaagathi” to the Divine. We act as independent beings, and perform all actions of grown-up adults, with the feeling that we have enough mental and physical capabilities to take care of ourselves. But, there is also a “Surrender” that we do here, but in the reverse direction. We surrender to the world around us. We surrender to our temptations, to our sensual pleasures, relationships, emotions, what to speak of big things, even to the smallest thing like “taste buds”, we surrender ourselves. We bend our inner nature for the outer-world. We take the first step towards “Saranaagathi”, in one Swamiji’s words, only when we bend the outer to the inner.

Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita Himself gives the gist of Saranaagathi or self-surrender in “Moksha Sannyasa Yoga or The Yoga of Liberation by Renunciation”. (Chapter – 18, Sloka: 66).

सर्व धर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज ।

अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ।।

“Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me alone; I will liberate thee from all sins. Grieve not.”

With the inspiration of our Revered Gurudev Sri Swami Sivananda Maharaj, we have named this effort of ours on the internet as “Saranaagathi – Surrender to the Divine”. We pray to God and Gurudev to bless us with his Grace in our journey towards “Saranaagathi”.

“Work ceaselessly for the Lord but surrender the fruits of all actions to the Lord. Take the Lord as your sole refuge. Live for Him. Work for Him. Serve Him in all forms. Think of Him only. Meditate on Him alone. See Him everywhere. Worship Him in your heart. Consecrate your life, all your action, feelings and thoughts to the Lord. You will rest in Him. You will attain union with Him. You will attain immortal supreme peace and eternal bliss.”

“True and sincere surrender unto the Lord is the essence of Bhakti (God-love). ‘I am Thine, All is Thine. Thy will be done, my Lord’ – This is the best Saranaagathi Mantra or prayer of self-surrender. Seek His will. Do His will. Surrender to His will. You will become one with the cosmic will.”

http://saranaagathi.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/saranaagathi_to_divine.jpg 

Thinking Cap: Difference between great and eminent man - B.R. Ambedkar

"A great man is different from an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of the society."     

-B. R. Ambedkar

The Secret of the Buddha’s Smile

by Shen Shi'an 

I think it is time to face yourself again.
Then again, it is always time.

- Stonepeace

One of the most iconic images of Buddhism is surely that of the Buddha sitting silently under a tree, with his eyes half-closed, while beaming the most beautiful, kind and understanding smile ever. So enduring is this depiction of deep peace and composure, that the Buddha, be it in the form of statues or pictures, is the most reproduced image in the world. It is appreciated not only by Buddhists, but by people from various cultural walks of life – to the extent that Buddha images have become home decor must-haves for many!

Yet, as alluring as the Buddha’s smile is, many of us are still puzzled by it, for it presents many a mystery… Why is the Buddha smiling? What is he smiling about? How did he manage to attain the True Happiness that his smile represents? Perhaps most importantly, can we smile a similar smile too? Of course we can! Is that not the deeper reason why we venerate the Buddha – so as to draw inspiration from him, so as to emulate his perfect compassion and wisdom? The good news is that ever since the Buddha smiled his ‘magic’ smile, he shared on how we can too.

The Buddha smiles because he has made peace, not only with himself, but with the rest of the world too. This should not be mistaken as constant abiding in a state of complacent inactivity, for Buddhahood is realised through the active perfection of compassion to benefit all beings, and of the perfection of wisdom to know how to best help them. What the eternally seated Buddha represents is the state of enlightened bliss that the Buddha abides in – even as he does his best, which is whatever is necessary in the moment, to guide beings to the same enlightenment (synonymous with True Happiness).

The secret of the Buddha’s smile lies in the mastery of his mind – through the practice of meditation. The pose we see Buddha images in is usually that of the Buddha in the classic meditation posture. There are many forms of meditation taught today, with just as many varied purposes as techniques, just as in the Buddha’s time. The Buddha himself mastered meditation from the greatest meditation teachers available then – before realising their methods were inadequate for realising enlightenment.

What then, sets the Buddha’s meditation methods aside? The Buddha too taught many forms of meditation, as part of the Noble Eightfold Path to liberation. In this sense, the Buddha never really taught any meditation technique for its own sake, as the long-term goal is always nothing less than perfect enlightenment. Buddhist meditation thus should ideally not be practised merely as a feel-good relaxation exercise, as if one is doing yoga only for fitness. It would be a great pity to shortchange ourselves of meditation’s full benefits! However, it is nevertheless true that what the Buddha taught can still benefit many who do not yet aspire for enlightenment. All in good time?

