Guru is a principle

It is not for us to judge a Guru, such a provision never exists.
And Guru will remain a Guru, no matter what he does.
The conditional, negotiable, intellectual faith cannot lead one to unconditional, non-negotiable, unthinkable Truth.
Present concerns are conditional, negotiable, intellectual.
My advise is that you give up judging; it's a shame devotees and disciples are shying away.
Guru remains what he is irrespective of anything; mind you that's the only kind of faith that can lead us anywhere. Rest is conditional and doomed to the finite.
Guru is a principle, not a human being.
We don't revere Guru as a person, we revere Him as a Higher Divine Principle, why judge him then like a mortal? Jai Guru!

so said a mail in my inbox today. Thank you. Thank you for resonating with my deepest feelings, for articulating my thoughts.

In other words, Once you have looked into the eyes of a master, once you have recognized that you are a seeker, YOUR HEAD IS IN THE TIGERS MOUTH. - Ramana Maharishi

Its so simple,

From the Words of the Master,

Swami Nithyananda:

The word ‘love’ is loaded with so many different meanings, interpretations and commentaries. First, let us leave out the idea of selfless and spiritual love. Let is first consider the normal, simple love with all its possessiveness, jealousy and all the side effects it causes! Even that love can do a lot of good for the body and mind. Later we will discuss selfless, spiritual love or mature love.

The other day I was reading an article in a magazine. The title was, ‘Live Forever’. I was amazed to read it. It gave eleven techniques to extend your life by at least twenty years and it was supported by statistics and survey reports. All the eleven techniques were related to love. It said that even caring for a pet animal releases a hormone in us that allows us to live at ease with our body. If caring for our pet animals does so much, surely caring for the husband or for wife will do a lot more!

The article also spoke of how people die early if they are single or widowers and how life is extended with love. It also spoke of how chances of getting cancer or depression are less when you have love in your life. Even what we call ordinary love, simple infatuation, can do miracles for our body and mind. It can give us a deep feeling of healing and wellbeing.

According to Tantra, five types of restlessness happen in a person and all of these can be healed by ordinary love, by the simple caring for one another. Once again, I am not speaking of spiritual love or devotion or selfless love. That comes later

Whose dust is it?

Words from the Master

Posted: 27 Nov 2009 02:16 AM PST

Another story:

God and all the scientists of the world had a meeting and a competition.
Whatever item that God made, the scientists reproduced it identically out of some material. The scientists were able to reproduce things with no problem.

Finally, God made man out of dust and challenged the scientists.
The scientists started to pick up dust…
God said, “Wait! Make it out of your dust, not mine!”

Man has to understand that Existence is the creator, the created and the creation. Only then can he simply start enjoying things without a care. Only then can he relinquish possession and doer-ship.

So understand: When you change your attitude from seeking discontentment, worries and depression, to seeking the present with gratitude, you will automatically be able to harness the energy of Existence better. You will then be able to appreciate Existence better and gratitude will then become your attitude.

______________________
This excerpt has been taken from the book: Guaranteed Solutions.

love vs non-violence

The only other time I have heard the sound of Pali is by S. N. Goenka, during the Vipassanna meditation binge.

Pali was spoken at the time of Buddha and Mahaveera. Both of them spoke in Pali, because they wanted to reach the masses.

I don't know if Swami Nithyananda understands Pali, but he utters it here as if it were his mother tongue. Something comes through and touches your core.

Swami translates from the Pali to English, and interprets the Jain sutras here, on non-violence as being better than love.

Love, at some point, can become possessive and may turn violent.

Non-violence, on the other hand, is a deeper promise.

"I will not hurt you."



We keep saying we love each other, and we keep swaying between caring and neglecting, between affection and shouting.

If only we could say, 'I will not hurt myself,' all else will fall in place.

If we start with non-violence, love will happen as a by-product. Because we start with love, we mess up.

....., etc,....

Only at a Satsang

Where else would you find all these beings sitting together quietly?

1. Beautician who colored my hair in the morning.
2. Old neighbor from downstairs.
3. Pavan's classmate's mom.
4. Creative Writing ex-student.
5. Estate agent who had walked in to ask for his due.
6. Dhobi couple who iron our clothes.
7. A young brahmachari, Maharaj from the Dhaynapeetam Ashram.
8. A Nithya Yoga Teacher.
9. me
10. Swami Nithyananda (in spirit, through photo.)

(I am not including the kids, because they were all over the house, they only came in for the prasad.)

