Over and over again, analyze the words you utter about wealth. I have seen that many times, you start enjoying poverty because of the self-pity it brings you.
One of the important lessons you need to learn is that integrity creates wealth. You think only people without integrity get wealth. You say that you don’t have wealth because you practice integrity. You are wrong! Only people with integrity will be able to have wealth and celebrate it. When you make money without integrity, you will never be able to live with it.
What is Your Relationship With Wealth?
With integrity, you will also build the right relationship with wealth. If you look within, you will realize that sometimes, if there is any wealthy person in your life who is arrogant, you feel it is the wealth that made him this way. This is how you end up hating wealth. So you start living without wealth because you are afraid that wealth will make you arrogant too.
If someone chooses to be arrogant, he will find a way to express it. If he isn’t wealthy, he will use his youth or even his poverty to turn arrogant. With wealthy people, because they have had a lot of experience with the society and have been beaten up by the society, atleast they are polite and polished. But these so-called poor people are so arrogant, they demand a hundred times more than what they can take responsibility for, and then they say, ‘Because I am poor, you are not ready to give me this.’
Being Poor is Not Right!
Some time when you were young, you started believing that to be in poverty means to be right. Wealthy people are frauds and liars. They have cheated others and have accumulated their wealth. The “have-nots” have a deep hatred for the “haves”, and constantly spread rumours about them. Even if a rich man is your closest friend and you know that he has done nothing illegal to accumulate his wealth, you enjoy these rumours so that you can justify why you don’t have what he has. You do not want to accept that he took responsibility for his life and you did not take responsibility for yours. The people who carry a deep hatred for the “haves” neither take the responsibility to create wealth, nor allow the ones who have taken the responsibility to enjoy their wealth peacefully. This is called “poverty consciousness”.
Take the Responsibility for Wealth!
You have the greed for wealth, but you have not taken the responsibility to create it. So you give many valid reasons for why you don’t have wealth. You follow the concept of “work not done plus valid reason is equivalent to work done”. This is called a slave mentality. Your inauthenticity adds even sacredness to your poverty. You believe that you are too spiritual to create wealth. If that is the case, why do you have to brag about your poverty? You create an identity around your poverty and brag about it in the same way that wealthy people create an identity around their wealth. This is the worst kind of identity that you can create, and it is just as bad as cheating and destroying others’ wealth.
Build wealth based on your ability to create and maintain. Anything which is an extension of your personality is your muscle. Anything which is forced on you from the outside is cancer. I know the power of Lakshmi. When you are able to create and maintain, when you have respect for her and for the wealth, nobody can snatch it away from you. It is an extension of your personality.
Living enlightenment means living a conflict free life. It is living without any conflicts, completely at ease with your body, mind and the surroundings – what you experience as the outer world. Many people come and ask me, ‘Swamiji, how can we be conflict free in this world filled with conflicts? Only when the whole world is silent, happy, blissful I can be conflict free.’ No! Understand, it is never going to happen.
Once one child was waiting on the seashore. His mother asked him, ‘Why are you waiting? Why don’t you take a bath?’ He replied, ‘ No, no. First let all the waves settle down then I’ll take a bath.’
It is never going to happen!
Only when you start becoming conflict free, suddenly the world which you experience becomes conflict free. This is the only possibility.
First let us talk about the conflict with another person – conflict happens only when there is ego. Always both the sides are responsible for the conflict – because even if one side does not have ego, conflict will not happen. For a conflict two egos are required who are not ready to resolve the situation, who lack integrity, authenticity, responsibility (or not taking responsibility for others irresponsibility), and do not carry the space of enriching the other – only when there is a lack of all the four, conflict is possible.
The other type of conflict is due to a situation in your life. When you clean your inner space with the power of integrity you will realize that all the contradictions, conflicts, and confusions you carry are responsible for your whole life, for all your actions, all the reactions you attract from others, all the happenings of life. Integrity will automatically teach you to take responsibility. You will understand that for everything happening in and around you, you are responsible. Conflict happening outside is nothing but a reminder of the conflicts and incompletions which are there inside. Whenever a conflict happens, scan your inner space to see where you are lacking completion, or where you are not living the four tattvas.
Take the responsibility for all the conflicts in your life, with people or with situations. Bring integrity to you in your inner space by doing swapoornatva kriya, or completing with yourself. Drop all the negative patterns you created in you, which you now feel as a part of you, and create a complete you. Out of that completion, whatever you project to the outer world you will experience that without conflict. This is because when there is no inner conflict there will be no outer conflict. Not having any inner conflicts and because of that not having any outer conflicts is advaita. That is shuddha advaita (pure advaita), Shiva advaita.
The more and more complete you are with yourself and with others, the more and more you will experience the world also as conflict free. Living a conflict free life in your body, mind and what you experience as the world – I am not using the words ‘the whole world’, I am using the words ‘what you experience as the world’ – is living enlightenment.
Adapted from the teachings of Paramahamsa Nithyananda
Living with intensity is to live without inner or outer conflict. When a person is strongly connected with an idea or thought, they feel they can overcome any obstacle. They can flow towards the positive achievement of their goals. However, people can also intensely create conflict. This is not the expression or radiation of true living energy within the self. Intense people who constantly create conflict can be described as people who are not flowing smoothly with people and life. They have the intensity, but it is used to create blocks and obstacles. There is no flow or natural expression of life energy.
In the Shiva sutras, intensity is described as a form of living energy that rises and flows through the seven chakras in the body, which are the main energy centers. This form of energy does not create conflict but flows smoothly and strongly. It can be described as a river which flows intensely and smoothly through various paths and courses to reach the ocean. It is indeed remarkable, that rivers always find their way to the ocean, without any navigators. It is so intense in its purpose, that even when an obstacle presents itself, it flows around, to reach the ocean. The river, unlike the human ego, does not get hurt when an obstacle presents itself. Often times, human beings feel hurt by an obstacle on their path and stop flowing. They then become like a lake that has decided to remain where it is, without achieving its goal.
If like the river, people decide to continue persistently on their path, making necessary modifications or turns on their life course as and when necessary, they will achieve their goals. If obstacles frighten or hurt the ego, then people may stop flowing completely. This can lead to stagnation in growth and possibly depression and frustration.
There are people who are intense but who lost the ability to flow; similarly, there are people who just flow but are not intense. In Sanskrit there is a word – “Jnanavarishta bhakti”, used by the famous Indian enlightened master Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. This means that it is important to have devotion or deep bhakti, but it is also important to have the intensity with knowledge. It is important to have both the qualities of intensity and flow to achieve life’s goals.
Meditation Technique to Raise Awareness and Life Energy
Close your eyes and sit with your spine straight.
Inhale and exhale as slowly as possible but as deeply as possible.
