Message for my twin soul

 Hari Aum.

This is a message for my twin soul.

I am currently on holiday in Kerala, spending time with family here. I am happy to be here. 

However. Despite this happiness, I feel the pull towards you. One day of disconnect in the 3D, and the migraine is back. The migraine that seems to always happen as a sign of the separation.

Seriously. This is getting a bit much for me. 

I am of the view that the universe wants us to put our lower egos aside, and perform a spiritual task together. Why else would all the events of the past five years have occurred (the dreams and everything else)? I feel this applies to all spiritual seekers including all twin souls, particularly those in separation. 

Can you not see the way the misery is escalating on our planet? Do you not realise that you have a spiritual job to do here? Each soul is assigned a task here. You have a task too. And that task appears to include accepting and working with your spiritual counterpart, namely me. (Our task here is not just to live our material lives.)

Can you not get over the past? Can you not understand that this connection has a spiritual purpose (not a typical material one)? Can you not see that all twin souls must separate to be able to realise the true nature of this connection? And can you not see that we are meant to reunite in some way again? 

When will you have the ability to reach out and discuss this?

If you’ve been given this connection by the Divine, you inherently must have the ability to handle it. You would not have been given this otherwise. You and I must both develop the capacity to deal with this.

I’m getting there gradually. How about you? 

I want this connection to fulfil the spiritual purpose for which it was made by the Divine. I wish to act in accordance with the will of the Divine—and that includes accepting this connection. I firmly believe we need to chant mantras/do prayers for world peace—that is one of our key spiritual tasks.

What is your perspective on this? It is important to share this, whatever it is.

The world is going up in flames here, and you act as if you still have doubts that you are a spiritual seeker with a job to do.

We need to get over our hurt little feelings about the past and grow up. There is a big world out there, beyond our little egos and our daily troubles.

Learn to forgive. Learn to be truthful. 

These qualities are needed on the planet today, including particularly in spiritual seekers.

Spare me the silent treatment and the migraines. If we’re meant to work together spiritually, then I’m ready to do it. When will you be?

When will you grow up spiritually and get ready? Get over your lower self and get in touch. We are well past the stage of using karmic connections or anything else as excuses not to be in touch. 

Our lower self will exist until we attain the Divine but it needs to be managed by the higher self. We cannot let the lower self run amok and destroy the spiritual purpose of this connection.

We need to get into twin soul work mode in the current circumstances on our planet. I look forward to hearing from you very soon.

Best wishes. And love. 

Your twin soul 

 

P.S. Please repeat a prayer or mantra daily for peace on our planet. 

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Friends in Tehran and Tel Aviv

 Hari Aum.

I'm trying my best to limit the amount of news I watch these days but it is difficult to do so-- partly because so many events are occurring in quick succession, and the whole world is being affected in one way or another.

There are a lot of angry people, specifically politicians and military people, on television these days. We see video clips of them, their faces contorted with rage, jabbing their fingers in the air and threatening each other. 

They tell us that we are all in terrible danger. That this war is good thing. It is needed, they say-- apparently, to protect us all from a vague and unclear future threat.

They say all this anger and violence is justified, it is a reasonable response to the violence that was perpetrated by the other side. They say they want to annihilate and obliterate each other. Wipe each other off the map-- that is the message from these politicians and their militaries.

They like to emphasise that the people in other countries have nothing in common with us. They are different. They follow a different way of life. Their religion is different. Their language is different. They look different. They think different. They are so different, they might as well be from another planet (we are all practically aliens to each other, they say!).

Different means danger-- the other side is very, very dangerous, they tell us. Look at what they did on xyz occasion. They cannot be trusted. The death of innocent civilians on both sides is 'collateral damage', and this is an acceptable price to pay for protecting us all.

Diplomacy has no place here, they declare. No, the only means of communication is guns and bombs. They praise their planes and ships and describe their capacity to destroy and kill-- what technology, what innovation-- how magnificent!

They torpedo ships in international waters. Destroy schools and hospitals. And assure us it is all for a good cause. It is to protect us from great evil, great danger. This war is not evil at all. No, it is most excellent-- a noble, virtuous act for the good of all. 

It was only way, they tell us. Talking is of no use. It takes too much time, and there is no trust anyway. After all, how can there be any trust or goodwill between people who look, think and speak so differently?