Flood releif, please donate

We of the Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam Family are well aware of the terrible devastation caused by the floods in North Kannara and Andhra Pradesh.. While we ourselves give gratitude to Existence for being spared this onslaught of havoc, let's look within our hearts and dig deep into our pockets to contribute generously to swell the 10 lacs Swamiji has already mobilized ... let's create a huge fund so that the lakhs of people who have absolutely nothing left can begin to put their lives back together.

Sri Swatantra and Sri Sajeeva of Mysore are working alongside the Ashram round the clock for the Flood Relief Operations. Mysore collected 1.5 lacs in one day! Contributions of money only are being collected... materials for distribution are being sourced from wholesalers directly by the Ashram / Coordinators.

If material received as kind , then pls collect:

a) rice (reasonable quality) in 5 kg packets

b) wheat flour ..1 or 2 kg packs

c) cooking oil .. in 500g packets

d) salt ( in packets) ..500g packets

e) sugar .. 1/2 kg packets

f) sarees - new only. medium quality will do

g) blankets - new only. medium quality will do

• Items above form 1 pack for 1 family. we need to create the packets and then go.
• Each packet works out to approx: 150+50+40+2+16+100+125 = 500/- approx. say that by contributing 500/- people can sponsor 1family for 2 weeks at rock-bottom existence level!
• Please ask for contributions for 5 or 10 or more families wherever possible
• Cheques to be made out to: Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam
  
• for online donation, pls visit the website of the ashram: www.dhyanapeetam.org. Click on the link for 'donate for flood relief'.
• Enquiries can be mailed to swatantra: crjairam@gmail.com. or Sri Sajeeva at sajeeva64@gmail.com

Let each one of us be pillar in carrying out Swamiji's messages in action to the outside world..

Kannappa:The first eye donor and surgeon

About half-way around the Mountain Arunachala, on the Pradakshina road, is a path that goes in to touch His feet. There is an element of mystery to this path, it is shrouded with trees and one loses sight of the mountain as one goes near Him. After a good kilometer, one comes upon a quiet, and beautiful temple dedicated to someone called Kannappa. They say this is THE most powerful place of the Mountain, because the mountain is Shiva, and here are Shiva's feet, from where the blessings flow.

I always wondered why the best place was in such a remote corner, and why it was given away to this Kannappa.

To make the long story short, Kannappa got this corner because he was an uncivilized, meat eating hunter devotee. He was the best because he performed his own eye surgery, because Shivas eyes were bleeding. He is thus Lord Shiva's eye donor.

Best to hear the story from Swami Nithyananda :

Thank you, Ramesh

I was at Swami Nithyananda's ashram yesterday morning, around eight am, sitting under the Banyan tree in front of the dark and beautiful Dakshinamurthi, when I got an sms from an old friend, 'Are you awake?'

Suddenly, I was afraid. My friend is a Guru- Bandhu, someone I met in Ramesh Balsekar's Satsang. Ramesh had been unwell ever since Sharada passed away two months ago. I looked at Dakshinamurthi and felt my eyes go wet. I got up, hugged him (yes, you can hug this form) and drew the strength to make the call.

'Good Morning, Manju', she said cheerfully.

'Oh, Thank God. I was scared its some bad news.' I said.

'Bad news we have to prepared for, no? After all, he is not talking, he is very unwell, and his mind is alert, it must be so hard for him. For his sake, I hope he leaves the body soon.'

'I disagree. He is enlightened, he can take it. It's not just by talking that a master does his work. If you go and sit near him you will still feel the silence.'

'Yes, you are right. In fact, I am thinking of going to Mumbai to see him. One last time.'

'Do go. And give him my pranam.'

'I will.'

This was around eight in the morning. Around ten, I was sitting in the Anand Sabha of the Ashram, in front of Swamiji's photograph, waiting for a class in meditation therapy to begin. I looked at my silent mobile once again. There were two messages.

'Guruji passed away at nine this morning.'

'Ramesh Balsekar passed away at his residence at nine am. The funeral is at 4 pm.'

I covered my face and wept. I remembered Ramesh's feet, how I loved to look at them, to touch them.

I went near Swami's photograph and did a full prostration.

Thank you, Ramesh. For being the bright and beautiful light in a seekers life. Thankyou for welcoming me in your home day after day, year after year. Thank you for answering my questions, for treating me with so much respect, for cherishing my spiritual self. You gave us a space to sit, and that means so much for lost souls. You connected me with the sangha, the fellow seekers. All we had in common was you, and we became freinds.

Thank you for Ramana, for his photograph on your wall, which you pranamed every morning before the talk. Although you never spoke much of it, there was another photograph in your house. A fresh, sunlit mountain. Arunachala, Ramana's abode. Arunachala, Swami Nithyanandas spiritual incubator.

