Truth and love

Hari Aum.

As the year draws to a close, many of us may be reflecting on what we have been through in the past twelve months.....the ups and down, the challenges and achievements.

For many of us, the pandemic may have helped to focus our minds on what is important in life, what really matters. It has shown us how ephemeral life on this planet is, how quickly everything can melt away. Life as we knew it has fundamentally changed. We do not know when things will return to normal, and it is likely that even if they do, they will never be the same again (to an extent, perhaps in a good way).

When we reflect upon life and what is important, our loved ones often come up as a key priority. Ultimately, our experience of life depends on the people we have in it. The yogis say we meet people and part ways from them based on destiny-- the Sanskrit/yogic word for this is 'karma'. The pandemic has acted in strange ways to bring people together and also keep them apart. 

Many of us are using online tools such as Zoom to attend classes or events that could be taking place in a completely different country to where we live. And because of this, we meet some wonderful people whom we may never have met before. Yet at the same time, we are unable to easily meet our neighbours and friends in the same city due to the risk of infection. It is a strange paradox.

Coming back to what is important is life, as I was saying love seems to be a key part of this for most of us. But what is love? The yogis would say, it is not the conditional love of body, mind and intellect that belongs to the ever-changing, material realm. But rather, real love, they tell us is the unconditional love of the spirit, that eternal element within us. In fact, they say, it is the very nature of all beings. It is the the very nature of God, the source of our very being, our innermost core. The love that is God or Spirit knows no change, does not depend on any external factor for its existence. It exists because existence is its very nature; it is immortal and eternal.

We look for this love everywhere-- but in the wrong places according to the yogis. We connect with people, buy things, go places, ultimately for the sake of happiness, for the sake of love. Sadly, say the yogis, this is all too often met with disappointment. Everything here fades. People fade away, objects eventually lose their charm, places rise and fall. Everything here is subject to time, to death. It is all mortal. 

However, there is something in us that yearns for immortality. For immortal love, for eternal undying love. There is something beautiful about that. It is the stuff of movies and books, it is something that is desired by people in all societies, regardless of language and culture. And as I mentioned above, that something that compels us to seek this eternal love is the fact that this is our very nature. We are ultimately seeking our own true nature, which is known by various terms such as the Self and God.

Which brings me to a topic that is closely related to love, namely truth. Truth is a big deal in spiritual life as we all know. Why? Because it is said to be the essence of God. When we say we are seekers of God, we are seekers of Truth. We seek to know the truth of our very being, our existence. Why we exist here, why we are the way we are, why the world is the way it is. We want to know these things and much more. And the yogis say, these answers are found in Truth, in God.

Truth is closely related to love. Without truth, there is no love. One of the names of God is 'Satya', meaning Truth. This Truth is to be known intuitively through spiritual practices such as meditation. It is not something we can grasp with our limited human intellects. Because it is the very origin of everything, including our intellects. It is the source of everything.

There is famous saying in Sanskrit-- 'Satyam eva jayate', meaning 'Truth alone triumphs'. This can be interpreted in many ways. In a simple sense, we may say that ultimately that which is true emerges in our ordinary lives. It is the very nature of truth to be known. The truth cannot be hidden forever. Eventually it must be known in one way or another. This does not just apply in the  material world, but is also a spiritual reality. 

The higher Truth which is our nature will triumph one day. It is its nature to triumph over the lower aspect of our nature. It will ultimately triumph, sooner or later, it is simply a matter of time, whether one lifetime or a few more. 

How are we to find this unconditional love, this Truth, that we seek? That we are subconsciously yearning for when we want various people and things around us? The yogis tell us we must look for it in the place where is actually is, that is, within ourselves. Hidden in the very core of our being, whether we acknowledge it or not, is this unconditional love, this Truth.

There are many beautiful spiritual traditions around the world that enable us to seek and find this love and Truth. One important spiritual technique is japa, the practice of the name or mantra of God. I attended a wonderful online satsang recently during which a senior spiritual teacher reminded us that the name of God is not merely a sound, not merely a prayer to God, not just a symbol of God. It is God Himself. 

Therefore, he reminded us that when we say the name or mantra of God, we should bring into our consciousness the truth that we are in the presence of God Himself/Herself in a special way. God is omnipresent so we are always in His presence but the recitation of His names/mantras connects our consciousness to Him in a wonderful way. The yogis say His names heal our bodies, minds and souls in a way that nothing else can.

Therefore, in many ways, it is the greatest thing, the greatest gift. Yogis are forbidden from pressuring anyone to take up spiritual practices including the recitation of God's names and mantras. There is a well-known saying "You can take a horse to the water, but you can't make it drink". In other words, the reason for this is that people will not benefit in any way from a practice that they cannot yet see the value of. Nature/the universe will guide everyone in good time. 

But for those who are willing to listen, who are open-minded, who are willing to try something new, there is no more valuable gift that the recommendation of the name or mantra of God. In ancient times, a spiritual teacher would give this knowledge to a disciple only after years of preparation and testing. It is such a precious gift, that it is not to be given casually. It was given only to the most deserving, the most sincere, the most committed of students. These days we live such stressful, rushed and busy lives with barely any time for spiritual practices, that there is no question of us being able to find the time and energy for passing any such tests. Therefore, spiritual teachers have ceased to test anyone. They simply give the mantra to anyone who expresses an interest in the subject.

These final days of the year are a time of spirituality, worship and celebration. We celebrate this time with the giving of gifts. To those of you who are open-minded but yet to explore the wonder of the practice of the name or mantra of God, this is something that I would like to recommend. It can be any name of God from any spiritual tradition in the world. All names of God are equal in their spiritual effects say the yogis. The holy names of Krishna, Durga, Buddha, Jesus, Mary, Allah, Jehovah and others are all regarded as equally potent and suitable for daily recitation.

I would recommend taking up the spiritual practice of the name of God from today and commit to this in the New Year. Even as a beginner on the spiritual path, I can say that it has been my direct experience that this practice grants mental strength, an ability to cope with the most extraordinary challenges, brings help when it seems that none is available and gives hope when it seems that none can exist. It is a practice that is rooted in love and in truth. It creates the experience of love and truth in our lives.

And so, if those that I love would listen (and frankly many of them do not ;) this is the gift that I would want to give them at this special time. There is no greater gift than this...the key to discovering their own immortal spiritual nature, that love which knows no end, that truth which ultimately cannot be hidden and which must eventually reveal itself. 

