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 |   As the first blog entry got exhausted. My second book |
| Evolution of Love Part 2 |
1. " The best way to FIND yourself is to LOSE yourself in the Service of OTHERS..." - Mahatma Gandhi 2. " At the End of life we Will NOT be JUDGED by how many diplomas we have Received, how much Money we have made, how many Great things we have done. We WILL BE JUDGED BY "I was Hungry, and you GAVE me something to EAT, I was NAKED and you CLOTHED me. I was HOMELESS, and you TOOK ME IN....." Mother Teresa 3. " Remember that yours is NOT THE ONLY HEART that may be WISHING for LOVE......" 4. " If you can't do GREAT THING, DO LITTLE THINGS with GREAT LOVE. If you can't do them with GREAT LOVE, DO THEM with a LITTLE LOVE. If you can't do them with a LITTLE LOVE, DO THEM ANYWAY. Love GROWS when people SERVE..." AND YES THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THEM ALL ; " In the END, the number of PRAYERS WE SAY may CONTRIBUTE to our HAPPINESS, BUT the number of PRAYERS WE ANSWER may be OF EVEN GREATER IMPORTANCE........" SO VERY TRUE........ |
1. " Sometimes You Wake Up. Sometimes the fall kills You. And Sometimes ; When You fall, You FLY.....". 2. " We ARE - What we Pretend to be ; So we MUST be Careful about what we PRETEND TO BE....." 3. " What is Meant TO BE ; Shall ALWAYS - Find A Way...." 4. " Pain - It is Temporary ; Quitting - Lasts FOREVER...." 5. " It is NOT the Load that breaks You down ; It is the WAY that You CARRY It.." The MOST IMPORTANT OF IT ALL....(By Hāfez-e Shīrāzī ) " And still,after all this time,the SUN has NEVER said to the EARTH- "You owe me." Look what Happens with LOVE like That - It LIGHTS UP the SKY....." So very TRUE..... |
| Man is really a being who is self-aware. Even if he has slipped and fallen, is it not his bounden duty to use as a lever the very earth to which he has tumbled, and raise himself up again? Besides, one does not fall so often. As a man, constant effort is his duty. If he does not awaken to the consciousness of his own Self, what has he achieved? He has but wasted his life. How many lives are frittered away age after age in endless coming and going. Find out who you are. Discover the significance of the round of births and deaths, its cause and where it leads. When man becomes a traveller on the path to his inner being, the distance that separates him from his goal [of Reality] gradually vanishes. You will most certainly have to undertake this pilgrimage to Immortality, trampling under foot hundreds and hundreds of obstacles and impediments. |
1. " Whenever you Feel a negative emotion - BE ALONE - In a room and just sit down with it and FEEL. Don't Judge it, Criticize it, Intellectualize it or Explain it away. ALLOW yourself to Feel the pain. It's OKAY. Accompany it - Breathe into it - and after a while, you'll feel the anger or fear or sadness Lose it's urgency and power. Allow GOD to tenderly EMBRACE you in your pain. And then, At the Right Time, You Can LET GO.................". 2. " Hug and kiss Whoever helped Get You - financially, mentally, morally, emotionally - TO THIS DAY. Parents, Mentors, Friends, Teachers. If you're too uptight to do that, at least do the old Handshake thing, but I Recommend a HUG. DO NOT let the sun go down without saying " THANK YOU " to Someone, and without Admitting to YOURSELF that Absolutely NO ONE Gets This Far ALONE..." 3. " Before you can Inspire with Emotion, you MUST be Swamped with it yourself. Before you can Move Their Tears, YOUR OWN MUST FLOW. To Convince Them, You Must Yourself, BELIEVE...........". 4. " I am NOT a believer in Love at First Sight. For Love, in its TRUEST FORM, is NOT the thing of Starry-Eyed or Star-Crossed Lovers, IT IS far more Organic, Requiring NURTURING and TIME to Fully BLOOM and, as such, Seen BEST NOT in its Callow Youth BUT in its Wrinkled MATURITY........ Like all Living things, LOVE TOO, Struggles against Hardship, and in the process SHEDS its Fatuous skin to expose one composed of more than just a storm of EMOTION – one of LOYALTY and DIVINE FRIENDSHIP. And though it may be TEMPORARILY Blinded by Adversity, it NEVER GIVES IN or GIVES UP, Holding TIGHT to Lofty Ideals that Transcend this EARTH and TIME–while Love's Counterfeit simply concludes it was mistaken and quickly runs off to find the next real thing......." - Richard Paul Evans. SO VERY TRUE........ |
A) FUNNIEST IATA AIRPORT CODES : 1. DIK – Dickinson Airport, USA. 2. KOK – Kokkola/Pietarsaari Kruunupyy Airport, Finland 3. BUM – Butler Airport, USA 4. PEE – Perm Airport, Russia 5. SEX – Sembach Airport, Germany THE SCARIEST AIRPORTS 1. Mafia Airport (MFA), Tanzania. 2. Crooked Island Airport (CRI), Canada. 3. Slave Lake Airport (YZH), Canada. 4. Danger Bay Airport (DGB), USA Actual ones really..... AND FOR GOOD MEASURE : B) Some Flight Announcements : 1. " There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane......" 2. " As you exit the plane, please make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses.....' 3. " We are pleased to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry ...Unfortunately none of them are on this flight...! " 4. " "Thank you for flying XYZ Airlines. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride....." 5. " An Aircraft was taking off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax - OH, MY GOD!" Silence followed and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier; but, while I was talking, the flight attendant brought me a cup of coffee and spilled the hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!" A passenger in Coach said, "That's nothing. He should see the back of mine!...." Have a LOVELY WEEKEND.... |
