Symphony of Spirit
Where Is The Love, To Be Found?2/21/2018
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Concrete Jungle"....Darkness has covered my light, has turned my day into night, Where is the love, to be found?
Won't someone tell me 'cause, life, sweet life, must be somewhere, to be found."
No chains around my feet, but I'm not free. I know I'm bounded, in captivity oh now
Never known what happiness is, never known what sweet caress is,
Still I'll always be laughing like a clown. Oh someone help me 'cause (sweet life)
I've got to pick myself from off the ground (got to be, out there somewhere, out there for me)
In this ya concrete jungle, I said what do you got for me now?.. Why won't you let me be now?
I said life (sweet life) must be out there, to be found (out there somewhere for me)
Oh instead:concrete jungle, collusion confusion, Concrete jungle, what do you have for me now?"
George Harrison 1973
"Don't know what I'm doing here, but I hope to see much clearer, after living in the material world...
Hope to get out of this place, by the Lord Sri Krishna's grace....
Eternal, Timely Wisdom From Bhagavad Gita 5,000 years ago in India, Sri Krishna, the All-Attractive Personality of Godhead spoke to his dear friend and student Arjuna the following for the benefit of humanity, then and now. It is ever-present wisdom.
Bg 6.20-23
The stage of perfection is called trance, or samādhi, when one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga*. This is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.
Bg 6.47
And of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself and renders transcendental loving service to Me – he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.
*Yoga is defined as a means to re-connect to the Supreme Lord; we are already connected but have forgotten our Source. There are different types of yoga, or ways to re-connect with the Supreme cross-culturally, using different approaches and language. Anyone who is attempting to reach out to God through any bona-fide religious process, is a yogi.
Spiritual acts are intended to reveal different types of relationships one may have with God - the Absolute Truth from which everything emanates. It can be noted that offering prayers, music and service to the Lord, is also a type yoga called Bhakti - a direct process of re-connecting to the Supreme, through devotional offerings from the heart. A person from any religious tradition who is sincerely striving to re-connect with Source, by offering heartfelt loving service, is also a Bhakti-yogi.
Bg 10.1
The Supreme Lord said: My dear friend, mighty-armed Arjuna, listen again to My supreme word, which I shall impart to you for your benefit and which will give you great joy.
Bg 10.10
To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
Bg 10.11
Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.
MORE Bhagavad Gita
Note: One may ask, what is the process of offering service to the Supreme? Different practices in religious frameworks are revealed according to the time and place and circumstance; the goal of all ideally being learning how to love God, and know oneself as a part and parcel of the Supreme.
Love of Godhead is already naturally dormant in the heart; it just needs to be uncovered. Like after removing dust from a mirror. The real self and God can reflectively seen but internal vision, once the dust of delusion and misconception are cleared by spiritual practice and grace.
To love, means you mus know who you are loving, so the Supreme reveals himself through various means - such appearing personally in different ages and places - or by sending a messenger/saint to represent Him - or speaking directly from within one's own heart.
According the sincerity level of each person, the Supreme Lord arranges a specific level of instruction and like-minded association to manifest for each seeking soul, custom fit for that soul's journey.
In the Vedic tradition, nine processes of surrender and service have been recommended by sages and scriptures - the first three of which are: Hearing of the Supreme (Sravanam), Speaking or chanting singing the glories of the Supreme (Kirtanam), and remembering the Supreme (Smaranam) as much as possble. A highly recommend, simple and sublime method of performing all three services, is by repeating (silently or aloud this maha-mantra prayer):
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare
This prayer uses holy names to address the Supreme Being as the All-attractive Source of Divine Love (Krishna), He who is also the Source of all spiritual strength and happiness (Rama).
Prayer is asking to be engaged in divine service of the Source of Love and Strength and Happiness, by the agency of the Lord's internal spiritual potency (Hare).
As with all sincere prayer and meditation, even a few minutes a day of this chanting process is a divinely safe and powerful practice for allowing one to gradually feel the uplifting grace and loving presence of the Supreme Lord, within and without.
Bg 9.1
This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.
Wishing everyone,
Peace, Love, Introspection, and Ever-Increasing Happiness
Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood - Presence of the Lord
0 Comments The Science of Holy Sound 2/27/2015
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In Western Culture we hear, "In the beginning was the Word". In the East "Om" is a sacred vibration in connection with God or Source. Genuine scripture, free from perverted interpretation, is also sacred sound, along with Holy Names of Godhead which have unique potency.