Thank you, Swami, for holding me in your lap when Ramesh passed away.

What a life! What a ride! Where Masters and Mountains, like mothers pass you on from one to another, watching over you as you play, until the time you can learn to fly.

the Divine feminine

Why I blog

Words from the Master

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 02:16 AM PDT

There is another, one more play of ego which we all nurture so well – what is called social ego.

What is this social ego?

You feel that your life is highly private to yourself and that no one should be let into it.

For example, people come to me to discuss their child’s erratic ways. But they are not comfortable when there are others around. You don’t want others to know about these things because you have this built up ‘image’ in the eyes of society for yourself and your family members. If you let people in on your family matters, you feel like you are exposing your whole self to them. You are afraid that your whole image might come crashing down and there will be nothing else to prop you up in society. This is social ego.

The image that you have so painstakingly built, the image which has become the identity with which you identify yourself in society, is at stake. It is more of an identity for yourself than for others! If you can show yourself and your family just as you are, you will be more relaxed because then there will be no pressure to cover up anything.

Of course, you might say, “Swamiji, the only reason we want to keep these things a secret is, we don’t want people to start gossiping about it.” Let me tell you: No one is qualified to talk about another. If they talk, they are fools. Remember this and automatically the power you give to them and their talk will simply disappear. It is you who have given them the power to affect you, is it not? Now, that power will disappear.

Just decide and live like an open book, that’s all. By seeing your courage and body language, people will automatically understand that it is not going to help gossiping about you! I tell you: To drop your social ego and live without any privacy, is a great liberation.

______________________
This excerpt has been taken from the book: Guaranteed Solutions.

Einstein's smart parrot

Whenever I would attend a discourse, I would always have a missionary zeal to share it with the Geek hubby. Unfortunately, all he could understand were the jokes. So I would quickly make notes of the jokes, my pen shaking with laughter.

Once upon a time, Einstein was on his way to give a lecture to an audience who had never seen him, or his photo. It is only now that all of us have seen his unkempt hairstyle photo. And, being the intelligent fellow that he was, Einstein was rather tired of having to repeat everything add infinitum.

He was cribbing to his driver that he was too tired to talk, when his driver offered to take his place.
'I have heard you countless times, I know it all by heart. Let me give the talk.'
'Ok', said Einstein.

So the driver got all dressed up, ruffled his hair, and went on stage. And he gave a wonderful talk, just like Einstein.

After the talk was over, someone asked a question.

'Oh, this is such a simple question, even my driver can answer it. Hey, driver! Answer the questions!'

Swamiji talks here of how to become an Avataar. But we cant copy him, cos we wouldn't know how to answer questions.

Stretch yourself as long as you can in your mind and iron out the yards of crumpled material in all directions.

I am dead I am I am

At Tiruvannamalai, for some of us seekers, it is considered cool to just be, to not follow any spiritual practice. Some of the masters like Ramana Maharishi, Nisargadutta Maharaj, and Ramesh Balsekar, we interpreted their teachings as a 'do nothing' philosophy.

In the Ramanashram, it is engraved on stone the process which Bhagwan went through and achieved self -realisation. When he was barely sixteen years old, fear of death overcame him. His response was to lie down and face it (!), and so he imagined the physical symptoms of death. His body being immobile, carried to the funeral pyre and then burning. After half an hour, he realized that which does not die, the everpresent 'I'.

I always thought this is the way it happened to one great soul, it was his time. I never realized that this could also be a meditation technique, a method, till I heard this talk on you tube.

The obsession with playing dead transcends Hinduism, or even kids. Some of the nuns follow the practice of lying in an open coffin for a couple of hours before sleeping. Some of the sufi's dig pits in the desert and go kaput. And a particular buddhist monk's initiation is done after he spends three months attending funeral pyres.

Swami Nithyananda also narrates how he overcame his fear of death at the Manikarna ghat, Varanasi, by watching dead bodies burning at the akhanda smashaan (continuously burning pyres).

One loses respect for death as one sees numerous bodies, of all shapes and sizes, going up in smoke. When so many of us die again and again, we have company, what is there to be afraid of.

When my sister was shooting her diploma film in the Film Institute, she needed a woman to play a dead body, wrapped up in white and tied to the wooden plank, being carried on four shoulders at the chanting of 'Ram Naam Satya Hai.'

I willingly offered to lie me down, tired as I was by all the running around! Although she was slightly un-nerved at the thought, my sister finally gave me the role, as there was no one else as eager.