A good example of a Buddhist meditation method suitable for all, be one Buddhist or not, is the practice of loving-kindness (Metta) meditation, whereby one systematically cultivates thoughts and energy of loving-kindness, first within and for oneself, before it overflows and radiates to the world. Often mistaken as a simple visualisation exercise, when Metta is trained well, transformative waves of loving-kindness can truly be generated, felt and extended. Strong metta is a soothing balm not just for one’s troubled mind, but heals beyond – through loving words and deeds too. With more Metta for all, you will get closer to the Buddha’s magic smile too!

One of the most common misconceptions of meditation is that it is dangerous – which unfortunately keeps some a perpetual distance from attaining the Buddha’s smile. This is a very general misconception indeed… that easily applies to virtually everything else in life. For instance, it is dangerous to drive too, as one might have a fatal crash, just as it is dangerous to swim as one might drown? The truth is, nothing is dangerous if it is learnt properly from a skilful teacher. Just as a masterful driver and swimmer is always safe, likewise is a good meditation practitioner.

Someone remarked to a friend new to meditation that though meditation may bring benefits according to many independent scientific reports, it is dangerous as demons may infiltrate his mind! Though well-meaning, the truth is that meditation, when practised properly, is precisely to learn how to mindfully protect one’s mind from inner demons, which are our spiritual defilements like attachment, aversion and delusion (which cause unhappiness), and outer demons (in terms of any adverse external circumstances). In this sense, it is more dangerous not to meditate!

As meditation always involves mindfulness, when the practitioner is mindful, the person is not only in control, but in control greater than usual. As such, it is not possible to ‘lose one’s mind’ through meditation. In fact, one becomes a better master of one’s mind. That said, there are some who might be less suitable for certain forms of meditation due to mental ailments. Yet, there is always at least one method suitable for everyone. Just as a doctor can prescribe the right medicine for physical ills, a good meditation teacher can likewise prescribe the best method.

Meditation is also not about making the mind blank – as mindfulness is always required. As such, it is not about doing nothing or daydreaming. Once again, with the presence of mindfulness and control, there is no need to worry about being brainwashed! It is only by surrendering mindfulness that brainwashing can happen. In contrast, whenever we live our lives unmindfully, in a state of haze, we are already somewhat ‘brainwashing’ ourselves! Meditation thus reverses this tendency and reconnects us with genuine conscious living.

Another common misconception of meditation is that it is very difficult to practise. Using the driving and swimming examples again, it is almost always challenging at first, for anyone who is new to any skill, to master it. When the going gets a little tough, we should remind ourselves of the immeasurable worth of mastering our minds – that very source of our happiness and unhappiness. The good news is that practice does make perfect. Let us practise diligently then! It is also appropriate to start simpler by learning foundational meditation techniques such as mindfulness of breathing (Anapanasati).

It is worth noting too, that the practice of chanting done well is also a meditative practice, as it too has effects similar to other meditation techniques – in cultivating calmness and clarity of mind. That chanted can include sutras (discourses of the Buddha), mantras (strings of sacred syllables for invoking pure states of mind – such as the mantra of compassion – ‘Om Mani Padme Hung’) and general prayers. The chanting of ‘homage to’ or ‘refuge in’ (Namo) various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is practised too, the most popular of which is ‘Namo Amituofo’ (Amitabha Buddha). The benefits of these practices are tremendous as well.

Contrary to popular belief, meditation is not at all a dull activity. In fact, it is the doorway to the greatest inner adventure ever – to discover and actualise the hidden potentials of the mind. The practice of meditation eventually leads to mastery of both the inner and the outer world, as we increase in fortitude for facing the vicissitudes of life, to be able to remain smiling like the Buddha in the eye of the storm! Through meditation, may we spring to greater life with mindfulness, as we master the smile of the Buddha!

Courtesy: http://thedailyenlightenment.com

RamaBani: total acceptance

Total acceptance: the path of least resistance - ramananda

POWER QUOTE: Be with nature!

RamaBani: Inner vs. Outer journey

Worldly ambition and inner journey cannot coexist- Ramananda

Osho Quote: Life is a dance...