Visualize yourself as a light ball in the Mooladhara chakra or root center, at the root of the spinal cord. Forget all other parts of your body. Forget everything. Just be the light. (duration: one min)
Intensely bring your awareness, bring yourself to the Swadhishtana chakra, two inches above the root center. Be there. Be in the Swadhishtana intensely. Forget the other centers, other parts of the body. Just be in Swadhishtana, spleen center. (duration: one min)
Slowly move up to the Manipuraka chakra or the navel center. Now be intensely present in the navel center. Let your livingness be in the navel center. (duration: one min)
Move to the Anahata chakra or the heart center and stay there intensely. (duration: one min)
Move to the Vishuddhi Chakra or the throat center. Live intensely now in the throat center. Let the intense light ball be in the throat center, which is you. (duration: one min)
Move your energy to the brow center or ajna chakra. Be centered on the third eye, Ajna chakra. Be living in the Ajna chakra. (duration: one min)
Slowly, but intensely, bring yourself up. Lift yourself up to the Sahasrara chakra, the crown center. Be intensely present in the form of light in the crown center. (duration: one min)
Relax.
Taken from Nithyananda’s Discourse on the Shiva Sutras in November, 2007 delivered in Los Angeles, California, USA
Any cognition you make out of unawareness and incompletion, which comes back to you again and again in some form or the other, is a pattern or “samskara”. Cognition is any idea, perception, understanding, opinion or statements you create inside yourself. If you look in, you will see, your life is nothing but a bunch of patterns. From waking up in the morning to working in office, to interacting with people, to going to sleep, most of your actions are carried out in a pre-programmed manner. There is very little space for Life to happen to you, because you define the boundaries of your life with your patterns.
You start defining your life with your patterns.
For example, if you feel you lose your patience very quickly, that is a pattern. If you feel you have stage fear, that is also a pattern. If you feel you always fail in everything you do, that is also a pattern. Anything that stops you from expanding and making progress in the inner world or the outer world, is a pattern.
You are Not Born with Your Patterns
You are not born with the patterns. Please understand, when you are not born with a certain pattern, it means it is created inside you. Anything created can be changed. One of the biggest problems you face is, “I understand what is right and what is wrong, but I forget and do my own thing!” This is the one statement I hear from everybody every day, “I understand what is right and wrong, but when it comes to actions, I act as per the old patterns.” Now you can destroy the old one and create the new pattern. But constantly, for years and years and years, you go on cribbing – “No, I know what is right, what is wrong. But I cannot do, I cannot look, I cannot understand, I cannot change..!”
A small story:
One guy during the lunch time in his office, opens his lunch box and says, “Oh God, today again the same potato, brinjal and tomato rice.” Anyhow he eats it. Next day, again he opens his lunch box and starts crying, “Same potato, brinjal and tomato rice!” All his friends are really worried now. Third day again he opens his lunch box and exclaims, “Oh God, same potato, brinjal and tomato rice!” His friends started asking him, “Your wife doesn’t like you? Is there any fight going on between you and your wife? Why is she sending you the same food everyday knowing that you don’t like it?” That fellow says, “No I am not married. I cook for myself.”
Buddhi – intelligence – means knowing clearly, “Anything I created I can destroy and create something new.” Every time you think, “I cannot, I cannot, I cannot”, you are giving strength to your ignorance. When you say, “I can, I can, I can”, you are giving strength to your buddhi. Clearly recognizing that your patterns were created by you, and can be destroyed, is acting from buddhi.
When you become responsible for the words you utter to you and to others what do you think will happen? Reduction in the words in your inner space will happen. The amount of inner chatter that goes on continuously inside you will lessen considerably.
“Yogah pratavam dwaram vannirotah” – The first step towards yoga is the reduction in the words you create. When you bring integrity, automatically the words inside and outside will drop drastically. When you bring awareness to what you are saying and committing to, your authenticity will increase and your capacity to fulfill your word will also increase. It becomes a beautiful, enriching virtuous circle that begins when you practice integrity.
Integrity Kills Inner Chatter
Words that are clearly expressed with awareness create fulfillment. The word that is perverted and hurting yourself is guilt. The word that is hurting others is violence. The word that goes on expanding you is desire. The commitments that constantly keeps you in a state of completion and expansion is integrity. If you just decide, ‘From this moment I will honour the words I utter to others and me as my life!’, the inner thoughts and inner chattering will drastically reduce. A huge breakthrough in your thinking process will happen because the moment you become aware of the thought or word you give to you and others, you will know whether your thought is from ego, jealousy or arrogance and immediately you will complete it, correct it. You will create so much good health in you with this breakthrough in your thinking. Each new cell created in the space of integrity will transform your body so that it expresses vibrant health.
Unclutch!
Someone recently asked me a question about unclutching: ‘The moment I sit for unclutching I have more thoughts, more problems! Swamiji,what should I do next time I sit for meditation or unclutching?’
How will you not have? Unclutching is not switching off the electricity to your house. It is the cleaning, sweeping and wiping of your house. It is not like electricity where you will switch off and then unclutch. No. It is cleaning and sweeping and wiping. First listen to your inner space. Listen! That is the first step for meditation, for your life.
With integrity literally you will clean your inner space of all the unwanted beliefs that you constantly carry. The strong belief you carry that you are a failure will continuously lead you to failure. When you start living in integrity you will diagnose those self fulfilling negative prophecies that you constantly feed to yourself and remove them from your inner space.
The process of initiation and how it creates transformation in people has baffled spiritual seekers and skeptics alike for ages. Recent scientific research studies have begun to solve this mystery by revealing findings that show a connection between verbalization and the human DNA. Russian scientists have revealed that the human DNA is a biological internet, with evidence that DNA can be influenced and reprogrammed by words and frequencies. This modern scientific insight has been known to the vedic rishis (sages) from time immemorial and has been passed down through the ages from one spiritual master to the next. Raghupati Yogi, Nithyananda’s spiritual master, would tell him that learning the Sanskrit language and changing Sanskrit mantras (a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of creating a spiritual transformation within the individual) was yoga for the brain. Nithyananda realized that this was true when he noticed this phenomenon during the days while he was wandering the length and breadth of India as a monk. He saw that people who spoke in a cultured language behaved and lived culturally. The standard of the language a person spoke directly influenced the manner in which that person thought and lived his life. He found that language and words are nothing but the reflection of our DNA.
The other important discovery made by these scientists is that our DNA can be reprogrammed by speech, when words are modulated on correct carrier frequencies. Nithyananda explains this further and says that when the Upanishads (collection of spiritual texts which form the basis for the Hindu religion) are chanted by a group of people whose DNA is already altered, even the cosmic DNA can be altered. This truth was implemented in the Vedic tradition by mantra chanting and homas (rituals in which offerings are made into a consecrated fire) to bring rain. Our DNA can also be reprogrammed by simply being in the presence of already reprogrammed DNA. The space that is reprogrammed by the reprogrammed body of the Master is called an “energy field”. Just living in that energy field can simply reprogram any individual’s DNA.
The discoveries presented by these researchers clearly prove how affirmations and words from enlightened masters directly affect one’s body and mind. This research also proves that when someone listens to the great truths directly from an enlightened Master, it becomes a part of their DNA and that is the reason why millions of people are transformed when they listen to the words of the Master. This is how Masters’ words directly give experience to people.