And, although this happened much before I got into the seeking business, it was so beautiful to be still, and silent, and surrendering ...

Edited to add: After writing this post I did something I have been wanting to do since days: a half an hour session of Yoga.

I did only one asana, guess which?

Shavasana.

the laughing Buddha

Once there was a conference of Buddhist monks on the meaning of true spirituality.
Each monk went onto the stage and gave long speeches.
Finally, it was the turn of a Zen monk to speak.
He went on the stage and simply started laughing! He laughed and laughed…from his Being.
The laughter just rose from his belly. He started shaking uncontrollably with laughter.
And his laughter was so infectious that soon all the others in the room started laughing, without even knowing why!
Without their even being aware of it, the laughter of all the monks produced a huge wave of positive energy in the room.
The monks reached a state of tremendous elevation.
Their thinking was shattered and their Being was filled with bliss.
The Zen monk finally spoke, “This is true spirituality.”

Laughter is the highest spiritual quality. It can lead you to enlightenment! Laughing is a great healing energy. If you laugh at your sickness, you will become healthy. Laughter is a beautiful way of connecting with the Energy of Existence, which is pure healing Energy.

Hide and Seek in the darkness

Are you afraid of the dark? Of course not. You can walk at midnight on a totally dark road without increasing your speed, right?

Well...

Swamiji touches the tantra aspect in this video.

He brings me closer to Ramakrishna's Kali. Kali is darkness, he says. Look up at night, if it is a cloudy sky, there She is! Ever penetrating, the mother of light, there is nothing as deep as darkness.

Kali is the basic energy, the mother energy, on which the whole world is moving. She is the form of forms. Means, the form of every single object, the planets, the stars, we are all moving in darkness.

Space is darkness, the color of thoughtlessness is darkness.

This technique, of making friends with darkness, of not going to sleep as soon as you switch off the light, can heal insomnia, chronic fatigue and depression. This is the promise of Nithyananda Swami.

After I saw this video, I suggested to my kid that he call his friends to play Dark Room (hide and seek in darkness)! Since he could get only two of them from the neighborhood, he asked me to give up my comp and join them. :) It was very exiting, slightly scary and heart racing. I realized that as children, we flirted with the fear of dark by playing this game. Darkness is an essential, and equal partner in this game. We played with darkness, in darkness. It's beautiful, to visit childhood through understanding, and not just plain longing.

Tips at how to win this game: Stay put in your dark corner for the longest time possible and others are sure to come out of their holes and get ice-spiced.

Tips for how not to get hurt during this game: Don't run and try to dhappa by racing with the denner. Not if you are a fat mommy.

the healing tower

I attended a Kalpataru on 1st October last year, and 75% of my health problems were solved within the next two months. Mysterious things happened, like I became a partial bare footer, etc.

Some other miracles include surviving in Bangalore without a proper job, with the freedom to stay at home and watch swamiji's u tube videos to my hearts content. :)

On a serious note, Swamiji has done some incredible healings. Day before yesterday I heard of a first person narration of an old man, an ex serviceman, who had been suffering from insomnia for the last forty years. He was not allowed to go out of the house alone, because he was extremely short tempered and picked fights with unsuspecting people. Swamiji gave him three healings over a month and this fellow now sleeps without medicine, goes out alone, walks around the city to test his physical fitness levels.....

Healing, by the way, is just the hook, he is much much more than a doc.

The countdown has begun... just 2 days to go for Kalpataru ..... please call the numbers at the end of the page for tickets.

Kalpataru with Paramahamsa Nithyananda!

A wonderful opportunity to be in the Master's divine energy field for a whole day ... culminating with darshan to each participant from Paramahamsa himself...! Kalpataru is being conducted by Swamiji himself at the Ashram on Saturday 13 June 2009.

Come! Be blessed with the kalpataru darshan from living enlightened master, Paramahamsa Nithyananda.

Kalpataru is a unique one-day meditation program that guides you to blissful living. Through special guided meditations, Kalpataru prepares you to directly receive blessings and boons from a living enlightened being. It empowers you with the energy to align your intentions with your actions so you can live an beautifully integrated life with both 'outer' success and 'inner' bliss all at the same time!

Kalpataru sows in you the seeds of:

· Shakti – Energy... to change the things you need to change

· Buddhi – Intelligence... to know what need not be changed

· Yukti – Understanding. .. that whatever you may change, Existence itself is a continuously changing dream

· Bhakti – Devotion... to the eternally unchanging Truth

Mukti – Liberation... that happens when you experience the above in your life!