'Life is a dance. You have to participate in it. And the more silent you become, the deeper your participation. never withdraw from life. Never renounce  life, because in renouncing life you will be renouncing God Himself. Be true to life, be committed to life.' -Osho

Courtesy: HT City, Ma Prem Ritambhara

Ramananda on Meditation

Meditation happens when you stop asking, expecting, and doing things. It is the death of desires and expectations. It is the product of silence.

ABC stands for Awareness of the interconnectedness; of the universal scheme, total Acceptance, Belief, and Courage

Osho Quote: Be.....

“Be — don't try to become” 
― Osho

Osho Quote: "Live joyfully and playfully.."

“Here, start living moment to moment totally and intensely, joyfully and playfully — and you will see that nothing goes out of control; that your intelligence becomes sharper; that you become younger; that your love becomes deeper. And when you go out into the world, wherever you go, spread life, playfulness, joy, as far away as possible — to every nook and corner of the earth.” -Osho

Osho: The Honeymoon that Never Ends

LOVE IS NOT A RELATIONSHIP. Love relates, but it is not a relationship. A relationship is something finished. A relationship is a noun; the full stop has come, the honeymoon is over. Now there is no joy, no enthusiasm, now all is finished. You can carry it on, just to keep your promises. You can carry it on because it is comfortable, convenient, cozy. You can carry it on because there is nothing else to do. You can carry it on because if you disrupt it, it is going to create much trouble for you… Relationship means something complete, finished, closed.

Love is never a relationship; love is relating. It is always a river, flowing, unending. Love knows no full stop; the honeymoon begins but never ends. It is not like a novel that starts at a certain point and ends at a certain point. It is an ongoing phenomenon. Lovers end, love continues– it is a continuum. It is a verb, not a noun.

And why do we reduce the beauty of relating to relationship? Why are we in such a hurry? Because to relate is insecure, and relationship is a security. Relationship has a certainty; relating is just a meeting of two strangers, maybe just an overnight stay and in the morning we say goodbye. Who knows what is going to happen tomorrow? And we are so afraid that we want to make it certain, we want to make it predictable. We would like tomorrow to be according to our ideas; we don't allow it freedom to have its own say. So we immediately reduce every verb to a noun.

You are in love with a woman or a man and immediately you start thinking of getting married. Make it a legal contract. Why? How does the law come into love? The law comes into love because love is not there. It is only a fantasy, and you know the fantasy will disappear. Before it disappears settle down, before it disappears do something so it becomes impossible to separate.

In a better world, with more meditative people, with a little more enlightenment spread over the earth, people will love, love immensely, but their love will remain a relating not a relationship. And I am not saying that their love will be only momentary. There is every possibility their love may go deeper than your love, may have a higher quality of intimacy, may have something more of poetry and more of godliness in it. And there is every possibility their love may last longer than your so-called relationship ever lasts. But it will not be guaranteed by the law, by the court, by the policeman. The guarantee will be inner. It will be a commitment from the heart, it will be a silent communion.

If you enjoy being with somebody, you would like to enjoy it more and more. If you enjoy the intimacy, you would like to explore the intimacy more and more. And there are a few flowers of love which bloom only after long intimacies. There are seasonal flowers too; within six weeks they are there, in the sun, but within six weeks again they are gone forever. There are flowers that take years to come, and there are flowers that take many years to come. The longer it takes, the deeper it goes. But it has to be a commitment from one heart to another heart. It has not even to be verbalized, because to verbalize it is to profane it. It has to be a silent commitment; eye to eye, heart to heart, being to being. It has to be understood, not said.

Forget relationships and learn how to relate.

Once you are in a relationship you start taking each other for granted– that's what destroys all love affairs. The woman thinks she knows the man, the man thinks he knows the woman. Nobody knows either! It is impossible to know the other, the other remains a mystery. And to take the other for granted is insulting, disrespectful.

To think that you know your wife is very, very ungrateful. How can you know the woman? How can you know the man? They are processes, they are not things. The woman that you knew yesterday is not there today. So much water has gone down the Ganges; she is somebody else, totally different. Relate again, start again, don't take it for granted.

And the man that you slept with last night, look at his face again in the morning. He is no more the same person, so much has changed. So much, incalculably much has changed. That is the difference between a thing and a person. The furniture in the room is the same, but the man and the woman, they are no more the same. Explore again, start again. That's what I mean by relating.