Nithyananda reveals that this process is called “initiation”. Initiation is like lighting a lamp from a fire that is already lit. A lamp can only be lit from a fire or another lit lamp. Similarly, only the reprogrammed DNA of an enlightened being can transmit the right words and frequency into another individual and reprogram their DNA. Any individual’s DNA can be reprogrammed by the right words, right chanting and the right initiation from an enlightened master. In the Inner Awakening program conducted by Nithyananda, every session is an initiation. The DNA of every participant gets reprogrammed for enlightenment. Initiation enables the participants to have a glimpse of living enlightenment during the program.
Adapted from the teachings of Paramahamsa Nithyananda
Aghoris are simple beings or beings who live with complete simplicity. Today, we have complicated religion to a very large extent. We perform rituals, ceremonies and practice techniques in a roundabout way to achieve health and wealth. But I tell you, religion is not meant just for health and wellness. Its main purpose is to help you break your negative mental patterns and achieve the ultimate. Health and wellness should only be a by-product. Aghoris directly work on breaking these patterns and simplifying religion. They don’t do things in a roundabout way.
Aghoris are not dream sellers. Anybody who sells you a technique and asks you to go on practicing it, assuring you that one day God will give you enlightenment, is a dream seller. I always tell people to work with unclutching for just 10 days. If it works, it works, otherwise forget about it. In 10 days itself, you will see a major breakthrough. When you experience the breakthrough, you are growing. If you tell an Aghori that God is all powerful and if you pray to him he will come and bless you, he will simply laugh at you. Like I said, Aghoris are not dream sellers.
The Nature of Aghoris
Aghoris can often seem like nightmares. They are embodiments of Lord Shiva walking on the planet, trying to wake people up. If you are too attached to life, then even the very sight of an Aghori will frighten you. Today, I see how people have lost connection with simplicity. Everything is seen with perversion. Aghoris are a tradition who are straightforward and simple. They are the embodiment of simplicity. Their way of thinking is beautiful, simple, innocent and straightforward.
The Attitude of an Aghori
An Aghori will directly work on his patterns. If an Aghori carries hatred towards something, he will eat what he hates. If he has any violence in him, he will learn to love that violence in order to let go of it. If he loves something and thinks it’s binding him, he will immediately throw it away. They don’t believe in gradual liberation by letting go of an object mentally but keeping it with them physically. They let go of everything they like and expose all their five senses to what they hate.
If an Aghori has a blockage in his heart then he will open his heart, clear the blockage, and then stitch it back. They don’t even bother taking anaesthesia. And yet, they know exactly how to treat the blockage. They go into the depths of fear and face it, to the depths of hatred and let go of it, to the depths of suffering and come out of it, to the depths of pain and go beyond it. When an Aghori can’t wake up in the morning, he simply stops sleeping. They do not postpone things. This is the attitude of an Aghori.
Aghoris as Seen by the World
No other sampradaya (tradition) expressed as many extraordinary experiences and strong enlightenment experiences as Aghoris did. Aghoris are often projected as India’s wrong side by many people, or the side that needs to be covered up. As the only Aghori who is in the world’s most influential 100 Gurus, who is courageously boldly associating himself with Aghori sampradaya, I tell you Aghoris are the pride of India, they are the pride of Vedic tradition.
From My Own Experience
When I was in college, I used to wake up at 4 A.M. in the morning and meditate till 8 A.M. in padmasana (yogic posture). My roommates started to shiver after watching me meditate. They started to move out of the room because of me and spreading rumours that I was a yogi and they should stay away from me or else I would curse them.
I asked them why they called me a yogi when I didn’t even express any extraordinary power. They said “If you are not a yogi, how are you able to sit from 4 to 8 in the morning without moving?”. This shocked me. I could not understand how they found this unusual. Later, when I started contemplating about this,I realized that even sitting is a difficult task. Humans are hypnotized by the concept of conscious, subconscious and all this nonsense. Human civilization has already made you believe something before you actually tried it. When you have so much dirt inside, how do you expect to sit peacefully? Aghori sampradaya can flourish only in a civilization where this nonsense of unconscious and subconscious is not taught. You are an integrated individual. What you want, you achieve, that’s all. This is the basis of the Aghori sampradaya. Unfortunately, humanity is not at this zone. I still cannot understand when somebody says, ‘I want to do it, I cannot do it’. That word is the enemy of Aghori sampradaya. The Maha Vaakya ( great declaration) of Aghori sampradaya is “Simply do it”. If you go to an Aghori and tell him how much you fear death, he will simply ask you to go through the death experience itself.
But Aghoris never ever interfere in others’ life, never cherish enmity or hatred towards anybody. They are compassionate people, like Shiva. If you go and tell them “Oh I am too attached to my bed, my home, my car”, they will tell you to sleep in the cremation ground, that’s all. The basic requirement for the Aghori Sampradaya is the clarity that you are an individual integrated being – what you want, your body does. What you want your mind does, what you want you do! Meditate on this three words and do it !
Taken from Nithyananda’s esoteric evening talks in March – April 2012, delivered at the Bidadi Ashram, Bangalore, India
Nithyanandam! Would you like to introduce yourself ?
I am Sushant Shreshtha. My spiritual name is Sri Nithya Omkara Priyan.
What does it mean?
Omkara is the primeval sound. Nithya Omkarapriyan is the eternal lover of the primeval sound.
When did you get your spiritual name?
I was in Bidadi, India, attending a 21 day meditation workshop called ‘Inner Awakening’ or ‘IA’ with Swami Paramahamsa Nithyananda. I got a spiritual name as a part of that meditation workshop from the coolest guru ever!
Interesting. Can you tell us more about yourself ?
I’m originally from Kathmandu, Nepal. I am currently living in San Jose, USA. I’ve been living here for 12 years. I am doing my Masters in Integral Studies at JF Kennedy University & working there as well. Before that I did my Bachelors in Management & Finance – from Concord University, Virginia, USA.
What do you do apart from work ?
I play music and write poetry. Reading is a passion as well. I am also into free masonry.
What kind of music do you play ?
My music is about writing words and putting music to it. It is poetic music. Poetry is written music. So, my music is more mellow & relaxing
You had mentioned a program you attended in India, what made you attend IA ?
Living my passion has been the theme of my life for the last few years. I wanted to understand what it really means to live my passion. What made me go to India was this longing to be in a place where I can fully express myself & truly understand myself.
What did you discover?
On a mental level, a clarity about how I want to live my life. On a physical level, an intense training about how to keep my body healthy. On a deeper level it was an intense understanding about who I am.
Sounds profound. What changes did the program make to your life ?
I can be totally confident about what I want to do now. As an example, I was holding off a project I wanted to do for a few years. I was not able to do it because I was not confident about it and still had questions in my mind. After IA, I got a clarity that I am not different from my world, I AM my world. I can do whatever I want to do in my life.
So if you had to describe yourself and your life before IA & after IA in one word each, what would it be?
Myself before IA: Confused.
Life before IA: Overwhelming.
Myself after IA: Passionate.
Life after IA: An expression of that passion
You said that you discovered what you really want to do in life, how did that happen? It is not that simple for most people.
To me it is really that simple. When we are growing up, we know what we want to do. As a child, I always loved poetry, which was not a popular thing for a guy. While my friends played basketball, I played along with them & then wrote poetry by myself. I always knew that I wanted to do something creative. At that time it was poetry; later, music. The theme was always creating, expressing in different ways. In IA, I got it reconnected to that which was already there. So, to me it is that simple. We have added so much confusion to our lives which should be washed out.