The name 'Aum' or 'Om' is the universal mantra, the name of the nameless, formless aspect of God. So much has been said and written about Om (including its numerous beneficial effects on mental and physical health), yet it is beyond all explanation say the yogis. It must simply be recited with gentle concentration, either verbally or mentally, and it will lead one to the experience of Truth. Because the nature of Om is Truth, it is itself Truth. This is a complete mantra in itself, and is also the first portion of many other mantras. To those who would like to explore the practice of a Sanskrit mantra, I would suggest simply repeating Om for five minutes a day in the new year. Even a little practice produces excellent results over time. 

I like this short meditative chanting of Om on YouTube so am sharing it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEoxUG898qY 

With this reflection upon our true nature as eternal beings, whose nature is both love and truth, let us commit to another  year of spiritual practice. God-willing the coming year will be more joyful than the one we have just been through. I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas and wish you a very happy New Year.

Om Namo Narayanaya. 

Hari Aum Tat Sat

P.S. As in previous years, the four Krishna books that I have written and published on Amazon, will be available for free download from Dec 31 to Jan 4 inclusive in celebration of the New Year. 

https://www.amazon.com/Vishnupriya-Devi/e/B07B95YQCV/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Covid pandemic -- wellbeing and spiritual practice

 Hari Aum.

Further to my post last month, I would like to share some more thoughts regarding the pandemic. Why write a medical post on a spiritual blog one may ask. Well the reason is very simple. 

My Guru Sivananda was a practical man. He believed that spirituality needed to be practical not an airy-fairy philosophy. It needed to benefit people. He was a doctor before he became a monk, and ran a hospital providing free treatment to the needy even after becoming a spiritual teacher. He served humanity in a variety of practical ways throughout his life as he believed that 'manava seva is Madhava seva', i.e. service of humankind is service of God.

He lived through the last pandemic about a century ago. This killed a great number of people as there were no vaccines then and medical treatments were also very limited. This blog post is dedicated to him. It is intended to inspire people to take practical steps to stay safe and well, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

I am writing this because there are increasing reports of people adopting a 'don't care' approach to this pandemic at the present time-- this is very disturbing. In some countries, people are rioting to indicate their rejection of the advice of their own scientists and doctors who are acting in their best interests. There are people openly flouting public health advice to self-isolate, test and to get vaccinated. This is a dangerous approach and will only result in helping the virus gain more ground and prolong the pandemic.

I note that a significant percentage of people do not seem to be coming forward to have a Covid vaccination in many countries. There appear to be a variety of reasons for this ranging from worries about side-effects to conspiracy theories.

I would like to share a link that will hopefully address some of the concerns about Covid vaccinations (please see below). 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/facts.html

I would like to state that Covid vaccinations are far safer than the Covid illness. In life one has to make choices. The risk of nasty complications from Covid are far greater than the relatively rare side-effects of the vaccinations. Therefore it is simply common sense to have the Covid vaccination. This will protect us and society and help to reduce the impact of the virus on our lives. (Just to say, my family and I have all had whatever doses of the Covid vaccination we have been eligible for.)

In the past two years of the pandemic, every country has had a good phase and a bad phase. In Europe and America, winter is when the infections have risen steeply and the numbers have come down again in summer. This is happening again with the appearance of the Omicron variant of Covid. Let us have patience and adhere to the rules and restrictions for the next few months (based on the advice of local medics and governments) and remain hopeful that things will improve from spring next year. Let us be optimistic that better times will come as they have done in the past two years. Also, there are new antiviral and other medications being developed which will help reduce the impact of this illness on us in the future.

From a spiritual perspective, as I mentioned in my previous post, this would be regarded as a time of collective human karma. We are all in this together. Prayers and mantras will help increase our mental strength and draw the grace and protection of God. Let us pray daily for ourselves, for each other and for the world. Let us repeat any mantra or prayer from any spiritual tradition of our liking from 5 minutes to an hour a day for this purpose. This is a spiritual duty that we all have as yogis, as knowers of mantras, as believers in God.

My Guru was particularly fond of kirtan or bhajan, i.e. singing the names/praise of God. He said this is one of the most powerful spiritual practices of this age as the name of God is a sound vibration that is God Himself. When we sing His/Her names, we bring our consciousness near Him/Her whether or not we realise it. This is said to have a powerful cleansing effect on the body, mind and soul-- it clears past negative karmas, and produces new positive impressions in the mind. 

For those who enjoy singing, let us sing a little daily in praise of God, even just 5-10 minutes (needless to say, one does not have to be a good singer for this, any level of ability is fine!). The collective effort by all of us will have a good effect. If one is very busy and there is a lack of time, one can simply sing in the shower for a few minutes or for 5 minutes before a meal. It is good to set a fixed time of day when this mini-singing practice will happen.

I would have loved to do a regular Zoom session inviting readers to participate in a short chanting session of Om Namo Narayanaya or the Hare Rama mantra or similar. However due to having a two year old toddler and juggling work and home commitments, I struggle to find time these days for most of the things I would like to do. I am just about managing to keep up my my own daily spiritual practices. I have not given up on this idea though. Maybe I will try this in the new year, perhaps even just once a week for 20 minutes or so, let us see.

In the meantime, let us all stay hopeful, take sensible precautions, pray and stay strong. This too shall pass. 

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Prayers for healing

 Hari Aum.

There are many prayers for healing in the yoga tradition. One of them is the 'roga nivarana' sthothra addressed to Narayana. It declares the greatness of the recitation of His names. (I was introduced to this recently by an acquaintance after I developed a health issue which will take a few months to recover from-- I have been reciting this as I feel it gives me mental peace and the strength to cope). 

This prayer is as follows; it requests the grace and protection of God to help deal with illness. I am sharing this in the hope that it will be of help to readers.

Roga Nivarana sthothra (prayer for healing):

1. अच्युतानन्त गोविन्द नामोच्चारण भेषजात् |
नश्यन्ति सकल रोगः सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम् ||

2. अच्युतानन्तगोविन्द विष्णो नारायणामृत |
रोगान्मे नाशयाशेषान आशु-धन्वन्तरे हरे ||

3. अच्युतानन्त गोविन्द विष्णो धन्वन्तरे हरे |
वासुदेवाखिलानस्य रोगान् नाशाय नाशाय ||

4. सोमनाथं वैद्यनाथं धन्वन्तरिमथाश्विनौ |
एतान् संस्मरतः प्रातः व्याधिः स्पर्श न विद्यते ||

1. achyutAnanta govinda nAmocchAraNa bheShajAt
nashyanti sakala rogaha satyam satyam vadAmyaham

2. achyutAnanta govinda viShNo nArAyanAmruta
rogAnme nAshayAsheShAna Ashu-dhanvantare hare
 
3. achyutAnanta govinda viShNo dhanvantare hare
vAsudevAkhilAnasya rogAn nAshAya nAshAya

4. somanAtham vaidyanAtham dhanvantarimthAshvinau
etAn samsmaratah prAtaha vyAdhihi sparsha na vidyate

The meaning of the Sanskrit words:

1. By the medicine of the recitation of the names Achyuta, Ananta and Govida, all diseases are destroyed; I speak the truth, the truth (repeated twice for emphasis).