| There was a Jewish man named Yankel, who had a bakery, in a town, Crown Heights, Germany. He always said, "You know why I’m alive today?" He said "I was a kid, just a teenager at the time in Germany. Nazis were killing Jews with no mercy. We were on the train being taken to Auschwitz by Nazis. Night came and it was deathly cold in that compartment. The Germans left us on the side of the tracks overnight, sometimes for days, without any food. There were no blankets to keep us warm. Snow was falling everywhere. Cold winds were hitting our cheeks, every second. We were hundreds of people in that terribly cold night. No food. No water. No shelter. No blankets ". "The blood in our bodies started freezing. It was becoming ice. Beside me, there was a beloved elderly Jewish man from my hometown. He was shivering from head to toe, and looked terrible. So I wrapped my arms around him to warm him up. I hugged him tightly to give him some heat. I rubbed his arms, his legs, his face, his neck. I begged him to try to be alive. I encouraged him. All night long, I kept this man warm this way. I was tired, and freezing cold myself. My fingers were numb, but I didn’t stop rubbing heat into that old man’s body. Hours and hours went by. Finally, morning came and the sun began to shine. I looked around to see the other people. To my horror, all I could see were frozen bodies. All I could hear was deathly silence. Nobody else in that cabin were alive. That freezing night killed them all. They died from the cold. Only two people survived: the old man and me. The old man survived because I kept him warm... and I survived because I was warming him. May I tell you the secret to survival in this world? When you warm other people’s hearts, you will remain warm yourself. When you support, encourage and inspire others, then you will discover support, encouragement and inspiration in your own life as well. My friends, That is the secret to a happy life. |
| Some good practical Tips, to live a Peaceful Life..... *JUST LEAVE IT* principle: - Try convincing a person once or twice. If he or she refuses to get convinced *Just Leave it* - When the children grow up and take their own decisions, do not impose *Just Leave it* - Your frequency doesn't match with everyone in life. If you can't connect with someone *Just Leave it* - After a certain age if someone criticises you don't get upset *Just Leave it* - When you realise that nothing is in your hands, stop worrying about others and the future *Just Leave it* - When the gap between your wish list and your capabilities increases, stop self expectations *Just Leave it* - Everyone's path of life, size of life, quality of life is different, so stop comparing *Just Leave it* - When life has given you such a wonderful treasure of experience, stop counting your daily earnings, but *Just Leave it* - If this does NOT Appeal to You…. *Just Leave it* |
| Hindu : a term used to encompass 6 schools of philosophy, that gives freedom through adopting the ultimate way of life... no dogmas. You are the master of your life not a slave to rigid pathways. So what is special about being a Hindu? 1) Believe in God ! - Aastik - Accepted 2) Don't believe in God ! - You're accepted as Nastik 3) You want to worship idols - please go ahead. You are a murti pujak. 4) You dont want to worship idols- no problem u can focus on Nirguna Brahman. 5) You want to criticise something in our religion. Come forward. We are logical. Nyaya, Tarka etc are core Hindu schools 6) You want to accept beliefs as it is. Most welcome. Please go ahead with it. 7) You want to start your journey by reading Bhagvad Gita - Sure ! 8) You want to start your journey by reading Upanishads - Go ahead 9) You want to start your journey by reading Purana - Be my guest. 10) You just don't like reading Puranas or other books. No problem my dear. Go by Bhakti tradition. 11) You don't like idea of Bhakti ! No problem. Do your Karma. Be a karmayogi. 12) You want to enjoy life. Very good. No problem at all. This is Charvaka Philosophy. 13) You want to abstain from all the enjoyment of life & find God - jai ho ! Be a Sadhu, an ascetic ! 14) You don't like the concept of God. You believe in Nature only - Welcome. (Trees are our friends and Prakriti or nature is worthy of worship). 15) You believe in one God or Supreme Energy. Superb! Follow Advaita philosophy 16) You want a Guru. Go ahead. Receive gyaan. 17) You don't want a Guru.. Help yourself ! Meditate, Study ! 18) You believe in Female energy ! Shakti is worshipped. 