Word denotes sound, either when spoken aloud or when read, being heard in the mind. Sound manifests through multiple levels of our being, causing different reactions on
various levels of our consciousness, both gross and subtle, material and spiritual.
In the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of India, musical kirtans (singing with instruments) as a means of spiritually connecting with Source or Godhead through holy sound, is a joyful daily practice. This method of seeking spiritual grace and realization was reinvigorated 500 years ago by Sri Caitanya, an incarnation of Godhead, whose name means "life force". The heartfelt singing of hymns to the Supreme Lord, is a tradition found in both Eastern and Western cultures and a link that unifies us.
A young monk from this Bhakti (devotional) tradition, went to a senior monk to ask how it was possible for someone with a material body, to emit or perceive a spiritual (non-material) sound. The transcription of his question and the answer he received follows, in this transcribed account:
His Holiness B.R. Sridhara Maharaja sat on the roof of his quarters in Navadvipa (West Bengal). The now very old sadhu (saintly person) was in a contemplative mood, and to approach him in this state disturbed me.
He motioned that I should sit in front of him, so I timidly went and sat down on a grass mat at his feet. There was no one to be seen for miles around. "There are many things to see from up here by which we can remember Sri Caitanya." His Holiness said. "We have this Ganges, this forest, the temples, His favorite tree, banana. What have you come here to ask me?"
"Can you explain how, if the Name is a spiritual thing-how is it that we are all chanting it with a material tongue?" I asked, feeling quite foolish. After some silence he began to speak, "Nitai Caitanya, Nitai Caitanya," and then he proceeded:
"It cannot be uttered by a material tongue, nor can a material ear hear the Name. He [the Name] is "adhoksaja" (in Sanskrit, meaning beyond experimental knowledge), having reserved the right of not being exposed to organic senses. All the experience, knowledge and memories that we have are gleaned with the help of mundane sense perception.
Our tongue is comprised mostly of earth and water elements; the nerve endings extending to all parts of the body carry charges of electricity, also a material element. If an object is too far away, it is not touchable, seeable, tasteable, etc; if an object is too close, it is also imperceptible; we can't see our own tilak mark or even our own eyelids.
"When the senses are extended by microscopes and telescopes, these instruments have more range, but are still limited to the material sphere. The telescope cannot penetrate te outermost covering of the universe; the microscope lens is composed of atoms and therefore cannot see the atom or anything smaller than the atom.
Likewise, the system of mental speculation is also inefficient to perceive the spiritual elements. Mind is a material element whose density is very slight. (Bhagavad-gita VII:4) Higher abstractions are no more spiritual than hard rocks. There is a common belief that by extending the potency of the mind we can conceive of the infinite, but this process is defective. More
7 Comments A Musical Interlude10/1/2014
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It is said that the secret of spiritual advancement, is to serve and please a saintly person; a pure devotee of the Lord. When such a person is pleased, he naturally showers his blessings upon such a fortunate soul, being a conduit of mercy from the Supreme Lord. In modern times, a genuinely saintly person was recognized all over the world, in primarily a short of window of time from 1965 to 1977, whose name was A.C. Bhaktvedanta Swami Prabhupada. It is well documented that George Harrison, who at one time played in a band called the Beatles, found spiritual inspiration in the writings and in personal association with Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada instructed all of his students to glorify the Supreme Lord in whatever occupation they might find themselves engaged in, and that they should explain in their own words what they had learned, to others. George Harrison took this to heart, and wrote many songs expressing his spiritual realizations and convictions. Srila Prabhupada was very pleased with Mr Harrison's efforts and as such, his success in this life and in the next are beyond question, in this writer's humble opinion. Since the theme of this website and blog is spirituality intertwined with musical expression - and understanding that internal reflection is part of spiritual practice, you are invited to a musical interlude to contemplate the offerings of a talented and devoted soul, Mr George Harrison as performed by his friends in a tribute concert, performed one year after his departure from this mortal world.
7 Comments Peaceful Revolution Through Spiritual Evolution9/15/2014
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Please click arrow to the right if you would like theme-related music for todays blog.
"You say want a revolution, well you know, ......we'd all love to see the plan.."