2. O Achyuta, O Ananta, O Govinda, O Vishnu, O Narayana, O Immortality (ambrosia),

may all my diseases be quickly destroyed, O Dhanvantari, O Hari.

3. O Achyuta, O Ananta, O Govinda, O Vishnu, O Dhanvantari, O Hari,

O Vasudeva, please destroy destroy all these diseases.

4. If one remembers in the morning, the (divinities) Somanatha, Vaidyanatha, Dhanvantari and the Ashwin twins, then diseases will not touch one.

Note:

Achyuta, Ananta, Govinda, Vishnu, Narayana, Hari, Dhanvantari, Vasudeva are all various names of the one Supreme Being (Narayana).

-Dhanvantari is a form of Narayana, He is the God who is said to have given humanity the knowledge of Ayurveda (the ancient wisdom of healing and medicine).

-Achyuta means one who never falls

-Ananta means the one without an end (infinite)

-Govinda means the protector of the senses (go), also refers to protector of cows (cowherd, Krishna)

-Vaasudeva is a name of Krishna, meaning the son of Vasudeva

-Hari means the destroyer of sorrow

-Narayana means the resting place of beings, the Supreme Being.

-Somanatha and Vaidyanatha are names of Shiva (Shiva and Narayana are different names of the one Supreme Being)

-The Ashwin twins are said to be demi-gods (devas) who are healers

Om Shri Dhanvantre Namah.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

P.S. With regard to the ongoing Covid pandemic, I would like to share some thoughts. From a yogic perspective, this is a manifestation of the collective karma of humanity. We are all in this together. And so we need to help each other to get though this. Helping each other includes having regard for the society we live in. It involves being responsible and taking steps to protect ourselves, our loved ones and society as a whole from the impact of the pandemic as much as possible.

In practical terms, this involves making the effort to follow the guidelines that have been laid out by our governments, scientists and doctors to reduce the transmission of Covid. Depending on where one lives, this may include wearing facemasks when indoors, following social distancing, ventilating rooms, trying to meet outdoors where possible (as the risk of transmission is significantly reduced outdoors compared with indoors). It also includes self-isolating and testing for Covid if one develops any symptoms. It is important to remember that the common symptoms of the newer strains of Covid may be different from the original stain. If in doubt, self-isolate and test. Do not needlessly expose other people to the illness. Extra care should be taken when coming into contact with the very young and the elderly, with people who have chronic diseases (such as heart disease, diabetes) and suppressed immune systems (from cancer, HIV etc) as these are all more vulnerable to serious illness.

And very importantly, if one has access to the Covid vaccination, it is absolutely vital to have this. When we get vaccinated, we protect ourselves, our loved ones, other people in the area we live and the world at large. 

In any decision in life, especially in medicine, we need to weigh the risks and benefits. The risks of the Covid illness are far greater than any potential risk of the vaccination according to the data that scientists and doctors have so far. 

It is important to remember that 10-15 % of people (including children) who get Covid will develop some long-term symptoms (Long Covid)-- these can be serious (chest pains/breathlessness/fatigue etc) and have negative impact on one's quality of life. Long Covid may or may not be reversible as we are still learning about this. In my work as a doctor, I have encountered a number of patients with long Covid who are struggling to deal with this debilitating condition.

The news today mentions the emergence of yet another Covid variant (Omicron) which may be even more transmissible and harmful that previous ones. We must come together to deal with this. We must have the discipline to follow the Covid measures in place in the areas where we live. This is a spiritual duty and a civic duty that we all have towards each other. United we stand, and divided we fall. We must look out for each other.

I want to conclude by saying something about mental health. Covid has been proven to cause mental health issues (anxiety, depression etc). The Covid restrictions (lockdowns, social restrictions etc) are also linked with mental health issues. It is a difficult situation.

It is important to stay in touch with our loved ones in a safe way (this may involve mostly remote or outdoor contact). It is useful to remember that adequate sleep, exercise, good quality food and relaxation are necessary for both physical and mental health. We need to be kind towards ourselves and others during this challenging time. Let us remember the ancient saying by the Buddha "This too shall pass". Scientists are working hard to come up with new antiviral medications, vaccinations and other methods to control and defeat this virus. Let us be patient and do our part to help each other and the world at large.

Finally, and just as importantly as all the practical measures above, let us pray. Let us pray to God to give us and everybody else the mental strength that we all need during this difficult time.

May God bless and protect us all.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Navaratri greetings

 Hari Aum. 

A very happy Navaratri to all. May the Divine Mother inspire us to continue along the spiritual path and overcome all obstacles. 

According to my Guru, Sivananda, the first three nights out of the nine nights of  Navaratri are said to be dedicated to Mother Durga. She is said to be the one who destroys all evil within and without us. 

The next three nights are dedicated to Mother Lakshmi who blesses us with all auspicious qualities (spiritual and material wealth) needed for spiritual progress. 

Finally, the last three nights are celebrated in honour of Mother Saraswati, the giver of spiritual wisdom. All are different aspects of the one Divine Mother. 

This pattern of worship is said to reflect the journey of the spiritual seeker-- first there is the destruction of evil qualities within. This allows good qualities within to flourish. As a result of the work of cleansing and developing virtues, spiritual wisdom dawns upon us.

Today is the first day of Navaratri. Some options to worship Mother Durga include recitation of:

1. Mantras:  Om Shri Durgayai Namah and/or Navarna mantra Om Aim Hrim Klim Chamundayai Vicche

2.  Mahishasura Mardini Stothram

3. Saptasloki Durga

4. Lalita sahasranama

There are many other hymns and prayers to the Divine Mother. These are just a few suggestions. 

May She bless us all. 

The spiritual journey is a very arduous one. One cannot relax for even a second. The gurus say that until we attain liberation, we remain vulnerable to downfall. We can become a victim of lower human emotions and go astray. 

There is no question of us being able to handle all the powerful energies of our minds on our own-- anger, desire, greed, jealousy etc are the inner demons that powerfully sway our minds and endlessly trouble us. The yogis say, the name of the Divine is the one way to safely handle all these and make sure spiritual progress. 