Do you feel that there has been any difference in your creativity with respect to your music, post IA ?
In these 21 days, I went into the corners of my mind & discovered the creativity which I had never explored before. It’s a different level.
Has there been any remarkable difference in your lifestyle, after IA ?
Yes, definitely. The greatest change has been my lifestyle. I have slept for about 3 hours in last 2 days & I’m not tired. My energy level in my everyday activities has changed phenomenally. There is a zeal for life, like never before.
What was it like living around an enlightened master for 21 days?
It was inspirational to get a glimpse into my own potential,
It was devotional to be able to experience something higher than myself
It was emotional, learning about my past and letting go of what was holding me back
It was totally ecstatic, with dance, music and celebrations
It was exciting travelling with Swamiji to all different places
It was like I was effortlessly being in meditation.
What would you say was the most memorable or interesting part of IA ?
Definitely the energy darshans. They happen after a day of meditations which give us an understanding & inquiry into our past, present and future and kriyas which break the wrong patterns. The energy darshans are a different space.
What was your best take away from IA?
Best take away from Inner Awakening can be described in just one sentence: it is not like we have different mental patterns. We ARE patterns.
How so?
Every action or reaction in our thought process or our ideas about life is coming from such a deep conditioning from our society. IA was to take a break from that for 21 days and look at life in a different way. Basically it’s a choice: You want a life, or a life of patterns ? Red pill or the blue pill ?
Relationships are not something separate from you; they are the very extension of you. The best relationships start when you have a great relationship with yourself. If you are unable to be in restful awareness, if you don’t have the ability to sit with yourself silently, you should know that you do not have a good relationship with yourself. First you have to build your relationship with yourself.
If you are feeling powerless in your relationships, be very clear that you are powerless in your relationship with yourself. Your relationship with yourself and your relationship with others both happen from the same space. If you are feeling powerless in your relationship with others, you will be suffering from the same powerlessness in your relationship with yourself.
Just look in, see the ideas you carry about you. How many of you suffer with a deep distrust over yourself that you cannot raise yourself to a higher level? Why? Understand, this is because you are not consistently, continuously enriching yourself and raising yourself to the next level. You gave up on yourself. Your relationship with you, by you, lacks enriching. You are not in completion with yourself. Raise Yourself By Yourself!
Lord Sri Krishna says again and again in the Bhagavad Gita:
If you are continuously raising yourself by yourself, you are your friend; if not, you are your enemy.
You need to feel empowered and powerful in your relationship with yourself and others. Tirelessly facing your own inauthenticity and aligning yourself to your responsibilities is the only way you can build your relationship with yourself. If you are not ready to face your inauthenticity, who in the world do you think is going to face it? That is why everybody turns their face away from you. You continuously cry, ‘Everybody is turning their face away from me, nobody loves me, nobody relates with me’. There is so much inauthenticity in you that even you don’t want to look at it, then why will anyone else look at it? Only when I was able to be completely comfortable with me, the world was comfortable with me. When you are complete with you, the world will be complete with you. When you are incomplete with you, the world will be incomplete with you. Completion with your own self is Satori; completion with the world is Samadhi (high consciousness state of oneness with the world). Completion with your own self is Pratyag atma Chaitanya Jaagrati (awakening of the individual consciousness); completion with the cosmos is the experience of Brahmanyam Bahuputrataam (I am the favourite inheritor of the cosmos)!
Conflict in Relationships
Your inauthenticity is again and again exposed to you whenever there is a conflict in your relationships. You need to take up integrity as a principle to live by, as a space from which you operate. I am not making a statement that integrity should be there just in your actions. Integrity has to be there in the very space from which you act; the space where your cognition happens. When you bring integrity, you will heal all the damage you caused inside you as well as outside you due to the relationships. It will remove the ignorance you had in the zone of relationships. Your ignorance in the space of relationships not only causes damage in others, it causes damage in you also. When you cause any damage in your spouse, mother or father, be very clear, you cause damage in yourself also. This is because your father, mother and spouse – all the relationships you have – decide the confidence and the energy you have about yourself.
One of the important healing factors in relationships is the other person feeling confident that you are transformed, that you are going to be different in the future. To tell you honestly, nobody is too serious about the past hurt. Everybody is only interested in the future. If you give them the confidence and assurance that the future is going to be really transformed, there is nobody who is not ready to heal their past or drop their past. Everyone is waiting to drop their past and relate with you in a new way. When you bring integrity, first thing that will happen is that you will give the confidence to others that they can expect a new you in their life, a new transformed being in their life. Then, suddenly even you will trust that your transformation is real. How You Can Be Integrated In Your Relationships!
The first thing you should do when you start living your life is to find the root thought pattern which is causing you suffering and complete with yourself, do svapoornatva (a spiritual process given by Nithyananda which involves talking to your own self in front of a mirror*). That completion gives you the courage to relate with people with integrity and authenticity. People are afraid to relate with other human beings. Even when you go to meet your friends you prepare all the statements you have to tell him. Why can’t you be spontaneous? Even to meet with your friend why do you need so much of preparation? Why do you need so much of inauthentic strategy planning?
It is so unfortunate the trust level between friends has dropped because your trust on yourself is compromised. You are afraid even of your own self. You don’t sit spontaneously. Even with yourself, you rehearse and talk. That is why you can’t talk spontaneously with others.
What is Personality?
What you believe yourself to be (mamakara), what you show to others as you (ahamkara) and what others perceive you to be and expect you to be (anyakara) – all these three put together is your personality – your being. Living in your peak capacity in all these three is authenticity, shraddha. It is raising your belief about yourself, aligning it with your projection of yourself, and fulfilling others’ expectation of you. When you stretch yourself to fulfil all three to your peak capacity, you are being authentic.
(c) Aaron Krohn
Why Should I Fulfil Others’ Expectations of Me?
Many times people ask me, ‘Swamiji I am responsible for what I feel as me and what I project as myself to others. But why should I take the responsibility for others’ expectation about me?’
In the inner consciousness of everyone who has expectations towards you, you yourself make them expect things from you. Some of your words and body language is responsible for them to have that expectation from you. That is the reason why you need to take responsibility for others’ perceptions and expectations about you.
I want all of you to understand an important truth. Some part of you which is suppressed by you, which wants to realize itself, goes and sits in others’ heart. It becomes an expectation about you, so that the suppressed part is realized. When you are not ready to listen to your own heart and expand, divine helps you by creating the expectation in others so that you can expand.
The Path to Self-Realization
I have seen in my own life, from my own experience I can tell you, when I decided to fulfil others’ expectations about me, when I started stretching myself, I realized this is what is my own expectation about me also! When you fulfil others’ expectations about you and realize that this is also your expectation about you, you reach the space of self-realization.
As long as you think you are stretching yourself just to fulfil others’ expectations you will carry a continuous irritation, agitation and heaviness. When you realize that this is also your own expectation about you, then you will have fulfillment, the joy of renunciation, the joy of sacrifice, the joy of vairagya – this is vairagyananda, tyagananda.