Kalpataru bestows upon you the energy to imbibe the right intentions in life & align every action with those intentions, so you live a conflict free life, what is called ‘Living Enlightenment’or Jeevan Mukti.

Important Information: To save waiting in lines and to get direct entry into the enclosure, Kalpataru contribution passes (tickets) of Rs. 1000/- each are now available with all Yogam host families - see attachment. More locations will be posted to this newsgroup very soon...

Yogam and several other programs in and around Bangalore have created significant awareness of the Master and His mission... many new seekers are keen to be in the presence of the Master... so please get in touch with all you know - tell them about Kalpataru with the Master...and ensure your ticket books are are all sold out...

For Kalpataru tickets please get in touch with the Yogam host family nearest you... or call at the numbers below...


For more information and tickets please call:

• Ma Nithya Akhila: 98802 03654
  
• Ravi 99808 44309
  

(there is a kalpataru in Mumbai, Baroda and Hyderabad in September, for his schedule, click.

Wonders of Oil-pulling

When I found myself forwarding this link to more than three people within an hour, I knew it was time to blogit.

Now that I am an author, how can I mention which of the problems below I have been helped with?

Oil Pulling ("OP") is reported to cure: Mouth & Gum Disease; Bad breath, Stiff Joints; Allergies; Asthma; High Blood Sugar; Constipation; Migraines; Bronchitis; Eczema; Heart, Kidney, Lung Diseases; Leukemia; Arthritis; Meningitis; Insomnia; Menopause (hormonal issues); Cancer; AIDS; Chronic Infections; Varicose Veins; High Blood Pressure; Diabetes; Polio; Cracked Heels.

Having read this list once more, I realize that one of my health problems (that I have overcome in the last three months of oil pulling) is not mentioned in it. Knee pain. I hope you are listening, MM?

Until now, I have convinced only one other person to pull oil. And he does it to remove the awful taste and feel in the mouth due to eating gutkha!

Here is the most interesting part of the article:

INSTRUCTIONS:

First thing in the morning, before brushing your teeth, eating or drinking, take 1 TBSP of either sesame or sunflower oil. Put the oil in your mouth, tilt your chin up and slowly swish, suck, chomp and pull through the teeth. Do this for at least 10 minutes. 15 - 20 minutes is better. You want the oil to become a thin, white foam when you finally spit it out. If it's still yellow, you haven't done it long enough.

You can do this 2 more times during the day if you want to detox faster. Make sure you do it on an empty stomach, however. Spit it out in the toilet when your mouth is full and rinse your mouth out well.

Follow by drinking 2 - 3 glasses of water.

DO NOT SWALLOW THE OIL.
It now contains parasites and bacteria!

DO NOT GARGLE IN THE THROAT -- THE OIL IS MEANT TO BE SWISHED IN THE MOUTH ONLY.

DO IT SLOWLY.

HOW IT WORKS:
The oil pulls all mucous, bacteria and toxins from your body through your saliva. According to Ayurvedic medicine, mucous is a poison that must be removed.

Note #1:
Keeping the chin tilted up makes sure the oil gets to the back molars.

Note #2:
The old school says that only sesame and sunflower oils produce favorable results. However, our readers report success using other oils too.

Note #3:
If after meals, wait at least 4 hours before you Oil Pull. After drinking, wait 1 hour.

Note #4:
A worsening of symptoms is an excellent indication that the disease/ailment is being cured.

Note #5:
Do not stop Oil Pulling if you feel aggravated symptoms or heightened side effects after a day or two. Your body is healing.

Note #6:
Will your dental fillings fall out? It's possible but highly unlikely unless there is pre-existing damage or loose fillings.

The oil will start to thin out after a few minutes because saliva is constantly being mixed in and swished about.

Excellent Oil Pulling Links for More Information:
(updated March 2, 2009)

http://www.oilpulling.org
http://www.oilpulling.org/opuniversalremedy.pdf
http://www.oilpulling.org/PULLING OIL_karacharticle.pdf

I was introduced to oil pulling by a fellow devotee of Swami Nithyananda. Later I read of it in the book, Living Enlightenment. Swamiji says that without our awareness, the tongue is constantly moving, even as we dream, due to the inner chattering. Oil pulling massages the tongue and brings to awareness its subtle movements. Consequently, our inner chatter is reduced.

And so, the oil pulling method suggested by Swamiji has an added input: Do not multitask while pulling. Do not watch TV, check your mail, cook your kids lunch or make tea. Sit in one place, chin up, look at a blank wall and pull oil. First thing in the morning.

Do not open the door or your neighbor will say Good Morning and you will only nod and go mmmm.