Let us repeat the names of the Divine for our own welfare and that of others. This will keep us on the right path and we will emerge victorious from the battle of life.

Om Shri Durgayai Namah.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Wonderful Krishna bhajan - Avari apuli hi bansuri

 Hari Aum.

As Janmashtami approaches, I was exploring some new Krishna bhajans and came across one that I particularly love-- I'd like to share it here.

This bhajan was composed in Marathi by a saint known as Tukdoji Maharaj who lived in Maharashtra, India in the past century (I had not previously heard of him until I came across this beautiful poem written by him).

In the song, Tukdo ji describes the state of the devotees of Krishna who are spellbound by His playing of the flute. These are the famous gopis, the cowherd women of Vraja, who were deeply in love with Him throughout their lives. The gopis are busy women with many things to do; yet while performing all their duties, they keep their minds on Krishna, the Supreme Being. Thus, they remain in a state of yoga (uniting one's consciousness with God) while living an apparently normal external life.

The sacred scripture, the Bhagavatam, describes the gopis as the most excellent examples of devotees-- practitioners of the path of bhakti yoga. There never has been, is not and never will be any devotee higher than them. They are the examples that all bhakti yoga practitioners aspire to follow. Sivananda, my own Guru, and many other realised souls advise their disciples to emulate the example of these wonderful  yogis.

With this introduction, let me share the YouTube video (please see the link below) of this exquisite poem by Tukdo ji Maharaj. You will see in the comments section of the video that many have described that they found it so enchanting that they listened to it several times in a row. I must admit that it has had the same effect on me too-- I cannot stop listening to it at the moment. Everything about it is so beautiful-- the words of the poem, the devotion expressed, the superb music, the intonation and style of the young girls singing it, just everything about this song is perfect in my view. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SdDjik3v6E

Hope you enjoy the song, may it transport you into a blissful state of contemplation of Krishna like the gopis. :)

Om Shri Krishnaya Namah

Om Shri Gopijana-vallabhaya Namah

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Janmashtami present and happy Onam

 Hari Aum.

A very happy Janmashtami in advance -- this year the date falls on August 30 as per the lunar calendar. In celebration of Lord Krishna's birthday, the four books that I wrote on the life of Krishna as told in the Bhagavatam will be available for free download from Amazon (as is the case on this day every year).

The free Kindle app will be needed to read the books on one's electronic device. The books will be available for free download from August 27 to August 31 (from midnight PDT onwards).

Hope you enjoy the books. The link to the Amazon page from where they can be downloaded is below:

https://www.amazon.com/Vishnupriya-Devi/e/B07B95YQCV/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Just to mention, I am in the process of writing a book on the Vamana avatara as described in the Bhagavatam. I started it last year but the pandemic and other stuff got in the way-- I have taken this up again and hope to complete it sooner rather than later. I hope to publish it on Amazon kindle once it is done. 

Also, a very happy Onam to all. My roots are in Kerala (although I've never lived there for any length of time; only visited during holidays) and Onam is celebrated by many of my family members. It is the day that celebrates the blessing of Bali by the Vamana avatar. 

The story of the King Bali and the Vamana avatara of Narayana is told in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Sadly some people have come up with their own rather bizarre versions of this lila of Narayana. Their version is exactly the opposite of the ancient original version described in the centuries old Bhagavatam. In their modern version (possibly inspired by a desire to create division between various sections of society), they say that Narayana deprives Bali of his property--- whereas the description in the Bhagavatam is precisely the reverse. 

The story begins with the demon king Bali depriving the demi-gods and others of their property. Despite these ignoble deeds, his love of truth is extraordinary and at odds with the values of the demon clan to which he belongs. Narayana appears as the Vamana avatar and successfully restores the property stolen by Bali to the rightful owners. 

However, as Bali demonstrates tremendous courage and nobility in adhering to the truth at all costs, Narayana blesses Bali with an even more beautiful kingdom and riches than the property he gave up. Not only this, He blesses him with spiritual wisdom and says He will personally always protect him. Bali therefore gives everything to Narayana only to receive far more than he could ever have imagined in return. 

It is an extremely beautiful and inspiring story with a happy ending. It shows the love of God towards those who adhere to righteousness or dharma/truth at any cost. 

Happy Onam everyone!

Victory to Lord Vamana and to King Bali!

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Inspiration from the phoenix

 Hari Aum.

Most of us have probably had a rather rough eighteen months or so since Covid appeared on the planet. I've had my share of challenges to put it mildly. And, based on my work as a doctor, I know that many others are in the same difficult boat. The impact of Covid on our personal, professional and spiritual lives is enormous.

We are restricted in terms of our freedoms. Our ability to meet people, to travel, to live in a carefree manner is affected in one way or another. Despite the fortunate development of vaccinations, new Covid variants have emerged and these are posing a challenge. We are at a critical time in this pandemic. Our maturity and fortitude is being tested as never before. We may already have lost much and the challenges continue.

In terms of our spiritual lives, we cannot easily go on pilgrimage or visit temples and ashrams. We may find ourselves bogged down with worldly problems and duties. Yet, the sages say that times like this are an ideal opportunity to discover ourselves, show our true character, demonstrate our mettle and develop virtues that are necessary for successful spiritual seeker. We can either sink or swim, and swim we must. 

Seeing the tragic pictures of numerous cremation fires burning in India (the visuals of the terrible second wave were broadcast all over the world), I was reflecting that the body burns upon death, but the mind burns during life. Many people's minds are burning as it were, with different sorts of pain. We experience the fire of bereavement, of loss, of physical or mental pain, of so many different things. During our lifetimes, most of us are almost constantly in a state of mental burning-- a terrible state indeed. It is unsurprising, therefore, that Krishna calls this world a 'dukhalaya', the home of sorrow. The only thing that can heal the burning mind is spiritual practice, sadhana. The positive bit about living in this world is that it is the gateway to the eternal peace and bliss of liberation, the discovery of our true spiritual nature. And burning pain, the yogis say, is often the key to that gateway.

Sometimes a particular event burns us so badly that we can feel reduced to ashes mentally. Burnt out. Exhausted. Numb. Wiped out. And after times like that, we regenerate. We emerge. But different. Like the mythical bird, the phoenix, rises again after it burns itself and is reduced to ashes, so do we, emerge again after our burning by our life events.

The pandemic is something like this-- a burning pain. It has caused, and continues to cause, so much pain to so many in a variety of ways. However, we are like the phoenix. We may get burnt, but we will not be wiped out. We emerge again, stronger and wiser, more resilient and tougher, and perhaps more beautiful within because of what we have endured. 