People may ask, ‘How can renunciation be joyful, how can tyaga be joyful?’ If renunciation and sacrifice is done because of others’ expectation it will only be painful. But when you click with the truth, when you start stretching yourself to others’ expectation and you realize this is your own expectation about you also, then it is no more anyakara! You are expanding for your mamakara and ahamkara. Now nobody else is forcing you!
Life Happens Outside!
You need to understand that life happens to us outside us. Consciousness may be inside but life is happening outside. That is why you need to enrich anyone who comes in contact with you. Enriching means you taking the responsibility with integrity and authenticity that you are committed to continuously expanding yourself and the life in and around you. If you were just inside a deep jungle in a cave, where you eat some forest fruits and drink the Ganga water and sleep, and you don’t see people at all – then you may not need to enrich others. But even then you need to enrich the tree which gives you the fruit and the river which gives you water. In our practical life, life is happening to us outside us. Let us do manana (contemplation) and understand this.
For example, think of all the identities you carry about you, which put together you feel as you. It can be daughter, mother, wife, daughter-in-law, friend, teacher, student, devotee, entrepreneur etc. Different identities occupy a certain percentage of your being. So now, the identity you feel as a daughter will get fulfilled, it can become complete only if your father is enriched. Life can happen to you in the ultimate form as a wife only if your husband is enriched. Only when each person involved in your personality, with whom life is happening to you, only if each of them is enriched will your life be complete and enriched. You can never be complete or fulfilled if all the people who are involved in your life are not complete and fulfilled. Only when you enrich others you are enriched.
Experience Love!
When you decide you can never fulfil others’ expectation in your life you literally destroy yourself. I am not saying that you can fulfil everyone’s expectation about you but I am saying when you decide that you can’t fulfil others’ expectations about you, you are dead, you decide to be dead. You stop allowing life from happening in you. Life happens to you, brings you excitement when you go on stretching yourself to fulfil others’ expectation. Taking the responsibility to fulfil others’ expectation even if they are not fulfilling, not ready to fulfil your expectations, is love.
Take the responsibility for love. That is where a relationship starts. Do not say ‘I love you’ to anybody unless you are ready to take the responsibility to fulfil their expectations about you, without bothering whether they are ready to fulfil your expectations or not.
Love is the Best Strategy Plan for Life!
Even if others’ expectations from you is limiting you or them, you need to expand, stretch yourself to fulfil them first. Then make them understand that they need to expand; not before that. Only then they will understand their inauthenticity. Others are ready to listen about their inauthenticity from you only when you first prove that you are authentic.
The energy which you use to defend yourself from others and the energy that you need to stretch yourself to others’ expectations, both are one and the same. You need less energy to stretch yourself to fulfil others’ expectation than constantly defending yourself from others. Even a glimpse of love makes you expand yourself for more and more love. The best strategy plan for your life is the decision to love and build relationships!
Taken from Nithyananda’s Daily Discourses on the subject of love & relationships delivered in March, 2013 in Bidadi Ashram, Bangalore, India
The four tattvas (Principles) – integrity, authenticity, responsibility and enriching – can be a great source of strength and stability in your life. Being established in these principles makes you directly radiate super-conscious energy. Go on reminding yourself to be established in these four tattvas, even if you feel tiredness and boredom.
The very feeling of tiredness or boredom can be removed if you look at it with authenticity and integrity. If you are feeling tired, just ask yourself – are you being authentic? Have you done everything to the peak of your capacity? When you ask yourself these questions, the tiredness will no longer affect you, and will slowly disappear, getting replaced by excitement. This is because tiredness is nothing but you pampering yourself. Many times you know that you have the option to drop your tiredness or boredom, but you still stay with it and cherish it. Just understand that tiredness is not like a tsunami or hurricane which will destroy you. It is just a wave in the teacup. What can be the maximum effect of that wave? Nothing, except that it is a wave. You just blow air through your mouth to cool it down, and there are waves, that’s all! So, even with something as small as tiredness or boredom, do not entertain the idea of pampering yourself.
The root of this tiredness is the feeling that you have done too much. Moreover, you also compare yourself with others and feel that you have done more than them. You say, “I have done so much work, he has not done any work, so I’m still much, much better than him!”. This comparison is why you feel that it is okay to feel tired. Never encourage the feeling of “It’s okay”. Understand that your responsibility is yours, and the other person’s responsibility is theirs. Comparison will not make either of you finish it properly. Even if he does not do his work properly, you are responsible! The cosmos functions through the law of “responsibilism”. You are the source of everything that happens in and around you.
You always measure the result of your responsibility in terms of money and fame, and this is where you fail. When you take up responsibility, higher energies express through you. Do not measure this with your small logic because by the end of your calculation, you will start asking yourself how you can get the same results without taking up responsibility. When you take responsibility with authenticity, you will not only get much more than what you expected, but you will also experience a state of deathless-ness. You can create and shape your mind, body and consciousness as you wish to.
When you know that tiredness and boredom are self-destructive, negative patterns, you can decide not to allow it. Complete with these two, and decide that you have lived with them for long enough and now it is time to divorce them! This is not just to increase your productivity; this creates a different space within you. Your very consciousness opens up. For example, when you are doing yoga or some physical exercise, it is pain that limits you. As soon as you feel pain in your muscles, look in and ask yourself if this is real pain or if you are creating it. Your body retains this pain as a protection mechanism, not realizing that you don’t even need this protection. This is how inauthenticity works, it makes you believe that the pain is real and necessary, when it is not required at all. So, just look into it and decide that this pain is non-existent. Your stamina will improve immediately.
Never entertain this kind of powerlessness in any form. Tiredness is entertaining powerlessness at the level of body. Depression is entertaining powerlessness at the level of mind. Atheism is entertaining powerlessness at the level of consciousness.
Death itself is nothing but all three parts of you entertaining tiredness and powerlessness. Death starts in your life when you entertain tiredness. Whenever you handle your tiredness and boredom with integrity and authenticity, even when you need to leave the body, you will not entertain death.
Do not allow boredom or tiredness in any way. Your life is your responsibility. The being which does not entertain powerlessness and lives in surrender to the four tattvas is in the space of Brahmanyam Bahuputrataam (the favourite inheritor of the cosmos).
The wise grieve neither for those who have departed nor for those who have not departed. This thought opens up many different dimensions of life. It is the wise who do not grieve for the departed, as they understand that an individual who has spent his life in growth will always continue to live and the one who hasn’t was long lost.
There is a clear difference between growing and aging. One who proceeds through life’s experiences and uses them to constantly add authenticity and integrity to his cognizance, grows. Taking every experience of life as a lesson in living these truths expands the consciousness. A person who has grown over time is one who will live on regardless of his physical presence.
One who is tired at the end of all of life’s lessons is only aging. When there is no will to stretch out as far as possible, a person is operating from engraved memories. For example, when someone is irrationally scared of riding a bike. He doesn’t allow himself to even consider the possibility that it is a perfectly safe act, let alone stretch out to understand the root cause of the fear and eliminate it. This is inauthenticity, and it is the reason for any kind of fear. Inauthenticity is the unwillingness to stretch to your peak potential in the given moment of life.