Intensity of the seeking

Intensity is more important than enlightenment itself. Because enlightenment is a verb, not a noun. It is the intensity of the seeker that determines his/her success.

But what exactly is this intensity?
Intensity is the passion to seek and the patience to wait balanced onto a neat rhythm.

Passion is good for outer world success. But too much passion leads to depression, stress, all the modern day problems. And patience without passion makes a person peaceful but it also leads to inertia, a kind of dullness.

Balanced together, passion and patience make a seeker intense.

This is the essence of Swami Nithyananda's talk we heard today, which he spoke a few days back in the US. The yoga sutras of Patanjali talks.

I had stolen a few looks at Papa (hubby) during the talk and seen his head nodding off to sleep. Which is why I was most surprised to hear him telling me this on the bus back home:

'I am ninety percent passion, and very little patience. You are exactly opposite. So we need to synergice ourselves with each other.'

'Yup. How?' I asked, all ears.

'I should listen to you and you should listen to me. Really listen.' he said, and proved that he was the same man I had long ago married.

Mahabharata unraveled

When Arjuna lay down his bow and arrows and asked Krishna, ' How can I fight them? They are my family, they are my teachers. How can I kill them?' , he was quite right, wasn't he? He was being compassionate, not ambitious.

Then why did Krishna make him fight?

Why did Krishna make Arjuna commit violent acts?

I don't think I can relate to this aspect of Krishna. In fact, I think after he left Vrindavan, I kind of feel disconnected with the King. He was so cute as a baby. He was such a wonderful lover. He played the flute, he was always up to mischief, he ate butter. Why did all that have to end? Why did he have to leave the Gopi's, who ran after his carraige as he left them for the city. In fact, I have heard that Radha got jaundice and died. And Krishna never even remembered her. He killed his uncle and became the King himself. He never ever came back to Vrindavan. Afterwords he got into gory politics, he engineered an entire war.

Whoever wrote the later part of Mahabharata wrote bull xxxx. Most probably the Vyasa who wrote about Krishna in Vrindavan wasn't the same who wrote the Mahabharata.

These were my thoughts till I saw this video. It's titled 'Deeper insights into the Mahabharata'. Swami Nithyananda clears all the above doubts and more.

The entire Mahabharata is a war fought for Arjuna's (and therefore ours), enlightenment. The Gita was just the initiation. The eleven crores of enemies in front of Arjuna are the negative thoughts which have to be fought with the good thoughts, which are lesser, only eight crores.

And yes, even our parents, teachers, all our social conditioning has to be overcome for us to be free.

Why are Drona, and Bhishma as dangerous as Duryodhana and Dushasana? Why are they on the same side? And why does the handsome and kind Karna also have to die? These are deep questions that haunts most seekers. Especially when we have to give up an old technique which worked for us once.

In the end, both thoughts, the good and the bad, have to die. The purpose of Krishna's incarnation on earth is to reduce the number of thoughts, the weight on our heads. :) .

And the king of Dwarka, he comes to hold the reins of Arjuna's chariot, to drive him around! Thank you, Swamiji, I was missing Krishna after he left the gopis.

This video is the first part, if you like it, watch the second and then the third.

a different take on children

If I had had my way on how he should spend his summer holidays, Pavan would have been here today. Its a seven day residential programme for kids. Click on the image to read. Among other things, kids are made to get up early and to wash their own clothes. I have also heard that they put sprinklers and music and kids dance under the water. Hopefully, next year I will send him.

As it is, its been tough to divide him between in-laws and parents. Why do parents only get their children during the school days? We also need to chill out with them, otherwise their opinion of us will confirm to being disciplinarians.

Here is a Nithyananda newsletter I received in the mail today. It made me think about how I whirled, for a few minutes, during the BSP last week, and the thought that kept repeating was, 'Yes, I am doing it. I can do this! ,' till fear of losing my balance overcame me and I held a hand of another dancer and slowly stopped whirling. Surprisingly, I did not feel dizzy.

Words from the Master

Posted: 30 Apr 2009 02:52 AM PDT

Swamiji, how can we protect our children from developing these kinds of problems?

To be frank, you cannot fully control it. You cannot control all of the child’s interactions with society. But there are some things you can practice at home.

As I said earlier, don’t suppress the child’s other half. Let it freely express and experience itself in different ways. Don’t teach it to be gender conscious.

Just allow the child to be its own natural self, giving it adequate opportunity to explore itself. Children when untouched by social conditioning are by nature so comfortable inside their own boundary.