Let us remind ourselves of this as we continue to experience this extraordinary time. Let us take inspiration from the phoenix and remind ourselves that we too can rise again. It is our nature-- this phoenix element within us is undefeatable, it is in a sense a divine energy that does not accept defeat no matter what the circumstances. 

Doing spiritual practice during this time may be tough for many reasons, but we are still doing it, we are doing whatever we can. Let us keep our spirits up and trust in our phoenix within-- that element which always rises.

Om Namo Narayanaya. May He protect us all.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Hari ashtakam

 Hari Aum.

I would like to discuss a very beautiful prayer that I came across recently. It is known as the Hari ashtakam, i.e. eight verses in praise of Hari (one of the names of Narayana that means remover of suffering/sorrows/darkness/ignorance).

This prayer was composed by the great devotee of Narayana known as Prahlada. It is described in the ancient scripture called the Skanda Purana.

In this prayer, Prahlada declares the following:

-The two syllable name Hari is most auspicious. It purifies even a person with an unclean mind who recites it just like a fire burns anyone who touches it, knowingly or unknowingly. 

-A person who recites this holy name Hari gains tremendous spiritual merit such as that acquired by visiting holy places such as Varanasi, Kurukshetra, Naimisharanya and Gaya. It gives the spiritual merit of performing numerous great yajnas, of bathing in sacred rivers such as the Ganga, and of giving great gifts in charity.

-The chanting of the name Hari gives the merit of reciting all the sacred Vedic hymns. It removes all the pains and sufferings of life. It gives the reciter health, strength, long life, fame, wealth and spiritual liberation. In other words, it blesses the reciter both materially and spiritually.

Please see below for a YouTube video link of the Hari ashtakam prayer sung beautifully (in the information section there, you will find the English translation of the entire prayer).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdtDf-KB8dI

May Hari bless us all.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. I have taken up a new job recently so have been rather busy with that and also with childcare and the usual household chores (no outside help at all due to the pandemic!). I am continuing my fifth purascharana slowly but steadily at 7 malas a day, with the aim of completing this towards the end of next year. 

Maya

 Hari Aum.

I attended an online satsang recently in which the topic of discussion was Maya. As spiritual seekers, most of us have encountered this term before-- we have some idea of what it represents. It is a very important and complex concept though and therefore worth reflecting upon from time to time.

The yogis say that Maya is difficult to fully understand (except for realised souls). They describe it as a 'deluding power'. They tell us that it is that force which makes us repeatedly search for joy where only sorrow is to be found. In this sense, it is a dark force, a negative energy that works against our quest for happiness. It is the essence of all obstacles that block our spiritual progress. 

How do we experience this in our lives on a practical level? We need to know what we are dealing with. We need not see Maya as an enemy, because this energy is also one aspect of the Divine-- but it is a delusive aspect that keeps us trapped in the cycle of samsara (worldly existence) according to the yogis. Maya allows the play of the world to continue as a divine lila (play). We need to overcome Maya in order to attain the spiritual goal of life, the state of liberation, of true happiness and wisdom.

So, where does Maya exist in our lives? Well, the mind is said to be the seat of Maya. We cannot see the mind, but it is the essence of what we experience as our personality in our day-to-day lives. We experience thoughts almost constantly-- different types of thoughts, some are rational/analytical, some are based on feelings and emotions, some are spiritual, some are worldly. 

The yogis say that it is the mind alone that leads us to liberation, and the mind alone which leads us into spiritual bondage. The direction of the mind, controls the destiny of the soul.

As we know, for spiritual liberation, the mind needs to be directed towards God. The yogis tell us that we should be thinking of God in the midst of all activities, whether eating, drinking, walking, talking, working or relaxing. Whatever we do, the mind should think of God.

We know what we ought to do. And we want to do it. But, let us be honest, it is no easy task. Why is it not easy? What stands in our way?

The answer in one word is Maya. This one word represents all obstacles, within and without, that prevent us from thinking of God, from seeing God in the world. Maya makes us think of the world as separate from God, it persuades us to see the world as outside God, as something other than God.

The yogis say everything and everyone is a manifestation of God. But that is not our daily experience. We see different people and different things. Our feelings towards these people and things may not be divine at all. We may feel desire, anger, greed, jealousy, hatred and pride-- all undivine thoughts, and aspects of Maya, according to the yogis.

To use an analogy, Maya is that force which convinces a thirsty man to search for water in a barren desert, while persuading him to believe that there is no such thing as a river. The desert represents the world seen as separate from God, while the river is God (present within and transcendent to the world). Needless to say, our thirst will not be quenched when we seek bliss in the world as separate from God, it can only be found within the world if we understand it as a manifestation of God and deal with it accordingly.

The yogis tell us we are mostly in the grip of Maya. When we sit to meditate upon God, and our mind wanders to other things, that is the effect of Maya. When our mind is gripped by a desire for anything other than God, that is Maya. 

Is it easy for us to overcome Maya? No, it is not, say the yogis. It is very powerful. There is only one thing more powerful than Maya. That is God. Can we stand up to Maya on our own? No, we cannot. But, as drowning person reaches out for a rope to save himself, we too, who are drowning in samsara, can reach out and grasp the name of God. In whatever condition we find ourselves, wherever we are, whatever we are doing, we can, even if just from time-to-time, remember the mantra or name of God. This will allow us to overcome the grip of Maya over time. 

Narada, the great devotee of Narayana, once asked Him to reveal the power of Maya. In answer, Narayana allowed Narada to briefly come under its influence. As a result, Narada completely forgot about the existence of Narayana and was immersed in worldly affairs without any spiritual understanding. As expected, he experienced grief while living in this way, and whilst he was lamenting at the unfortunate events that had taken place in his life, Narayana lifted the spell of Maya. As soon as He did so, all of Narada's suffering disappeared like a mirage of water in a desert. Narada thus understood the extraordinary power of Maya.

So let us not underestimate the power of Maya. It acts upon us every moment of our lives. Equally, let us not underestimate the much greater power of the names and mantras of God. Just as we cannot truly see how we are affected by Maya, similarly, we cannot fully understand the effect of the names and mantras of God. Let us therefore trust our teachers, our Gurus, who have successfully walked the spiritual path before us, and hold fast to our spiritual practice to extricate ourselves from the mire of samsara. Let us repeat our favourite names and mantras of God as often as we can during our waking hours.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

May He rescue us all from Maya and samsara.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

P.S. There are a couple of eclipses coming up in the next few weeks which, the yogis say, are a particularly good time to repeat mantras and names of God.

https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/list.html

Self-compassion during sadhana

 Hari Aum.

We're nearly a quarter of the way into the new year. How is everyone's sadhana going? Hope it's going well.