Due to lack of integrity arises greed. Integrity is fulfilling the words you give to yourself and to others. Instead of fulfilling the words given to yourself and to others, you frantically gather more and more words! When people fail to fulfill the words they made to themselves initially, they try to think of what they want further, planning more and focusing less on what was to be fulfilled initially. When they don’t take responsibility for things, there begins the pattern of depending on others, which makes a person feel powerless. This feeling causes worry, as there is always the chance that the thing one depends on will no longer exist. Selfishness arises from the lack of willingness of a person to enrich another with his own experiences. This selfishness gives way to a constant need for attention from others, as the person is unwilling to enrich himself or others around him.
When the emotions of fear, greed, worry and need for attention take their toll, the person is left exhausted by life. Such a person has simply aged with time, not grown.
Every moment spent in growing is an indication of life. When the consciousness is nurtured by authenticity, integrity, responsibility and enrichment, there is no doubt that the soul will never depart, even if the body departs. A wise man does not grieve the passing of a person who has grown, as he knows that he continues to live on.
For every moment of fear, greed, worry and selfishness, there is dullness. One could even say that this is death, as the soul has long since departed.
There is a technique that nurtures growth. Keep a diary that records every emotion lived during the day. For every experience, understand either there is growth and enrichment of the consciousness or there is aging that comes from exhaustion. This gives life a fresh start. It sends out the message that every experience in life, good or bad, can be used either to grow or to age.
Almonds (botanical name Prunus amygdalus) are the oldest and most widely grown of all the nut crops. Whole almond seeds are eaten raw or roasted, while almond oil is used as massage oil for alleviating dryness in the skin and scalp hair. Almonds are highly regarded in Ayurveda for their nutritional value and Vata – pacifying (Air element-pacifying) effect.
What’s in an almond?
When consumed in moderation, up to ten nuts a day, almonds provide essential proteins and Vitamin E for the body. They are rich in magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and manganese. If taken in excess, they can cause vitiation in the balance of the 3 doshas, thereby leading to gastrointestinal disturbances.
What does an almond do?
Sweet almonds which possess a mild sweet taste and hot potency are the best for pacifying Vata dosha (Air-element) in the human body. As per the science of Ayurveda, almonds lubricate the skin and the micro-circulatory channels and support all the seven dhatus (tissues), especially Shukra dhatu (reproductive tissues) and the Ojas (the overall vitality). Due to their heavy nature, one needs a strong jataara agni (digestive fire), to metabolize them.
How are almonds to be consumed?
The outer skin of almonds can be hard to digest, so Ayurvedic texts suggest prior soaking in water. The best way to prepare them is to soak them overnight and peel the skin off in the morning. This enhances their digestibility to a great extent. If eaten without soaking, they can aggravate Pitta (fire element) in the blood.
In cases of a dry cough (cough not associated with phlegm), dryness of mouth or hoarseness of voice, one can take peeled almonds (which previously have been soaked overnight), and roast them in a small amount of cow’s ghee (clarified butter), until they turn slightly brown and give off their characteristic aroma. They can also be sprinkled with a pinch of table salt. Consumed thus, they give immediate relief.
For a rejuvenated and clear face, a homemade face pack can be used. For making this pack, three to four almonds which have been soaked overnight are taken and made into a paste. To this, milk cream and a teaspoon of sandal powder are added and mixed in a bowl. This paste is applied as a face pack and left until dry. It is then washed off to leave the skin looking fresh and glowing. This can be attributed to the Vitamin E content and the skin penetrating effect of almonds.
Almonds can prove very beneficial for pregnant women for maintaining their health and aiding in foetal development. The combination of 2-3 soaked and peeled almonds, a little red sugar candy and a little saffron, ground well, can be taken along with cold milk every night for optimum results.
Almonds also contain several nutrients than can help to enhance memory and improve brain function. They can be especially beneficial for growing children. A traditional way to incorporate almonds into their daily diet is to consume them in the form of almond milk. It is a much more delicious and healthy alternative to many of the off-the-shelf packaged drinks and easy to make.
Eight to ten almonds are taken and soaked overnight. The peeled almonds are blended along with milk in a mixer/grinder and sweetened with jaggery or honey. One can also add cardamom powder and saffron to it for additional flavor.
Thus almonds offer a host of benefits, and can form an important part of a sattvic diet.
A trip to Mt Kailash is profound in every way. The high altitude and the blue sky combined with the presence of our beloved Master is truly the experience of a lifetime. From the very beginning the trip was fully charged with high energy. We visited temples and did several pujas and homas. Throughout the trip I was only able to sleep 4-5 hours per night. In spite of this I still felt energized during the day, except for the two days when I had a high altitude reaction. I still remember vividly; since the first night when we crossed the border of Tibet, I started having intense dreams every night until we reached Mt Kailash. The teachings in the dream were written on a board line by line. On the night we arrived at Mt Kailash the teachings in the dream were all about Enlightenment. For all those days we were in Tibet it seemed like there was not much difference between the sleeping and waking state. I either would be awake or the minute I fell asleep I would enter into the dream teaching right away. When I woke up it felt like I didn’t sleep at all. Finally I got a chance to ask the Master why I had those kinds of dreams. The Master answered me without a doubt. He said: “The dreams mean that a lot of karma is leaving you.” Wow! How could a person expect a spiritual journey like this?
We all had one after the other amazing experience. For a day and a half we were all sitting at the foot of Mt Kailash with a clear blue sky, so close to our Master, being in his breathing space. Many hours of Puja was done. We were just soaked in his grace with gratitude. The Akashic Records reading happened at the last part of our first day at Mt Kailash. Lord Shiva sent the message to all of us saying that that was the turning point of our life. He said he will bless the whole the world, including all of us, and will shower on us through snow. When we left Mt Kailash next afternoon it was clear blue sky. After about half an hour drive all of a sudden the weather started to change. Hail started coming down, one little ice ball even jumped into the slightly opened car window and hit my face before we realized what it was. Then we all started shouting: “Yea, we got the blessing!” Minutes later the hail turned in to snowflakes. Swamiji has mentioned several times in satsangs afterwards how he turned on the shower at Mt Kailash and ran away from the morning Satsang. He was referring to this incident.
Another great experience was that we all had a chance to dump one of our samskaras (engram or engraved memory) in to Lake Manasarovar. I dumped my judgement. Now I am very conscious whenever I intent to pass a judgment.
Speaking of the Akashic Records reading at Mt Kailash; when the reading was finished I realized that my question was missing. They lost my question which means they lost a once in a life time opportunity for me! I was so angry! Although I was told that I could ask the same question at the final energy darshan, I still couldn’t get over it. Finally the truth hit me! I realized that anger was actually one of my strong patterns and it just showed up again at the right time to remind me, that this was why my question got lost. Once I saw the truth I decided to take this opportunity to ask our Master to break the pattern for me instead of asking for something else. The next evening I was like an honest student handing my homework to the teacher to ask for help. When Swamiji read my request he laughed and told me he would break the pattern for me. “He must be happy for me to notice my fault”, I thought to myself. Then he asked me what my question for the Akashic Records reading was. I told him and he blessed me that I will have income through singing after the trip. Yes, that is our Master. He gives what we ask for with great compassion and love. He does way more than a mother does for us. Thank You my Master and Guru! I am forever grateful for you!