"We are right, and they are wrong", declare these politicians. “We are good, and they are bad. We are progressive and they are backward. We are liberal and they are repressive. We are virtuous and they are evil"-- this is the narrative that politicians both sides of the conflict in the Middle East are spreading.

But, when I think of Tehran and Tel Aviv, I do not think of these angry politicians and their militaries. These places are relatively far from those where I have lived during my life so far. But I have met people from these places at work and through my spiritual life, and I have many good memories of them. 

For example, I had a good friend from medical school who returned to Tehran after he finished his studies to settle there and start a family. He was one of the kindest and most cheerful people whom I had ever met. 

When I had one of my horrible seizure-like blackouts (atypical vasovagal, mentioned in a previous post) in hospital while observing a patient who was in severe pain, he happened to be present as we were working together at the time (we were medical students together at a university in Europe). He went out of his way to make sure that I was ok afterwards (brought me tea and insisted on walking me to the station to ensure there were no further episodes). He was part of a study group that some friends and I belonged to but hardly ever showed up to the revision lectures. 

Despite having an apparently very casual attitude towards his studies, he came first in the surgical examination in our year. I was particularly indignant at this as he had cheekily told me not to set 'too high a standard' during our practical surgical examination as he was due to see the examiners just after me (due to having a slightly similar surname)-- however, he was the one who had clearly set a very high standard!

I once cautiously asked him how life was for people in Tehran (this was just under twenty years ago). He told me that people lived a 'normal life' and could generally do as they pleased but 'behind closed doors'.

I wonder if he is alive and well today. I do worry about him and his family when I hear about the bombing of Tehran.

Similarly, during the pandemic, I did two online mantra japa courses conducted by a lady yoga teacher who was a volunteer/ staff member (and brahmacharini) with the Sivananda yoga organisation in the Bahamas. During these courses, which lasted 2-3 months at a time, we had some very interesting and enjoyable conversations about spiritual life. She provided much-needed inspiration at a time that was difficult and we developed a friendly bond.

This lady is originally from Tel Aviv and in recent years, told me that she has moved back there. This was after the conflict flared-up a few years ago-- she said the senior staff had returned from the Bahamas to teach mindfulness/ meditation and yoga to people at the Sivananda yoga centre there in the hope of promoting mental peace and wellbeing. 

She is an excellent teacher and one of the nicest people I have met. And a truly inspirational spiritual practitioner. I wonder how she is today and hope she is safe. I worry about her and the other Sivananda yogis when I hear about the bombing of Tel Aviv.

Many years ago, in the summer of 2006, during my Sivananda Yoga teachers training course in Spain, there was a flare-up of the conflict between Iran and Israel. There were a number of students from all over the world present at the course, including two from Iran and one from Israel.

I noticed the elderly Iranian lady often comforting the younger Israeli woman who was very worried and often tearful due to  her husband being in the army. Over the few weeks of the course, they formed a close bond of friendship despite their countries being at war.

People are fundamentally people everywhere-- no matter how different our cultures and ways of life may seem. We have the capacity to empathise with each other based upon this understanding. 

Two wrongs can never make a right. Every act of violence is awful, but it cannot justify further violence--because that way, the cycle of violence never ends.

We are approaching the end of Navaratri-- today is the seventh day associated with Mother Kalaratri. I am due to travel to India soon on holiday so life is a bit hectic with packing and so on-- however, I was grateful to be able to find the opportunity to do a puja this afternoon of all the nine forms of Mother Durga associated with this festival. I felt much better after this worship.

I hope and pray that Mother Durga protects all good people on both sides of this conflict. I hope my friends in Tehran and Tel Aviv remain safe and well along with their families and friends. 

Let us pray to the Divine Mother to reduce the negativity in the world today. She is the Mother of every one of us and every creature in existence. May She help us resolve our conflicts and live in peace.

Let us remember that our ancient scripture, the Mahabharata, describes a terrible war in which many people died, including many good people. The Krishna avatar was present at the time. He tried His best to prevent the war, even going as a messenger of peace to the Kauravas (the egoistic and negative side). They did not listen and the war then unfolded with horrific consequences on both sides (eventually, dharma/ righteousness was established but not before much suffering). 