The spiritual path, as we all know, can feel long and arduous at times. Conquering one's own mind and lower nature is not an easy process. During the course of sadhana, it is almost inevitable that obstacles will crop up-- from within and outside. 

One can feel frustrated with oneself during the spiritual path. Even judgemental and angry. There is a tug of war between the two aspects of the mind-- the spiritual and the worldly. 

It is important to remind oneself that being spiritual involves being compassionate, even towards the lower mind. As the yogis say, the mind creates all sorts of problems-- they liken it to a drunken monkey that has been bitten by a scorpion. One can imagine how such a monkey would be-- not at all well-behaved! The yogis tell us about the six main types of thoughts that trouble the spiritual seeker-- desire/lust, anger, greed, pride, jealousy and delusion. These will keep coming up from within ourselves during the course of sadhana-- even after many years. 

If we have been doing sadhana for a while, we may feel hugely frustrated with our mind and feel helpless-- after all, controlling a drunken money that's been bitten by a scorpion cannot be said to be an easy task! One can be forgiven for feeling fed-up at times. It is useful to remember that even the greatest yogis (both in the ancient books and in recent times), have had to deal with the same obstacles and have felt the same frustration that we experience.

Well, this is where the higher emotion of compassion comes in. We may find it easier to be compassionate towards other people than ourselves. This is a common issue. However, in order to progress spiritually, we also need to be able to direct some compassion towards our own mind. And along with this, some patience and forgiveness. This helps us to keep going on the spiritual path, to avoid giving-up. Giving up means certain failure. As we know, persistence on the path is the key to success. Come hell or high water, one just has to keep going, keep moving forward. Sometimes the progress may be at a snail's pace, while at other times, one may feel like one is moving forward with the speed of a cheetah!

Let us also remember that God is not judgemental or harsh, but rather, an embodiment of kindness and compassion. We can go to Him/Her no matter what the state of our mind-- whether good, bad or ugly. As the yogis say, He is ever present within us, accepts us as we are, and the very thought of Him transforms us nature from undivine to divine.

Let us therefore practice some self-compassion as we trudge along on the spiritual path. It will allow us to keep going even when we hit our lowest points and this persistence is what will lead to our ultimate success on the path.

Purascharana 5 update: My purascharana is currently progressing slowly but steadily. If all goes well, I hope to complete it sometime in the middle of next year.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Bhavani ashtakam

 Hari Aum.

A very happy International Women's Day to all readers. In celebration of this day, I was listening to a particularly beautiful prayer to the Divine Mother composed by Adi Shankaracharya.

It is called the Bhavani ashtakam. This is link to the stothram being sung beautifully with translation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=prku58bzEpY&fbclid=IwAR0kFVgCn9wrsGiWJlDfEUfNjnIOIqASMM7CXJCxnaeVStqxhnQ1Ox8-MgA

This is a link to the stothram written in Sanskrit (with English translation):

https://greenmesg.org/stotras/durga/bhavani_ashtakam.php

The prayer essentially says that the Divine Mother (God) is our sole refuge in life. And that despite being unworthy in every way, we seek Her protection as Her children as we know that She is an ocean of compassion.

May Mother Bhavani bless us all with spiritual success in this very lifetime.

Om Shri Durgayai Namah.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Being spiritual does not mean being a doormat

 Hari Aum.

This is a message for all readers committed to walking the spiritual path. We live in a world where many unspiritual qualities are valued and even encouraged. Some of these include being able to lie effectively without being caught, the ability to be loud and aggressive, push people down to lift oneself up, be deceptive/false, project false confidence and numerous other negative qualities.

We encounter individuals who value such qualities everywhere--within the family, within the workplace, in society everywhere.

This puts us in a bit of a dilemma. We do not want respond in the same negative way as these individuals as that would involve us abandoning our own path, which emphasises cultivation of the opposite spiritual qualities. So many of us respond by being kind, considerate in return, or even indifferent. This can sometimes give these negative individuals the impression that we are weak and unable to stand up to them-- such people often mistake kindness for weakness. Their negativity towards us can therefore increase further. 

Some people are particularly negative and being around them is harmful for our psychological and physical health (stress affects all parts of the body and mind). In the world of psychology, such extremely negative people (who rarely change), are known as 'toxic individuals'. Psychologists advise that the only option when dealing with such individuals is to set clear boundaries as to what is/is not acceptable, and if necessary, even walk away. This is not easy particularly when it comes to family. However, for many of us, there can come a time when this is the option to preserve our own health and sanity.

It is important to remember that there is a spectrum with regard to caring for the needs of ourselves and those of others. That spectrum involves three categories: selfishness, self-care and self-destruction. Selfishness involves only caring about our needs, without any consideration at all for the needs of others. Self-destruction involves only caring about others' needs without any consideration at all of even our basic needs (such as the right to have health and happiness, to have the freedom to live the way we like).

Self-care is the balanced approach. With this approach, we certainly give care to others. However we also respect our own right to health, and our right to live the way we feel is right for us-- including the spiritual life.

Selfishness and self-destruction are two extremes; these will prevent us from making spiritual progress and pull us down. However, self-care is the golden middle path. It recognises that while we must respect the needs of others, this does not mean allowing people to walk all over us. It recognises that we must be preserve our own health and wellbeing in order to be of any use to others. 

This is an important point that many doctors often make to patients. People who look after others (for example, children/elderly/disabled etc) who have many needs, often forget to take care of themselves. This can lead to their health breaking down. If our own health breaks down, we cannot look after anyone else. This applies to all of us. 

So let us remember-- preserving our own health and sanity is a sacred responsibility. This allows us to be the best we can we be, to give the best we can give to society and the world during our time on this planet. We were not born to be abused by other people, in any way, physically, emotionally/psychologically etc. 

By allowing negative, toxic people to remain in our close social circles, we harm ourselves and others who are close to us (e.g. our other family members) and close off our opportunities in life (as such people gradually wear down our self-esteem and make us feel incapable and dependent on them). Being spiritual does not mean being a doormat and allowing toxic people to walk all over us. If necessary, we should have the courage to walk away from such individuals before they harm us any further.

It is surprisingly difficult to recognise toxic people especially within our family circle as we get used to their behaviour. This does not make them any less harmful however. Yogis have a word that describes such people-- 'kusanga'. They strongly advise staying far away from kusanga individuals in order to live a contented and spiritually fulfilling life. And they strongly advise cultivating 'satsanga'--the company of people with good qualities who are committed to increasing the goodness within themselves.