In the year 2008, I was depressed. “Depressed” is too small a word actually. I am depressed every now and then even now, that’s not such a big deal though. It’s like having a cough or cold, it disappears in 2-3 days. In 2008, I was suicidal. my life was a black hole with nothing but more and more pain getting sucked into the black hole with every passing day.
Someone had hurt me and insulted me real bad and I was wilting from the hurt, losing any desire to live ever again. When I say suicidal, I don’t mean I wanted to kill myself, I never had the courage to do that. But every day I used to sit in my bedroom window and pray to God to please end my life soon because I did not see any point in living. I lived in Mumbai, which meant it was almost always raining – both in my heart and outside the window.
To run away from the hurt, I ran away from home – to the oil rigs, in the middle of the sea, where I used to work. Where there was no place for emotions. Often, in the middle of the night, I would stand on the railing, watching the waves rise and fall in the moonlight, with nothing but water till as far as the eye could see, and wonder how big the world is and how small I am, and where is God. Is He out there somewhere, watching me? Is there anyone out there who can help me ? The lines from a song kept ringing in my head “ You gave me a life, now show me how to live”. My friends and family were in no place to help me & after a certain point I decided to stop bothering them, it pained them to see me like this too, so I kept quiet. I let the work fill up my mind and time. So much so that by November, I had almost 45 vacation days remaining to be used and my manager literally banned me from coming to work for the next few days.
Around the same time, during my travels, I stumbled upon a book by Osho “The Fish in the Sea is Not Thirsty”. I had no idea who Osho is. But I flipped through the book and liked it. I read it on the rig. It made me feel a little better. But it didn’t last. It just made me even more aware of a hollowness in my life. Then I started reading books by Paulo Coelho, which I loved too. But these were some happy breaks from my own empty life, nothing more. Nothing and no one could give me a solution of how to change the underlying misery in my life.
On one such day when I was sent home from office and told to not show my eager-to-work face for atleast a week, my sister called me from US and told me to go to a program in Bangalore called “Kalpataru” where you can ask a certain Swamiji for anything in life and He will grant it to you.
I did not believe in Swamis. I thought they were all fake and talked a whole lot of mumbo-jumbo preachy stuff which carried no relevance for everyday life. But the idea of asking for anything in life kind of stuck in my head and I asked my sister to send me the details. Now that I look back on it, even though I was a highly qualified person and all that, I never questioned how any one Swami can grant you anything you want. She sent me the flyer for Kalpataru. I saw a black and white picture of Swamiji with his brilliant heartfelt smile. ( The same one which I have now put in front of my work desk, which I look at all the time ). Something happened and I told my sis – “I know he is enlightened, I will go see him”. I have no clue what made me say that, and who in the world I was to even know who is and isn’t enlightened. But I booked my tickets and went to Bangalore. I was totally new to Bangalore and to the ashram. I hired a cab for the day (I was rich in those days – with a lot of money and no desire to spend anywhere) to go to the ashram and see this Swamiji.
I was roaming around in the ashram, completely clueless of what is where and while strolling I reached the temple. I wasn’t a temple-loving person in those days. Even as I was outside the temple, I suddenly saw everyone stand still where they were and fold their hands. Someone in an orange robe came out of the temple, right in front of me, with some other people. I had no idea what was going on. In a few minutes, I could guess that this was probably Swamiji. He then turned around, smiled and raised his hands to bless us, and he looked at me too. I didn’t realize it, but I was also standing with my hands folded, standing sort of amazed.
That was my first encounter with Swamiji.
Throughout the Kalpataru meditations I was crying like I would never stop crying and was really thankful for the eye-bands so that no one could know that it was me crying so hopelessly. I was also thankful that no one knew me there. Gnana mhj was conducting the program and I remember asking him some very stupid questions. He smiled at me really sweetly and assured me that I would experience God in the meditation itself. I had blanked out in one of the meditations, and guessed that this must be what he meant. When I went up for darshan, I was really really shy, because some people were standing next to Swamiji. But this was the only chance I had to save myself. I told Swamiji in one sentence about how someone broke my heart & hurt me real bad. He asked me “You want him back?” I told him, “No Swamiji…” Then he asked me, “You want to be healed?” and I said “Yes Swamiji, I just want my life back”. He hugged me and told me, “Don’t worry, you will be completely healed”. I blanked out again, and felt a great calm come over me afterward. All my inner worrying suddenly stopped. I had a throbbing headache but it did not matter. I just knew, if this Swamiji cannot heal me, no one in this world can.
I was completely okey by January 2009. It was almost like waking up after sleeping for an overly long period of time.
Time went by and I went on working with my job, and never found any time to go and see Swamiji again, though I really wanted to. My job did not even allow me to go and see a doctor, leave alone going to see a Guru. People at my work made fun of my spirituality and my rudraksh mala. I just responded to them as acidly as possible and told them to keep their noses out of my personal life.
In January 2010 I decided to quit my job which gave almost everyone a big jolt, since I had a job which paid me up to 4000$ in a month. Everyone in my office mocked me. I was missing Swamiji so much. Just then, one day I subscribed to the ashram newsletter. The very next day, I got an email saying that there was a Kalptaru in Mumbai on 26th Jan! I was overjoyed. That was just a day or two away. I went to the Kalpataru. In my darshan, I just couldn’t find any words. I felt Swamiji already knew me, He is God, & just by seeing me He knows what all is going on in my life. I said “ Swamiji, what can I tell you, you already know everything…” He hugged me and said “Don’t worry, I will take care”. I remember I had a throbbing migraine that day also and I was almost the last person to go for the darshan. I had removed my contact lenses so I was almost blind and I could see Swamiji properly only when I was really near him. After the darshan I was standing on the stage, pretty clueless of where to go… when someone came to help me and helped me down the stairs, because my eyes were almost closing from the pain.
After that day, I never had any more doubts about my job. I quit my job with great joy. My manager asked me” What do u want? Do you want a promotion? Do you want a transfer? Do you want a different job role? Do you want a vacation? What do you want? “. I smiled at him, and said “ I want to quit”. i was not going to barter my life for money anymore.
And then, just when I had freed up my life to do programs in the ashram, the scandal broke out. I remember March 2nd, 2010. I was completely restless that day, without knowing anything. I don’t watch the news. My sister called me and told me what happened. I was just in pain over what was happening – Why are they doing this to my Swamiji? All he has ever done is good to this world. I already felt that Swamiji was an inseparable part of my life and nothing and no one could change that.
My friends mocked at me. They didn’t just mock at me, they continued to do so for a long time. I told them to disappear from my life altogether. I was infamous for using words like arrows. I had the capacity to make any man feel like crawling into a hole when I start yelling at them. I used this skill to my advantage now. I told these “friends” to never show me their faces again, because if they do, they will be responsible for anything that happens. I can easily scare people. And I did that now.