God grants us free will to act. But we must then be prepared to face the consequences of our own actions. This is the way of the law of karma. Karma can be mitigated by prayers and mantras. 

Let us therefore, pray and recite mantras in accordance with the firm instruction of our Gurus. This is a spiritual duty according to all spiritual traditions across the world.

Om Shri Durgayai Namah.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

Nava Durga and Navaratri

 Hari Aum.

There are four 'Navaratris' or 9 night festivals that are celebrated each year to worship the Divine Mother. These occur in spring, summer, autumn and winter (the autumn festival, known as 'Sharad Navaratri' is the most popular and widely-known).

Tomorrow is a highly auspicious day in the Vedic calendar-- it is New Year's day based upon the lunar calendar. It is also the first day of the spring Navaratri (known as Chaitra Navaratri).

From the perspective of jyotisha (or Vedic astrology), this day is suitable to begin new spiritual and material endeavours. It is said that any new venture started on this day (that is based upon dharma/ righteousness) is blessed with success.

It is a perfect day for the worship of the Divine Mother. She has numerous wonderful names and forms. And She can be worshipped in any of these during Navaratri. However, this festival is associated with the worship of nine special forms of Durga, known as 'Nava Durga' ('nava' means 'nine' in Sanskrit). 

As we are about to enter this extremely auspicious period, let us contemplate these nine beautiful forms of the Divine Mother. These are as follows:

1. Shailaputri: the first day of Navaratri is associated with Shailaputri ('Shaila' means 'peak' and 'putri' means 'daughter' in Sanskrit). This is another name for the incarnation of Durga as Parvati-- the daughter of the peak or the Himalaya mountain King. 

She is depicted as holding a trident in Her right hand, and a lotus in Her left. These respectively represent Her actions to destroy evil and grant blessings. 

2. Brahmacharini: the second day of Navaratri is associated with Brahmacharini. This is the form of the Divine Mother immersed in spiritual practice. She represents the power of devotion and penance. 

She is the Goddess of renunciation, who gives up everything to attain Shiva. Intent upon Him, She engages in constant recitation of His well-known mantra (the panchakshara). 

She holds a japa mala (prayer beads) in Her right hand, and the kamandalu (water pot of an ascetic) in Her left. She is known as 'Tapasvini', the embodiment of tapas. 

She was also called 'Aparna' by the rishis in the forest when She gave up eating leaves ('parna') that symbolise material Nature. Bilva leaves are sacred to Shiva and She had previously been eating only these while fasting from all other food. She represents mastery over the senses and the ability to withdraw the mind inwards to contemplate the Divine. 

Worship of the Mother in this form gives the devotee the ability to perform intense spiritual austerities including japa, meditation and fasting. 

3. Chandraghanta: the third day of Navaratri is associated with Chandraghanta. This is a form of the Divine Mother in union with Shiva. She wears the crescent moon in Her hair symbolising their unity (this is traditionally associated with Him). 

This is a fierce form of the Divine Mother, golden in colour and holding various divine weapons, along with a lotus and prayer beads. She adopts this form when Shiva appears in His fierce form (leading Him to then adopt a gentler aspect!). 

This form of the Mother is associated with strength and courage. She grants fearlessness and protection to Her devotees.

4. Kushmanda: She is the deity of the fourth day of Navaratri. She is the Goddess of light and of Creation, and is particularly associated with the sun. She represents love, warmth, vitality and healing. 

In Her hands, She holds various weapons and also two pots filled with honey and 'amrita' (divine nectar). Worship of Mother Kushmanda is performed for physical health and mental peace. She is also associated with fertility, childbirth and spiritual awakening (spiritual rebirth). 

She governs the 'anahata chakra' in particular and Her worship is said to cleanse and heal this chakra or spiritual energy centre.

5. Skandamata: This is the Goddess in the form of the Mother of Kartikeya. She is worshipped on the fifth day of Navaratri.

As a result of the union of Shakti with Shiva, a son (Kartikeya or Skanda) is born. Skandamata represents the maternal aspect of the Goddess--She holds the baby Skanda in Her arms. 