Relating means you are always starting, you are continuously trying to become acquainted. Again and again, you are introducing yourself to each other. You are trying to see the many facets of the other's personality. You are trying to penetrate deeper and deeper into his realm of inner feelings, into the deep recesses of his being. You are trying to unravel a mystery which cannot be unraveled. That is the joy of love: the exploration of consciousness.

And if you relate, and don't reduce it to a relationship, then the other will become a mirror to you. Exploring him, unawares you will be exploring yourself too. Getting deeper into the other, knowing his feelings, his thoughts, his deeper stirrings, you will be knowing your own deeper stirrings too. Lovers become mirrors to each other, and then love becomes a meditation. Relationship is ugly, relating is beautiful.

Hence I say relate. By saying relate, I mean remain continuously on a honeymoon. Go on searching and seeking each other, finding new ways of loving each other, finding new ways of being with each other. And each person is such an infinite mystery, inexhaustible, unfathomable, that it is not possible that you can ever say, "I have known her," or, "I have known him." At the most you can say, "I have tried my best, but the mystery remains a mystery."

In fact the more you know, the more mysterious the other becomes. Then love is a constant adventure.

This article originally appeared in Creations, Feb./March 2002, and was reprinted with permission from Love, Freedom, and Aloneness: A New Vision of Relating, from St. Martin’s Press,2001.
To listen to this and many of Osho’s talks, visit:www.osho.com/talks/audio/htm Other books by Osho are published by St. Martin’s Press and CW Daniel. There is a large selection on the Internet, or ask for Osho titles in your local bookstore.

This piece was selected and reprinted as a favorite by Ray Pesonen. Ray has been with Creations in various capacities almost since we began. Besides occasionally selling ads, he has served as Senior Editor, Managing Editor from about 1994-97, and Distribution Manager. Through the years, Ray’s integrity, love and dedication not only supported Creations, but became the trademark for what we do- and how we do it. Ray lives in Hicksville and works at Trader Joe’s. Reach him at: namasteray@yahoo.com

LOVE IS NOT A RELATIONSHIP. Love relates, but it is not a relationship. A relationship is something finished. A relationship is a noun; the full stop has come, the honeymoon is over. Now there is no joy, no enthusiasm, now all is finished. You can carry it on, just to keep your promises. You can carry it on because it is comfortable, convenient, cozy. You can carry it on because there is nothing else to do. You can carry it on because if you disrupt it, it is going to create much trouble for you… Relationship means something complete, finished, closed.

Love is never a relationship; love is relating. It is always a river, flowing, unending. Love knows no full stop; the honeymoon begins but never ends. It is not like a novel that starts at a certain point and ends at a certain point. It is an ongoing phenomenon. Lovers end, love continues– it is a continuum. It is a verb, not a noun.

And why do we reduce the beauty of relating to relationship? Why are we in such a hurry? Because to relate is insecure, and relationship is a security. Relationship has a certainty; relating is just a meeting of two strangers, maybe just an overnight stay and in the morning we say goodbye. Who knows what is going to happen tomorrow? And we are so afraid that we want to make it certain, we want to make it predictable. We would like tomorrow to be according to our ideas; we don't allow it freedom to have its own say. So we immediately reduce every verb to a noun.

You are in love with a woman or a man and immediately you start thinking of getting married. Make it a legal contract. Why? How does the law come into love? The law comes into love because love is not there. It is only a fantasy, and you know the fantasy will disappear. Before it disappears settle down, before it disappears do something so it becomes impossible to separate.

In a better world, with more meditative people, with a little more enlightenment spread over the earth, people will love, love immensely, but their love will remain a relating not a relationship. And I am not saying that their love will be only momentary. There is every possibility their love may go deeper than your love, may have a higher quality of intimacy, may have something more of poetry and more of godliness in it. And there is every possibility their love may last longer than your so-called relationship ever lasts. But it will not be guaranteed by the law, by the court, by the policeman. The guarantee will be inner. It will be a commitment from the heart, it will be a silent communion.

