Category: Spirituality (Page 8 of 9)

In the West this is a hot topic of debate among philosophers and among common people. Can we influence our destiny or is everything decided before hand by a higher power?

I have already written extensively on the matter and you can go and read about it, but now I want to present it from the another angle. There is an old saying “Man proposes and God disposes.” So often our best laid plans do not come to fruition, despite hard work and good intentions.

In the field of devotional yoga (bhakti yoga) there is an important concept that deals with this. It is called Prapatti, and it means that whatever happens, happens according to the will of God. Not even a blade of grass can move without having the backing of the Cosmic will.

Understanding this, then the best way to be successful is to align your will with the cosmic will. Instead of swimming against a river learn how to find the cosmic flow and go with it. And that is what spiritual practice (yoga, meditation) is all about, getting in tune with that Cosmic flow.

India is the home of yoga and I am visiting here for the next month. I hope to share some insights with you during this trip and show you some pictures soon. So come back in the next few days

In India one of the most famous prayers is the Gayatrii Mantra or Gayatrii Rk. Here is what my Guru, Shrii Shrii Anandamurti has to say about it:

By meditating on this divine effulgence we get the inspiration to move along the path of blessedness. That is why we meditate and that is why we are to meditate. We must meditate. This prayer is of the cardinal type, hence it is a necessity. We should do it, we must do it. Prayers like, “Oh God, give us food, give us drink” are all non-cardinal; hence they are useless and should always be discouraged. I told you that your requirements are better known to Him. You do not know what you actual requirements are. He knows. In several portions of the Yajurveda also, prayers are like this “guide our intellect unto the path of blessedness.” 

It is not easy to follow a spiritual path in an age of materialism. You may be trying to improve yourself with yoga and meditation (kamagra), but your neighbors, friends and even family members may be moving in a different direction.

One of the ways you can gain the strength needed to stick to your path is by associating with like-minded people.  When I first began yoga there were some days when I didn’t feel like doing it, but I was with some friends who were also into yoga and they said, “come on let’s do our yoga postures together.” So that really helped. Imagine if I had had friends who would have said,”yeah, yoga is for sissies, come on let’s go and drink some beer.” I wouldn’t be here now writing this yoga blog!

So, if you want to remain consistent and strong in your yoga practice hang out with like-minded people. Find some friends who also wish to move on the spiritual path. Good company in Sanskrit is called Satsaunga (sometimes written, satsanga). Sat signifies the unchangeable supreme truth and saunga means company.

Here is what my guru, Shrii Shrii Anandamurti has to say about satsaunga:

“Even a golden vessel needs polishing occasionally. Unmaintained it gathers dust and dirt and loses its lustre. Similarly, even a good person or a sádhaka needs proper maintenance, for in a world of constant change, care must be taken that the change be always towards the better or the higher. Keeping good company is essential for this positive development. While bad company strengthens the bondage of the soul, good company is conducive to liberation and salvation. The keeping of good company is conducive to liberation and is known as satsauṋga in Sanskrit. When satsauṋga is followed, either physically or mentally or both, the subconscious mind, and thus the conscious mind, are charged with better and higher influences. This change will move the follower forward towards higher and better goals.”

You can find out more about this approach to yoga at www.anandamarga.org 

7000 years ago, or so, Sadashiva, the founder of yoga, said that one of the seven secrets of spiritual success is to have a balanced mind.

What does this mean? One should not have a superiority complex, nor should one have an inferiority complex.  Everyone knows that a big ego is an impediment to spiritual growth. However, just as the “umbrella of ego” can prevent you from feeling the rain of spiritual grace, an inferiority complex can cause you to stop striving for perfection.

The balance between the two extremes is hard to achieve but it is possible.  The best way to achieve it is to remember that you are the son or the daughter of the Supreme Consciousness. If you remember this, you can never harbor an inferiority complex. Similarly if you remember this, you will be reminded that whatever strength you have has been provided by the Supreme Consciousness.

About 1500 years ago Caetanya Mahaprabhu gave a wonderful and concise formula for achieving this balanced mind. He said:

Trńádapi suniicena taroriva sahiśńnuná
Amáninaḿ mánadeyaḿ kiirtaniiya sadá harih.

One should be as humble as the grass and as tolerant as the trees, one should give respect to those whom no one respects, and always do kiirtan to the Lord.

So, when your vanity rears up, just remember the example of the humble, but strong, blades of grass that absorb a lot of wear but always bounce up again. Remember the example of a tree that gives everything to people but asks for nothing in return. Turn your attention to the people in society who are neglected and in all your spare moments, sing a spiritual song to God.