I am including a useful psychology article related to this topic below as some of you may find this useful. The author is a psychotherapist who describes how to recognise toxic people and ways to deal with them. 

https://livewellwithsharonmartin.com/set-boundaries-toxic-people/

May God protect us all-- from toxicity inside and outside ourselves. May He give us the strength to walk the path of dharma and cultivate satsanga and avoid adharma and kusanga.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

Gita chapter 18- summary of yoga and the secret of success

 Hari Aum.

We are now going to study the final chapter of the Gita. It is one of the longer ones, and here, Krishna summarises the essence of all the paths of yoga. He teaches us the spiritual way to perform actions to free ourselves from the bonds of karma. He also tells us the meaning of spiritual knowledge. In addition, He reminds us that we must each perform our duties in life, based upon our own unique life circumstances. At the end of the chapter, He reveals the secret of success in yoga, the one thing that guarantees that we will succeed in the spiritual path.

The chapter begins with a request from Arjuna. He tells Krishna that he wants to know the essence of sannyasa (renunciation) and tyaga (letting go/giving up, usually applies to material objects).

Krishna responds by saying that there has been some debate about the meaning of true renunciation. Some people say that all actions should be abandoned, while others say they should not. He then tells Arjuna to listen to His final opinion on this subject.

He emphatically declares that three types of actions should never be given up. These are actions that involve:

1. Yajna or Sacrifice (i.e. worship of the Divine via homam/sacred fire rituals, and other means)

2. Dana or Giving to others (including things such as wealth, knowledge, food etc)

3. Tapas or Austerities (performing certain actions to gain control over the senses and the mind, e.g. fasting etc)

Why should these be done? He gives the answer.

He says these three should be done as they purify the person doing them, He says these are 'purifiers of the wise'.

However, Krishna then says that mere performance of these external actions is not enough. 

Note-- The internal attitude with which these actions are performed is very, very important. Without the correct inner mindset, the purification will not occur. Let us remember that it is the mind that requires purification (i.e. freedom from the lower nature involving pride, anger, desire, greed, jealousy and delusion). Therefore, naturally the correct mental attitude is everything, vitally important for these external actions to help us grow spirtually.

So, with what attitude should we perform these three types of purifying actions? 

Krishna says, we should perform these actions with two important inner attitudes:

1. No attachment (i.e. neither liking/disliking the action)

2. No craving, no desire, for a specific result of the action (e.g. achievement of wealth, name, fame etc)

He then says that people who give up their duties because they do not want to make the effort are rajasic, and those who give these up out of foolishness are tamasic. Neither of these two attitudes will lead to spiritual progress. 

He says that a person who performs necessary actions (such as the three types previously discussed), simply because it is the right thing to do, without any attachment to the action, nor any craving for the result, has a sattvic mindset. This mindset leads to spiritual progress. This sattvic method of performing actions, He says, is true sannyasa, true renunciation.

He then declares that people who perform actions with this sattvic attitude, are not subject to the law of karma; they break the bonds of karma, and thus get liberated from samsara (the cycle of birth and death). 

In contrast, the rajasic and tamasic types of people are bound by their karmas, both good and bad (and have to be reborn to experience these; they continue in samsara).

After discussing the secret of breaking the bonds of karma through the performance of proper actions with the correct mindset, Krishna now turns to another important topic. The topic of true knowledge.

He says that people who understand that there is One Being (God) pervading everywhere, in all beings and things, are wise. Their intelligence is sattvic. 

However, those who believe there are many different beings and things separate from each other, they are rajasic.

And those who cling to a single thing as if it alone is everything, that delusional attitude, He says is tamasic.

Krishna then gives a further explanation of the qualities of sattvic, rajasic and tamasic people.

He says that:

1. Sattvic people:

-do their duties without attachment or desire for reward

-do their duties with enthusiasm and firmness

-are unaffected by success or failure, they have mental balance

-have an intelligence that can distinguish correctly between dharma (goodness, duty) and adharma (what is wrong, what should not be done). They have a proper understanding of bondage and liberation and what should and should not be feared.

-have the capacity to control their senses and their minds

-accept some suffering (in the performance of spiritual practices etc) initially in order to experience the lasting bliss of Self-realisation. Krishna says they experience poison (suffering) initially, and later nectar (spiritual bliss).

2. Rajasic people:

-do their duties with a desire for rewards such as name, fame, wealth etc. 

-are egoistic, proud, cruel and mentally impure

-are affected by joys and sorrows (when they get/do not get what they want); lack mental balance

-put a lot of effort into trying to satisfy selfish desires

-cannot understand the difference between dharma and adharma

-indulge in sensual pleasures which are initially like nectar but later like poison (as they lead to suffering in samsara)

3. Tamasic people:

-perform actions without any understanding as to whether or not these are right or wrong, or whether they even have the capacity to perform them, or whether they will cause harm.

-are of unsteady mind, false, malicious/want to harm others, vulgar, lazy, procrastinating, gloomy and stubborn

-think that adharma is dharma; have a completely warped mind that thinks that wrong actions are right

-like pleasures related to sleep, laziness and carelessness, which are delusional in the beginning and in the end

Krishna declares that all of creation, all beings, whether godly, human or ungodly, contain these three qualities of nature, namely, sattva, rajas and tamas (the godly will be more sattvic, the ungodly will be more rajasic/tamasic. Humans of course fall somewhere in between).

After Krishna describes people based on sattva, rajas and tamas, He describes them in another way-- as brahmins, kshyatriyas, vaishayas and shudras. (In the Bhagavatam, in the Uddhava Gita, a much more detailed description is given. He states that people are categorised into these four types based on their nature-- not on their birth as misguided elements in Indian society have thought over the centuries. He says all four groups are 'noble' and His devotees provided they perform their duties with a sattvic attitude).

Krishna describes people who nature is:

-Tending towards the acquisition of wisdom, as brahmins. He says such people have a duty to practice self-restraint, forgiveness, austerity, purity and peacefulness.

-Tending towards performance of actions are kshatriyas. He says their duty is to be generous, courageous (protect those who require protection), be strong and be rulers.

-Tending towards the acquisition of wealth are vaishyas. He states their duties include cultivation of food (agriculture), trade and business.

-Tending to serve others (rather than lead them) are shudras. Their duty is to serve in whatever capacity they are able.

All four classes described above, Krishna says, can attain liberation by performing their duties based on their own nature and life circumstances. He emphasises the importance of performing one's duties (and not running away from them).