As She rules the 'Vishuddha chakra' located at the level of the throat, Her worship is said to grant clarity in communication and better self-expression. She gives the ability to resolve disputes through diplomacy rather than aggression and is thus associated with harmony and peace (both within the family and in society). She also gives mental clarity and wisdom. 

(Those who worship this form of the Mother are also said to gain the blessings of Her son, Skanda. He is a powerful form of the Divine associated with the granting of protection and destruction of all evil). 

6. Katyayani: The Mother in this form is the Goddess of justice. She is worshipped on the sixth day of Navaratri.

She assumed this form to destroy the ego, represented by the asura (demon) known as Mahishasura. She is the Goddess at war, extremely fierce and intent upon the destruction of evil.

Her worship is said to remove all obstacles in material and spiritual life. She is traditionally worshipped by unmarried girls seeking a suitable partner.

She governs the 'ajna chakra' (located in the region of the space between the eyebrows) and is thus associated with granting intuition and spiritual wisdom, and the ability to perceive truth (beyond the illusion of the material universe).

7. Kalaratri: This form of the Divine Mother is worshipped on the seventh day of Navaratri. She resembles Mother Kali in that She is as black as night ('Kala' means 'black' and 'ratri' means 'night' in Sanskrit), has long, wild hair and is wrathful. She hold weapons in Her hands, and is associated with the destruction of the lower aspect of our nature (represented by the asuras 'Shumbha' and 'Nishumbha').

She governs the seventh chakra, located at the crown of the head, known as the 'sahasrara' (that is said to resemble a lotus with a thousand petals). Her worship is associated with the total and complete annihilation of the lower ego and with the attainment of enlightenment or realisation of one's true spiritual nature as being one with Truth or God.

She is said to grant the ability to overcome even the most testing of obstacles, the capacity to break negative habits (including recovery from addictions).

Like other fierce forms of the Mother, Her worship is said to grant protection from danger, destruction of evil and suffering. 

She is known as Shubhankari, the auspicious One as Her worship is said to grant overall success and wellbeing in life.

8. Maha Gauri: She is worshipped on the eighth day of Navaratri. She represents the polar opposite of Kalaratri, being of a radiant white colour, the embodiment of peace and serenity. 

She is particularly associated with the power of compassion and forgiveness, and through these, the attainment of harmony within the family and society. She is worshipped for emotional healing, and the removal of all negativity. 

The Mother in this form is depicted as the embodiment of all virtue and purity, the One who grants spiritual strength.  Like Kalaratri, She too is associated with the sahasrara chakra, symbolising the attainment of spiritual consciousness.

9. Siddhidatri: She is worshipped on the ninth day of Navaratri. She holds a conch shell (representing wisdom including sacred sounds/ mantras), weapons in the form of the discus/chakra and mace (representing the destruction of ignorance/evil) and a lotus (representing the granting of divine blessings. Note- these four are also associated with the form of Narayana/ Vishnu). 

She represents the culmination of spiritual endeavour, the attainment of spiritual consciousness, the removal of all ignorance. She is the giver of spiritual abilities or 'siddhis' (which are naturally bestowed once the lower nature is completely transmuted into the divine). She represents balance between the material and spiritual aspects of life. 

She is also associated with the famous 'Ardha Narishvara' form. In this form, Shiva and Shakti assume a single divine form, with the right half depicting the form of Shiva and the left half the form of Shakti. This form represents  the state of balance of the masculine and feminine energies within oneself, the balance of Purusha/ Spirit and Prakriti/matter. 

This completes a brief description of the nine beautiful forms of the Divine Mother, each associated with a particular day of the Navaratri festival.

Please see below for some useful links related to this subject:

1. Mantras and prayers for Navaratri worship including of the Nava Durga forms:

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

2. Recitation of some famous mantras of the Nava Durga:

The beautiful Nava Durga stothram

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgDAbk_6nzY

Mantras for each of the Nava Durgas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IK-ZlZUEck&list=PL0NTVBK7D46YKMH5cGLoBiKuQC5AOWfJp

Let us pray to the Nava Durga forms of the Divine Mother during this Navaratri for spiritual and material wellbeing for ourselves, our families, our society and the world at large. The above mantras and prayers, as well as the Navarna mantra, would be suitable to recite during this time.

Om Sri Durgayai Namah.

Om Namah Shivaya.

Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.