You might have noticed babies playing with their genitals, or pulling their big toe to their mouth and doing similar other things. These things just show that they are so comfortable and loving inside their own boundary, exploring and enjoying. But we don’t allow them to do these things. We immediately stop them when they do these things. We tell them that it is wrong. It is good to allow them to explore.

And when it comes to their clothing, it is always better to dress them in single-piece clothing instead of two-piece clothing. The latter gives them a sense of dividing their body into two and with time, they forget and become insensitive to the lower half of their body. It is almost a division in their Consciousness. That is why today, if you are asked to visualize yourself, almost always, only your upper half will come to your mind. You simply neglect your lower half.

Just allow the child to be free in its ways, even if it means that you have to take certain risks. Children have with them a certain sense of intuition and instinct. So, you can take the necessary precautionary measures and allow them to explore.

Also, children are so total in their expressions. So don’t suppress them. They don’t know to bring in their mind and exhibit superficial or hypocritical behavior. We have all mastered the art of hypocrisy by allowing our mind to exercise restraint. We never express totally.

And, allow them to use both their hands freely. We all discourage them from using the left hand for various things. Why can’t the child be ambidextrous?! There is nothing wrong in it. Arjuna in the Mahabharatha was ambidextrous. Did you know that? When we hear of these things, we listen with awe but fail to understand that we are also perfectly capable of these things, if only we gave ourselves the chance!

One more thing: If you have noticed, all children enjoy whirling. Whirling is their way of allowing centering of their energy to happen. You can whirl freely only when your Manipuraka chakra around the navel is clean. Children are so innocent and worry-free and hence they are able to whirl effortlessly. But do we allow them to whirl? When we see them whirl, our head starts whirling and so we stop them! We tell them, “Sit in one place! It’s not good for health” and what not. I tell you, just allow them to whirl. Place a blanket beneath them so that even if they fall, they don’t get hurt.

One more thing: Never instill fear in your child! Let him be free; let him climb and fall a few times. If you constantly discourage the child, it can lead to various phobias like height phobia, darkness phobia and what not, which can later turn into fear of climbing, of taking unknown new decisions etc. Just follow these simple things. It will do.

Yes…?

Bhavam Madhuram

I am just back from a four day dip in bliss. All we did was talk about the different bhavas, or bombs that explode your consciousness, or paths to the Beloved. The meditations we practiced were more powerful than anything I have ever done, or imagined in my life. Some meditations were something I might have wanted to do, but never had the guts. And some of the tations I have done earlier, but never knew why.

Yes, this spliff has a name. Bhakti Spurna Programme. Designed by Swami Nithyananda, conducted by Gyanananada Maharaj. Don't go by his name, he is a very sweet fellow. He flooded us with stories of his transformation, how he met the master, the ashram life, all those juicy bits.

The last I read about the five different bhavas was in the Gospel of Shree Ramakrishna. I remember feeling that the explanations were too short. In a two volume book set of a thousand pages, only half a page had the bhavas. Many a times I have visited that page, willing the saint to come out of the book and tell me more.

Well, finally he listened to me.

There are five bhavas, Vatsalya, Matru, Dasa, Sakha and Madhur. Here are a few thoughts and impressions I went through over the last four days, regarding the bhavas.

Vatsalya bhava: Looking at God / Existence as a child. (Vatsalya = motherly)

ex: Yashoda with Krishna.

image: Yashoda running behind Krishna with butter in her hand. Yashoda is the universal mother.

tation: Sit for a few minutes and feel that you are the mother of all existence. Then walk out the door, barefoot (Yes!) , and feel the child in all objects, animate and inanimate, that you encounter.

my experience: I hugged a tree, let some tears flow down the bark, and then I sat under it and felt child earth, with all my four paws, told her not to run around the sun so fast, and scolded her for continuously fighting with little moon. Then I went into a corner of the building (because swamiji has said somewhere that there are so many corners that we never step onto) and patted the half tiles on the floor.

Then I came back to my seat and took out my child from my purse and read a few lines from it that represented Vatsalya bhava eggjactly.

Here is an excerpt from my book, A Grasshopper's Pilgrimage:

(The protagonist is sitting in a busy restaurant with a group of friends, in Tiruvannamalai, the Mountain town.)

I got up from the table and walked towards the kitchen. Young girls were hurrying in and out with trays of food. I was wondering if I could order a cup of coffee.

And then I saw it.

On a table near the kitchen door, a tray with used cups next to him, a baby was howling away. All alone.

I looked around. No one was bothered; they were either too busy or not concerned.

I went near him and touched him. He screamed louder. A stink told me he had done the deed. Yuk! What to do?