Krishna then outlines the key features of people fit to attain realisation. He says that such people are:

-calm, peaceful

-undisturbed by life events whether joyful or sorrowful

-free of negative qualities such as pride, anger, greed and cravings

-with pure intellect

-able to control their mind and senses

-live in solitude 

-always engaged in concentration and meditation

-disinterested in worldly acquisitions, have detachment 

Upon attaining the Supreme Brahman, Himself, Krishna says that beings are:

-serene, being established in the Supreme

-the same to all beings 

-free of grief and desire

-filled with supreme devotion to Him

The role of devotion to the Supreme:

Krishna then says that it is by devotion that one is able to know Him in full, and having known Him, one enters into the Supreme (i.e. realises one's one-ness with the Supreme).

The role of His Grace:

Krishna states that when the devotee does all actions while taking refuge in Him, His grace upon the devotee allows him/her to obtain the eternal, indestructible abode (the state of liberation).

He states that the Lord resides in the hearts of all beings and causes beings to move 'as if mounted upon a machine', i.e. it is by His will alone that everything happens.

He then gives two final extremely important pieces of advice, as follows:

1. "Manmanaa bhava madbhakto, madyaaji maam namaskuru;

Maamevaishyasi satyam te pratijaane priyosi me"

Meaning:

"Fix thy mind on Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, bow down to Me. Thou shalt come even to Me; truly do I promise unto thee, (for) thou art dear to Me."

2. "Sarvadharmaan parityajya maamekam sharanam vraja;

Aham twaa sarvapaapebhyo mokshayishyaami maa shuchah."

Meaning:

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

The chapter then concludes with a declaration by Sanjaya (an attendant of King Dritharashtra), who has heard this sacred conversation between Krishna and Arjuna (as a result of a special blessing). 

This sloka is also known as the 'eka-sloki Gita'-- the essence of the Gita in one sloka (spiritual merit is said to accrue to one who recites it).

Sanjaya says:

"Yatra yogeshwarah Krishno, yatra Partho dhanurdharah;

Tatra shreervijayo bhootir-dhruva neetirmatirmama."

Meaning:

"Wherever there is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga, wherever there is Arjuna, the archer, there are prosperity, happiness, victory and firm policy; such is my conviction."

Conclusion:

So we have now studied the eighteen chapters of the Gita. Krishna has told us of the different paths of yoga-- wisdom, action, devotion and meditation-- and we need to apply these to our own lives in order to attain the spiritual goal. 

His final advice: "Seek refuge in Me, I will liberate you, grieve not" is a promise that many Gurus refer to. We need to wholeheartedly seek God (in any form that we are drawn to) and it is His assurance to us, that He will protect and deliver us from suffering and grant us spiritual peace and bliss. This is the secret of success in spiritual life.

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya.

Om Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum.

Salutations to Lord Krishna, the world teacher.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Dreams as an aid on the spiritual path

 Hari Aum.

Dreaming is an experience that many of us go through every night when we sleep (whether or not we remember). My Guru, Sivananda, has written an entire book on the subject and I had discussed this in a previous post (Feb 2018).

I'm writing this post to say that, even as spiritual beginners, our dreams can give us indications of whether things are going well or less well in our lives. Many dreams are based on our real life experiences. However, some dreams occur to encourage and help us on the spiritual path, or to warn us of difficult times ahead. Occasionally, we may have dreams that predict what is just about to happen in our lives, or dreams of things that may have happened before this lifetime. As a spiritual beginner, I have had experience of these types of dreams.

Dreams can be a form of communication between Ishwara/God and us. When we are going through a difficult time, God may appear in our dream to give us encouragement and hope. This has happened with many spiritual seekers including myself and is always a wonderful experience. The dreams that I have had have been of various forms of God (Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva, Kali, Devi) and saints (Sivananda, Chidananda, Aurobindo, Ammachi, Dalai Lama). Sometimes they have contained messages relevant to my life in the waking state; while at other times, they have felt like an encouragement to keep going on the spiritual path (for example, when I have been going through a challenging time). 

I have been doing daily japa without a break since November 2011 (i.e. around nine years), and can say that the frequency of this type of spiritual dream has certainly increased with time. The interesting thing is that I am still very much a beginner on the spiritual path and have some way to go before attainment of mental purification and the spiritual goal. So, based on my experience, encouraging spiritual dreams can occur even in spiritual beginners (not only in advanced yogis).

It is therefore worth keeping a diary of unusual dreams, particularly those of God, saints, mantras, and also disturbing dreams, and reflect upon whether there may be any meaning to them. In Sivananda's book on dreams, there is a section at the end on the interpretation of dream symbols which I have found very useful. This is a link to the book (see below):

https://www.dlshq.org/download/dream.htm

I hope the first month of the new year has treated you well. I wish you the best for your spiritual practice in the coming months. May these challenging times during the pandemic enable us to learn lessons for quick spiritual progress.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

New year greetings

Hari Aum.

I would like to wish all readers of this blog a happy, peaceful and spiritually fulfilling new year. May God give us strength, motivation and energy to continue on the spiritual path despite the many obstacles that we may face. Through His grace, the impossible becomes possible.

The year 2020 has been a tough one for many of us. Numerous people have lost health, loved ones and livelihoods. Materially it has been challenging for society in numerous ways. Equally, from a spiritual perspective, this has been a great test. A test of our faith (in God and in ourselves), of our determination to continue sadhana/spiritual practice despite the upheaval in our lives, of our ability to be in our own company or in a limited social circle, of our ability to see the big picture.

There have been many challenges, and no doubt there will be more to come. That is the nature of life. There is always something new around the corner.

Having said that, when we have the name or mantra of God with us, we have Him/Her with us. Then we have the capacity to deal with whatever comes our way. Pain is often a blessing in disguise. It's hard to see it that way when we are going through it, but in time, the purpose behind it often reveals itself. We grow through pain, we develop more empathy and understanding, we learn to find strength within, to rely upon ourselves. All of these are vital lessons for our success, especially in spiritual life.

So let us keep the name of God on our lips and keep our chins up, ready to face whatever 2021 has in store for us.

We have what it takes to get through this and every other challenge that comes our way. We are the children of God, He resides within our hearts, He is our true relative and friend, He responds to our call, we are ever protected by Him.

Om Namo Narayayana.

Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya.

P.S. A new year gift

As in previous years, I wanted to make the Krishna books I published on Amazon available for free download today. Unfortunately, due to various circumstances I did not quite manage this. However, instead of today, I have made all four books available for free download from Amazon for five days from January 3, Sunday, to January 7, Thursday, inclusive (from midnight PST). Please see link below for the books. I hope you enjoy reading them and that they give you much joy and spiritual inspiration.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vishnupriya-Devi/e/B07B95YQCV/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1520954376&sr=1-2

Hari Aum Tat Sat.