A drop of water in the ocean

 Hari Aum.

Hope all readers are well and your sadhana is going to plan. In March 2017, I wrote a post in which I described the legend of Sri Rama and the squirrel who tried to help Him build a great bridge. The message of the story is that the tiny, minute efforts of each one of us matters-- there is a cumulative effect with regard to spiritual practice-- this is the view of our Gurus. 

"Why bother chanting mantras for world peace?", one might ask. There is an endless appetite for war on our planet, and we are so small-- what can we really do? And, we may wonder, is God listening when we chant, and does He really care? The answer is that our prayers can bring peace, and yes, of course, God does listen and respond to us (even when we feel unsure).

We are each a small drop of water in this ocean of life on our planet. We jointly make up the consciousness on our planet. When there is a lot of thought of war, anger, fear and hatred (as unfortunately is the case currently), the entire collective consciousness on our planet is said to undergo a downward shift-- towards rajas and tamas, the negative aspect of Nature. This becomes a self-perpetuating cycle (as the saying goes, 'violence begets violence).

Let us, therefore, chant for peace, for an increase in sattva or positive, divine energy on our planet. Even if we are tired, unmotivated, uninterested and fed-up, let us chant a mantra (such as the ashtakshara Om Namo Narayanaya) daily, at least for a short while be it only 5 or 10 minutes, for peace. 

The cumulative effect of our chanting will be positive-- this will help to counter some of the violence currently being unleashed on our planet. Whether we feel good, bad or indifferent, let us chant. Because chanting the name or mantra of God has an immensely purifying and positive effect (as the name and mantra of God is one with God). And let continue this, at least until the current escalation of violence in the Middle East settles down.

On that note, I am going to go off and do some mantra chanting. 

Before I conclude, though, I want to say one thing to any twin souls out there who are reading this (including my own if they are here). Some people say that we have a capacity to work together spiritually to create some good on this planet. We are certainly not special in any way, however there is a view that (like many others), we have come here to this planet with a specific spiritual job, i.e. to perform a specific spiritual service as a form of worship of the Divine.

I feel my task, aside from working towards my own spiritual growth and performing my usual material duties, is to encourage mantra chanting for world peace (based upon the positive benefits that I have myself felt from reciting the ashtakshara mantra).  

And, therefore, with regard to my own twin (if they are here), I want to say this: 

Based upon events that have occurred in recent years, I believe that you are on a spiritual journey as I am. I also believe that my Guru supports our connection and that he would want us to chant/pray for world peace (based upon any spiritual tradition, not necessarily the yoga one). (We do not have to be in the same place physically for this-- we can do this wherever we are). 

I would really appreciate it, therefore if you could pray or recite a mantra or do some sort of spiritual practice of your liking every day (if you are not doing this already) specifically for peace on our planet. And, if you would be open to chanting the ashtakshara mantra daily for five minutes or more, that would be excellent (though any prayer from any spiritual tradition would be equally good). 

I somehow believe that the effects of us both chanting will be greater than either one of us alone; there is usually a potentiating effect when twin souls both perform a spiritual practice and I feel this would be helpful in the current circumstances on our planet. I feel you have a spiritual task to perform here too. And, if you are my twin as you seem to be, then perhaps we have a similar task-- i.e. just doing some simple mantra chanting/prayers for peace. So, wherever you are, I'd be grateful if you could do this. 

(By the way, I am going through a phase where I feel tired and drained spiritually-- though I do still keep up my daily mantra practice-- and for some reason, intuitively, I currently feel like handing over the baton of spiritual practice to you. I feel that you need to power our joint spiritual growth now (as I've been at it for a while; you may very well have been too). 

It is said that, when one twin soul performs a spiritual practice, it has a direct beneficial effect on both themselves and their twin-- I, therefore, feel that I want your help in the manner described at this stage in spiritual life (no 3D contact is required for this; please just do a daily spiritual practice if not doing this already).

(This naturally is my higher mind, not the lower one, talking! The lower mind, being a sceptic, doesn't believe in any of this of course!).

May God bless all of us with spiritual growth and inner peace, and may all conflicts on this planet be calmed as soon as possible.

Om Namo Narayanaya. Om Namo Narayanaya. Om Namo Narayanaya.

Hari Aum Tat Sat.