If you enjoy being with somebody, you would like to enjoy it more and more. If you enjoy the intimacy, you would like to explore the intimacy more and more. And there are a few flowers of love which bloom only after long intimacies. There are seasonal flowers too; within six weeks they are there, in the sun, but within six weeks again they are gone forever. There are flowers that take years to come, and there are flowers that take many years to come. The longer it takes, the deeper it goes. But it has to be a commitment from one heart to another heart. It has not even to be verbalized, because to verbalize it is to profane it. It has to be a silent commitment; eye to eye, heart to heart, being to being. It has to be understood, not said.

Forget relationships and learn how to relate.

Once you are in a relationship you start taking each other for granted– that's what destroys all love affairs. The woman thinks she knows the man, the man thinks he knows the woman. Nobody knows either! It is impossible to know the other, the other remains a mystery. And to take the other for granted is insulting, disrespectful.

To think that you know your wife is very, very ungrateful. How can you know the woman? How can you know the man? They are processes, they are not things. The woman that you knew yesterday is not there today. So much water has gone down the Ganges; she is somebody else, totally different. Relate again, start again, don't take it for granted.

And the man that you slept with last night, look at his face again in the morning. He is no more the same person, so much has changed. So much, incalculably much has changed. That is the difference between a thing and a person. The furniture in the room is the same, but the man and the woman, they are no more the same. Explore again, start again. That's what I mean by relating.

Relating means you are always starting, you are continuously trying to become acquainted. Again and again, you are introducing yourself to each other. You are trying to see the many facets of the other's personality. You are trying to penetrate deeper and deeper into his realm of inner feelings, into the deep recesses of his being. You are trying to unravel a mystery which cannot be unraveled. That is the joy of love: the exploration of consciousness.

And if you relate, and don't reduce it to a relationship, then the other will become a mirror to you. Exploring him, unawares you will be exploring yourself too. Getting deeper into the other, knowing his feelings, his thoughts, his deeper stirrings, you will be knowing your own deeper stirrings too. Lovers become mirrors to each other, and then love becomes a meditation. Relationship is ugly, relating is beautiful.

Hence I say relate. By saying relate, I mean remain continuously on a honeymoon. Go on searching and seeking each other, finding new ways of loving each other, finding new ways of being with each other. And each person is such an infinite mystery, inexhaustible, unfathomable, that it is not possible that you can ever say, "I have known her," or, "I have known him." At the most you can say, "I have tried my best, but the mystery remains a mystery."

In fact the more you know, the more mysterious the other becomes. Then love is a constant adventure.

This article originally appeared in Creations, Feb./March 2002, and was reprinted with permission from Love, Freedom, and Aloneness: A New Vision of Relating, from St. Martin’s Press,2001.
To listen to this and many of Osho’s talks, visit:www.osho.com/talks/audio/htm Other books by Osho are published by St. Martin’s Press and CW Daniel. There is a large selection on the Internet, or ask for Osho titles in your local bookstore.

This piece was selected and reprinted as a favorite by Ray Pesonen. Ray has been with Creations in various capacities almost since we began. Besides occasionally selling ads, he has served as Senior Editor, Managing Editor from about 1994-97, and Distribution Manager. Through the years, Ray’s integrity, love and dedication not only supported Creations, but became the trademark for what we do- and how we do it. Ray lives in Hicksville and works at Trader Joe’s. Reach him at: namasteray@yahoo.com

LOVE IS NOT A RELATIONSHIP. Love relates, but it is not a relationship. A relationship is something finished. A relationship is a noun; the full stop has come, the honeymoon is over. Now there is no joy, no enthusiasm, now all is finished. You can carry it on, just to keep your promises. You can carry it on because it is comfortable, convenient, cozy. You can carry it on because there is nothing else to do. You can carry it on because if you disrupt it, it is going to create much trouble for you… Relationship means something complete, finished, closed.

Love is never a relationship; love is relating. It is always a river, flowing, unending. Love knows no full stop; the honeymoon begins but never ends. It is not like a novel that starts at a certain point and ends at a certain point. It is an ongoing phenomenon. Lovers end, love continues– it is a continuum. It is a verb, not a noun.

And why do we reduce the beauty of relating to relationship? Why are we in such a hurry? Because to relate is insecure, and relationship is a security. Relationship has a certainty; relating is just a meeting of two strangers, maybe just an overnight stay and in the morning we say goodbye. Who knows what is going to happen tomorrow? And we are so afraid that we want to make it certain, we want to make it predictable. We would like tomorrow to be according to our ideas; we don't allow it freedom to have its own say. So we immediately reduce every verb to a noun.