19) You believe that every human being is equal. Yeah! You're awesome, come on let's celebrate Hinduism! "Vasudhaiva kutumbakam" (the world is a family) 20) You don't have time to celebrate the festival. Don't worry. One more festival is coming! There are multiple festivals every single day of the year. 21) You are a working person. Don't have time for religion. Its okay. You will still be a Hindu. 22) You like to go to temples. Devotion is loved. 23) You don't like to go to temples - no problem. You are still a Hindu! 24) You know that Hinduism is a way of life, with considerable freedom. 25) You believe that everything has God in it. So you worship your mother, father, guru, tree, River, Prani-matra, Earth, Universe! 26) And If you don't believe that everything has GOD in it - No problems. Respect your viewpoint. 27) "Sarve jana sukhino bhavantu " (May you all live happily) This is exactly the essence of Hinduism, all inclusive .. That is why it has withstood the test of time, inspite of repeated onslaughts both from within and outside... and assimilated every good aspects from everything . That is why it is eternal... There is a saying in Rigveda , the first book ever known to mankind which depicts the Hinduism philosophy in a Nutshell -" Ano bhadrah Krathavo Yanthu Vishwathah"- Let the knowledge come to us from every direction. |
Distinguished people from foreign countries also came frequently and arrangements were made for them to have Ma's darshan. So also the intelligentsia, the saints and the officers present at the Mela. But despite all this bustle and restless activity, perfect peace reigned in the Ashram. The inmates of the Ashram whose faces were always bathed in tranquillity, were full of joy when smilingly they greeted one another with the salutation of "Jai Ma". How is it that such an easily accessible Ma of so many happy children has now become so inaccessible ? Ma! where have you gone? We miss you so intensely! During the Kumbha Mela, on three separate occasions Ma invited the sädhus of different orders for dinner and honoured them with garlands, sandal paste, arati etc. On these occasions the other devotees of Ma had the benefit of enjoying Ma's darshan to the full and of listening to the discourses of the invited mahätmäs. Triveni, the confluence of three rivers, which by itself is so sacred, offered a special kind of sublimity and bliss on account of the presence of these countless mahātmas and Ma Herself. It is said that in the areas where the Kumbha is held, innumerable other mahātmās, yogis and all the very Gods are present in their subtle forms. The most celebrated yogi, Devraha Baba, was also staying near Jhusi, at the western end of the Mela area. It is impossible to describe in words the heavenly bliss created by the presence of, and the sermons preached by such high class yogis in the hallowed presence of Ma. Ma is seated under a gorgeous shamiana (canopy) covered with a white sheet. Dressed in spotless white, Ma looks like Devi Saraswati Herself! Peace radiates from Her face! No words I can describe it. No painter, sculptor or other artist can adequately portray that serenity, the like of which is seen on some statues of the Buddha. The atmosphere all around is rendered fragrant with joss sticks and flower garlands. The brahmacharinis and other women attendants clad in white or light yellow are standing or sitting around Ma. On either side of Ma there are wooden seats for mahātmās, who arrive one by one. They are led to their places by the brahmacharis after having offered salutation to Ma. Naga sädhus are also among them. Their naked bodies, besmeared with ashes remind one of Lord Shiva Himself. Ma's legs have grown feeble, and so She is not able to welcome them by standing up. But She bows so low and so gracefully from Her seat that She looks the very embodiment of simplicity, suavity, humility and beauty. The mahātmäs are visibly impressed by this graciousness of Ma and overwhelmed by. emotions. She is the same Ma who was formerly avoided by these sädhus as She was considered by them a mere woman. But Her real self was revealed to them in course of time and they now looked upon Her as a manifestation of Divine Light. The truth is that Ma has taken birth to remove the fanaticism of different sects and to re establish the eternal ideals and principles of Sanātana Dharma. "Whenever there is decay of righteousness, and there is exaltation of unrighteousness, then I Myself come forth. For the protection of the good, for the destruction of evil-doers, I am born from age to age" (Bhagavad Gita, IV/7-8) The mahātmās are sitting in their respective places. They have been duly garlanded and shown other marks of respect. Perfect serenity and joy prevail under the canopy. The strains of sacred music sung by Brahmacharini Pushpaji in her sweet, melodious voice are rising skyward and have filled the atmosphere all round. The Ashram is packed to capacity by devotees. They are sitting, or standing spell-bound, as if painted, or carved in stone, their eyes fixed on Ma. Who can gauge their profound joy? Who can describe the happiness of their hearts? As directed by Ma the kirtan has stopped and short discourses