“Would you mind washing him in the toilet, please?” An extremely hassled foreigner holding a steaming tray of food made this request.

“Ya sure!” How could I say no to a German?

I picked up the screaming babe, held him slightly away from my body and went to the loo. I opened the tap and held his butt under it, his head resting on my elbow. I looked away. Aagh! Yuk!

“You will have to remove the knickers first.” This was Jonathan giving directions from the door.

By the time it was done, he was wet and naked, yelling on top of his voice.

“He is a boy!” Jonathan said, with pride.

“Will you get a towel from somewhere, please?” I had to shout to be heard.

A towel came, along with a bottle of warm milk.

Five minutes later there was silence, as the babe sucked on the nipple, wrapped in the towel, settled on my lap. Why did it feel like such an achievement?

After the milk, he was silent, his eyes closed. I gazed at his face. He was fair, with a big forehead. He smiled and opened his eyes, looking straight at me. The look lasted about ten seconds. Neither of us blinked. Then he closed his eyes and smiled off to sleep.

His name was Hansraj and he was six months old. My name was Gopika and I was his slave.

Wayne had flashed me a glimpse of what it could be to hold a babe; the Mountain plonked a divine child in my lap. Just looking at him smile was darshan. Now I know how artists sculpt god’s face. They have a baby at home.

I spent almost all my day with him. I took him to the ashram, to different tea shops, to the satsangs in town. Since it was difficult to remove my sandals holding a child, I would leave them back in the room. This was my new sadhana, walking barefoot in Tiru with a babe in my arms.

Matru bhava: Looking at God as a mother.

ex: Ramakrishna's obsession with Kali Maa

At first glance, this bhava is synonymous with the bundle of joy that is childhood. Carefree, playful, innocent, naughty. No thoughts for the morrow, Mum and Dad take care of it all. And how does a child deal with pain? With integrity and intensity. There he works hard, he bawls out loud.

Cry to God with yearning and you shall surely see him, Ramakrishna said . Cry to the universal mother with the intensity of a lost child and be comforted. Lose all self respect or stiffness that being an adult has baggaged you with. Howl it all out. Works better than any pranayama in cleansing out the heaviness.

Dasa Bhava : Looking at God as Master (Dasa = servant)

ex. Hanuman with Rama, Ananda with Buddha, Shabari with Rama, etc.

All these bhavas are about how to drop the mind, the ego. Dasa bhava is a powerful tool of transformation. I mean, look at Hanuman. The man flew holding up a mountain in one hand! From North India to South India!

Those who experience work as worship, the karma yogis, jell with this bhava. ' Sharanam '
is the mantra here, and the trick and the ticket.

Job-jumping grasshoppers like me should keep there mouth shut on this bhava, me thinks. I could never surrender to my boss.

Sakha Bhava : Looking at God as a friend.

ex. Krishna and Arjuna

This bhava breeds an attitude of friendliness to everyone around us. Friendship, I used to think, is all about togetherness and communication. However, it is also about freedom. When I came home last night and told my husband that he is free to be as he is, his happiness knew no bounds.

Adding the dimension of friendliness can deepen any relationship. When God comes down as a guru, you get a friend who accepts you with all your faults.

Madhur Bhava: Looking at God as a divine lover. (Madhur = sweet)

ex. Radha and Krishna, Gopis and Gopala, Shiv and Parvati, Meerabai, etc.

This is my favorite bhava. For one, there is no doership here. Action happens. The Gopi leaves the pot of milk boiling on the fire and runs out the door when Krishna plays his flute.

And two, all unnecessary thoughts disappear. A Gopi was calling out to Radha when Radha was immersed in Krishna consciousness. Radha did not respond. Instead of taking her to an ear specialist, like my mother would have done, the Gopi called out, 'Krishna!' And tricked Radha into attention.

Third, there is no question of 'will he, wont he.' Parvati does not take no for an answer. Even from an ascetic like Shiva himself.

Which is why, a bhakta is never worried about enlightenment. Because bhakti itself is the promise, it is the shehnai playing before the wedding.

Here is song from my book. If I could sing it to you...

I am that I am,

I am that I am.

Soham Shivoham,

Soham Shivoham

I hear the silence calling me,

So softly calling me.

I hear the silence calling me,

To the place where I have always been.

I am burning and burning,

I am burning and burning in your grace.

Surrender to thy Mystery,

Awaken to your Beauty...

I hear the silence calling me...

So softly calling me

I hear the silence calling me...

To the place where I have always been.

Soham Shivoham...

Soham Shivoham

I am that I am