All through the scandal, I never felt that I was doing anything great or anything like that. I was just standing up for my love for someone who saved my life. I was not going to let a bunch of morons interfere with my life and my love for Swamiji. That is all there was to it.
A lot of other things went wrong in my life in the next few months, and by July, I was yearning to see Swamiji again. I was in one more hell by the time Swamiji came out of prison. One more depression. For almost a week I was just in my parental home, lying in my bed crying all day because my best friend who I was in love with had broken up with me – on the eve of my birthday. Now that I think about it, it was a strong pattern in my life, I came closer to Swamiji every time something went awry in my relationships. My sister used to make me sit on her lap and comfort me. She used to watch Swamiji’s discourses, and having nothing to do in life, I sat with her to see the discourses. It is unbelievable, but even after loving Swamiji for almost 2 yrs, I had not seen even a single discourse of his. I started seeing his discourses and following all the techniques he gave. Small miracles started happening in my life. Now, I was just waiting to attend the NSP, the first one after the scandal.
In the NSP, I had the first most mystical experience of my life & I knew that my life would never be the same again. After the NSP, one day, I suddenly decided to move to Bangalore and say goodbye to Mumbai for good. It was a really sudden decision, with no prior planning at all, and my apartment owner made me pay 26k extra as one month rent for moving out so suddenly, but being close to Swamiji was all I wanted in my life now.
In reality, this story has only a beginning, and no end. So this is the beginning of how one day, one darshan with Swamiji changed my life to something I could never have imagined it to be. I am ending it very abruptly because I realize that I cannot do justice to the entire story by writing it as a note. And the book I have been writing about my struggle needs to see the light of day some day, very soon.
(Vedic Moon Signs can be found in the birth chart or “kundali” which can be prepared by an astrologer or generated online on a Vedic astrology website)
— By Ma Nithya Chandrananda
Aries : Your family, or the ‘people close to you’ and your extended family, may have brought turmoil in your inner space recently, but they are today the positive center of your attention. You are able to express whatever has to be shared, with clarity and understanding. Your body language always sends signals about your real feelings, which others unconsciously pick up. We often move our body in a way that contradicts our words – and reject people without being aware of it. We then fail to understand that we are the sole reason for our feelings of isolation and solitude. Observing your body language will reveal a lot about what you are trying to hide from others and yourself.
Taurus: The cosmic impulse is guiding you to express your energy through different channels. If you are naturally oriented towards your being, your love will become diplomacy to promote your professional goals and aspirations. If you are body oriented, you will have energy to address long time problems and delays in your job that need extra energy. If you are intellect oriented, you will have to learn to open your mind to others’ point of view. In the ultimate sense, there is neither right nor wrong in existence. That deep understanding can calm your mind, and teach you to accept others’ attitude.
Gemini: Spending your time arguing for your point of view and then working on healing the situation afterwards is a waste of time. Your very views, your very mind, are just a creation made out of all the samskaras collected through your own life experiences. The other person standing in front of you is also a creation of his/her own experience, which is different from yours. Why there is so much diversity in the world is a question without any answer! It is not there to be questioned but there to be enjoyed! Any knowledge that brings you back to the understanding that life has no logic at all is the right knowledge.
Cancer: We are constantly protecting our identity, but our identity is completely social. It is not existential. It is created out of our comparison with what is around us- it is a comparative reality. Whatever you think of as your identity, your money, your relationships, your age, your sex, whatever you call as your identity is just societal. Being afraid of existential reality, we try to protect our comparative reality, and we think we are protecting something which has a solid existence. In fact, we try to protect what is not from what is. Moving into your relationships with that deep understanding will help you to overcome flooding emotions during this month.
Leo: You have goals. Accomplishing them involves many things and your mere will to achieve them is not the only thing you need. You have to have physical strength and a disciplined mind. Both are related. To have physical stamina, you need a balanced mind, because unnecessary emotions and depression drain and disrupt your energy. The secret of your success lies in a positive mental setup, expressed in a healthy body. Cooperate with your nerves or it will just imbalance your mind. Do yoga, meditate. It will cool down your boiling physical energy, and relax you!
Virgo: If you don’t have solutions to a problem, then stop criticizing it; if you can’t think of an alternative to your criticism, then wait. If you say that this problem is no good, you may be right but what solution are you proposing? This criticism doesn’t bring a revolution. Before criticizing, always find another option to the problem, and then your attitude will be valuable. Nobody will feel offended by it, because while you are criticizing, you are keeping a positive alternative in mind, and then propose something constructive. The same apply to your inner world. Never judge your past actions with your updated intelligence.
Libra: You’ve been blessed to experience the power of trust. Out of this arises deep relaxation. Out of surrender arises a fresh intelligence that knows on a different plane. On this plane, there is no worry of result; there is only action driven by pure energy. And energy is intelligence. Trust does not mean inaction. It means continuing to be in action with intelligence instead of intellect. Unless trust happens, intimacy cannot happen. With trust there is openness and you can say and do everything that you feel genuinely and earnestly about, there is authenticity in your words and actions.
Scorpio: A strong, tenacious energy enters your relationship sphere. You are able to attract lucrative issues to you. Your inner transformation brings you confidence, because the bliss you express attracts others’ trust and favors you. A peaceful grounding brings you closer to your body, relaxing your mind, your breath, and your whole attitude towards life. To deepen this feeling, practice Nithya Dhyaan every morning this month. It will deepen this new dimension you are exploring now, this perfect equilibrium between body, mind and spirit. You are learning how to nurture yourself and others, and simply celebrate Existence!
Sagittarius: Your trust that life is good makes you expand to the responsibilities you take up. When that expansion happens, just hold on and have patience during the transformation process. Patience during the transformation process is what is called tapas or penance. Why don’t we allow big breakthroughs in our life? Because we don’t trust that life leads us into a new space. Have trust and patience. The simple truth is that when you take more responsibility, you just expand and more energy starts expressing through you. If you feel responsible for whatever is happening around you, you become a leader.
Capricorn: Your ideal is to bring wealth, beauty and bliss to your home. The past weeks have brought achievements on all levels, a consolidation of your capabilities and talents. You are aiming to do what you really like to do, be it on the spiritual level, effective level or material plane. It is the place to experience fulfillment! Stop running, and really feel the deep satisfaction for being blessed with those gifts. Your mind will always find ways to contradict this feeling. By its very nature, it cannot be satisfied. Don’t let it rob your satisfaction. It is good to feel fulfilled. It is good to feel good about oneself!
Aquarius: How can you change the world? To make the whole world blissful and happy, you don’t have to do anything. Just change your center of attention. If you want to save the world, all you need to do is save yourself! Everything is actually happening in this world – great spiritual sessions where enlightenment is being shared and at the same time terrorist training camps where violence is being shared. The world that you attract and see will always appear to be according to what you tune into. You will attract the same type of people and situations in your life.
Pisces: The main reason why you miss experiencing gratitude is that you take everything for granted. You feel anything that people do for you is your birthright. When we start feeling grateful for small things, our whole sensitivity increases. We will become more refined. If ever you feel life is dull, that it is not as juicy as it should be, it is because gratitude has not happened in you. Gratitude is the energy that makes your life intense and exciting every moment.