by the mahātmās have begun. Mahātma Hans Kumarji of Rishikesh said, "We go to Badrinath and Kedarnath. We travel to great centres of pilgrimage. But nowhere do we get the peace which we find in the presence of Ma." The famous saint of Naimisharanya, Swami Nāradānanandaji said, "What we gain by reciting 24 thousand Gayatri Mantras is obtained by just one darshan of Ma." Several other saints have spoken in the same strain. Each one says just as much as it has been vouchsafed to him to understand of Ma. The fact, however, is that it is extremely difficult to under stand Ma. But the little knowledge that has been granted to us is sufficient for our material and spiritual welfare. In this way Ma's Lila went on and Ma's devotees continued to experience bliss. Swami Paramanandaji, maintaining a detached stance as usual, organised all the Ashram activities very smoothly. On one occasion the officials of AIR taped an account of Ma's greatness as given by Brahmachari Nirmalanandaji, and broadcasted it afterwards over the radio. |
Q: You talk a lot about effort but rarely speak about grace. Don’t you attach much importance to grace? AS: Grace is important. In fact, it is essential. It is even more important than effort. Realization of the Self comes through both effort and grace. When one makes a steady effort to abide in the Self one receives the guru's grace in abundance. The grace comes not only through the form of one's guru. When you meditate earnestly all the Jivanmuktas of the past and the present respond to your efforts by sending you blessings of light. Q: Should one have a strong desire for realization? Is such a desire necessary if we want to do earnest sadhana? Or should we surrender even this desire and just get on with our meditation? AS: Once, as Narada was going to Vaikunta, he met two sadhus who were doing tapas. They asked him where he was going and he replied, ‘Vaikunta’. They both wanted to know how their tapas was progressing so they asked Narada to ask Vishnu when they would attain liberation. Narada went to Vaikunta and returned with the information. To the first sadhu he said, ‘You are very close. After four or five more births you will get liberation.’ The sadhu was rather annoyed by his prediction because he felt that he was almost enlightened. ‘I have been doing tapas since my birth,’ he said, ‘and I know that I have done tapas in previous births. Why do I have to wait for four or five births? This prediction cannot be correct.’ Narada said to the second sadhu: ‘You have been doing tapas under a tamarind tree. For you too liberation will eventually come, but first you will have to take as many more births as there are leaves on this tree.’ The second sadhu was very happy to hear this. ‘Moksha is certain for me!’ he exclaimed. ‘It will come one day. Vishnu Himself has guaranteed it!’ At that moment a big wind came and blew all the leaves off the tree. As the last leaf touched the ground he realized the Self. The sadhu who was patient and contented showed that he had truly surrendered. The other sadhu showed his immaturity through his frustration and his impatience. If you have truly surrendered, you don’t demand realization from God. You are content with whatever He gives you. Q: It seems that so much time is needed to realize the Self; many lifetimes in fact. For me, realization always seems to be an event in the distant future. AS: You don’t need hundreds of lives to realize the Self. In fact, you don’t need any time at all. Your idea of time is one of the things that is holding you in bondage. Time is one of the properties of the mind. Liberation does not come after a period of time because there is no time in the Self. Liberation comes when you fully understand and experience there is no one who needs liberation. That understanding and that experience only arise when the mind and its inbuilt ideas of time cease to function. If you think about time and start to worry about how much longer it will be before you realize the Self, your attention will be on the mind and not on the Self. You can only make progress while the mind is on the Self. Q: You often say that satsang is important. Can I have satsang of Bhagavan even though he is now dead? I am asking this because I once had a powerful experience of his presence while I was in Switzerland. At that time Bhagavan had been dead for many years. AS: Bhagavan is at all times and in all places. Since he is the Self and not any particular physical form, it is of little importance that the body that we took to be Bhagavan is now dead. Radio waves can be received anywhere. If you tune yourself to Bhagavan’s wavelength, which means abiding in the Self, you can be aware of him broadcasting his grace wherever you are. There is never any separation from Bhagavan. Every atom in the material universe is Bhagavan. Every act which happens in the world is done by Bhagavan alone. Every being, every form is Bhagavan’s form. When you are clearly attuned to Bhagavan you will experience clarity and peace. You will receive guidance wherever you are. |
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Thanks for sharing.