You are in love with a woman or a man and immediately you start thinking of getting married. Make it a legal contract. Why? How does the law come into love? The law comes into love because love is not there. It is only a fantasy, and you know the fantasy will disappear. Before it disappears settle down, before it disappears do something so it becomes impossible to separate.

In a better world, with more meditative people, with a little more enlightenment spread over the earth, people will love, love immensely, but their love will remain a relating not a relationship. And I am not saying that their love will be only momentary. There is every possibility their love may go deeper than your love, may have a higher quality of intimacy, may have something more of poetry and more of godliness in it. And there is every possibility their love may last longer than your so-called relationship ever lasts. But it will not be guaranteed by the law, by the court, by the policeman. The guarantee will be inner. It will be a commitment from the heart, it will be a silent communion.

If you enjoy being with somebody, you would like to enjoy it more and more. If you enjoy the intimacy, you would like to explore the intimacy more and more. And there are a few flowers of love which bloom only after long intimacies. There are seasonal flowers too; within six weeks they are there, in the sun, but within six weeks again they are gone forever. There are flowers that take years to come, and there are flowers that take many years to come. The longer it takes, the deeper it goes. But it has to be a commitment from one heart to another heart. It has not even to be verbalized, because to verbalize it is to profane it. It has to be a silent commitment; eye to eye, heart to heart, being to being. It has to be understood, not said.

Forget relationships and learn how to relate.

Once you are in a relationship you start taking each other for granted– that's what destroys all love affairs. The woman thinks she knows the man, the man thinks he knows the woman. Nobody knows either! It is impossible to know the other, the other remains a mystery. And to take the other for granted is insulting, disrespectful.

To think that you know your wife is very, very ungrateful. How can you know the woman? How can you know the man? They are processes, they are not things. The woman that you knew yesterday is not there today. So much water has gone down the Ganges; she is somebody else, totally different. Relate again, start again, don't take it for granted.

And the man that you slept with last night, look at his face again in the morning. He is no more the same person, so much has changed. So much, incalculably much has changed. That is the difference between a thing and a person. The furniture in the room is the same, but the man and the woman, they are no more the same. Explore again, start again. That's what I mean by relating.

Relating means you are always starting, you are continuously trying to become acquainted. Again and again, you are introducing yourself to each other. You are trying to see the many facets of the other's personality. You are trying to penetrate deeper and deeper into his realm of inner feelings, into the deep recesses of his being. You are trying to unravel a mystery which cannot be unraveled. That is the joy of love: the exploration of consciousness.

And if you relate, and don't reduce it to a relationship, then the other will become a mirror to you. Exploring him, unawares you will be exploring yourself too. Getting deeper into the other, knowing his feelings, his thoughts, his deeper stirrings, you will be knowing your own deeper stirrings too. Lovers become mirrors to each other, and then love becomes a meditation. Relationship is ugly, relating is beautiful.

Hence I say relate. By saying relate, I mean remain continuously on a honeymoon. Go on searching and seeking each other, finding new ways of loving each other, finding new ways of being with each other. And each person is such an infinite mystery, inexhaustible, unfathomable, that it is not possible that you can ever say, "I have known her," or, "I have known him." At the most you can say, "I have tried my best, but the mystery remains a mystery."

In fact the more you know, the more mysterious the other becomes. Then love is a constant adventure.

This article originally appeared in Creations, Feb./March 2002, and was reprinted with permission from Love, Freedom, and Aloneness: A New Vision of Relating, from St. Martin’s Press,2001.
To listen to this and many of Osho’s talks, visit:www.osho.com/talks/audio/htm Other books by Osho are published by St. Martin’s Press and CW Daniel. There is a large selection on the Internet, or ask for Osho titles in your local bookstore.

This piece was selected and reprinted as a favorite by Ray Pesonen. Ray has been with Creations in various capacities almost since we began. Besides occasionally selling ads, he has served as Senior Editor, Managing Editor from about 1994-97, and Distribution Manager. Through the years, Ray’s integrity, love and dedication not only supported Creations, but became the trademark for what we do- and how we do it. Ray lives in Hicksville and works at Trader Joe’s. Reach him at: namasteray@yahoo.com

http://www.creationsmagazine.com/articles/C100/Osho.html