The Beatles
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Revolution 1 - The BeatlesFor Personal and Collective Revolution - A Genuine Spiritual Plan For Positive Change
If you are somewhat revolted by current conditions either personally, economically, socially, ecologically, politically, or on any other level, you are not alone. Political, economic, as well as revolutions in consciousness are necessarily fomented when dead-end, stagnant models of operation no longer serve their intended purposes.
A revolution needs a plan; a plan based on the best knowledge at one's disposal for taking action. All of humankind is suffering, but generally the first step is to revolutionize one's own existence first to some degree, rather than attempting to"fix" other people and situations prematurely. To head up your own personal revolution requires finding the root cause of the problems at hand, and source of power to enact solutions.
The root cause of all problems or distress, stem primarily from being a voluntary slave to an illusory obsessive master. This master which is never fully satisfied, namely one's own mind and senses, demand service first and foremost, generally without considering much else. Full speed ahead, damn the torpedos, that golden carrot is just within my grasp!
How can our limited senses and changing body offer the unlimited pleasure we naturally seek? It's not possible; the body has natural limitations, whereas one's spirit, connected to Source does not.
Each spirit, or soul that resides temporarily in a material body is conditioned to enjoy the body and mind as the all and all, forgetting one's higher spiritual nature. This is problematic on many levels. We generally don't know who we are in a spiritual sense, or what to do about it. It is revolutionary knowledge to understand that when our spirit is consciously connected again to Source/God, we gradually experience unlimited love manifesting in the heart automatically, constitutionally; it is what we are meant to do.
There is a revolutionary path however to happily liberate one's mind and spirit from the cruel masters of unbridled desire, anger and greed that our mundane ego and existence thrives upon. It is a loving path based on true knowledge of the self or spiritual ego, awakened by spiritual science and activities, characterized by wisdom and lovingly devoted action in spirit.
By spiritually engaging the mind and senses, a transformation descends in the form of active loving service to Supreme Whole, our Source, God. When the purpose of the Supreme is served with love, each individual being as part of the Supreme experiences the highest reciprocal love in connection with the Supreme. The purpose of the Supreme is to spiritually expand love. As spiritual sons and daughters of the Supreme, our pleasure-giving potency is meant for that same spiritual purpose - expanding and experiencing divine love.
This revolution in personal consciousness which progressively unfolds on the spiritual platform within each heart, is eternally dynamic. How so? By cultivation of spiritual knowledge, action and service, the Supreme Lord takes up residence in one's heart. Actually the Supreme is ever-present, inside and out. Not being mindful of this truth and deluded by external compulsions, we have forgotten our internal, eternal connection to the Supreme Source of all love and satisfaction. This highest truth is described in the ancient scriptural writings of the Srimad Bhagavatam, also known as the Bhagavata Purana.
SB 1.1.2: "Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṇa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart."
For everyone, as spirit/souls encased in a physical body with a subtle mind and emotions, concomitant threefold miseries mentioned above affect our consciousness. As conscious beings - consciousness being one of the symptoms of the soul - a trifecta of misery periodically arises from: one's own body and mind, from the bodies and minds of others, and from the forces of nature.
These miseries do not discriminate, and whether you are a have, or a have-not. The solution however is not to outwardly claim what someone else may have, but rather to claim one's own spiritual birthright. As sparks of the Supreme Spirit, we actually have no eternal connection to the ever-changing conditions of the body, society, or country in which were born or temporarily live. Everyone's spiritual birthright is this: eternal life, liberty, and pursuit of ecstatic happiness. Such freedom is spiritual happiness well beyond the flickering temporary pleasures that the physical body and senses can offer. Once the senses are engaged their original spiritual function of loving service to the Supreme, all revolutionary purposes on the spiritual level are served.
One's senses can be spiritual purified, enabling the perception of spiritual sound, sight, etc.. Therefore, action through one's senses can be of two types - either selfishly limited and binding, or liberating and fulfilling, dependent on intentionally engaging in the service of our spiritual Source, or not.
The Supreme Lord is described as the Absolute Truth from which everything emanates. By serving the Supreme, our own eternal happiness, function and highest purpose is automatically served. This is because we are all parts and parcels of the Absolute Truth; eternal sparks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, meant for reciprocating love with the Supreme on all levels.
Actions and intentions carried out on all levels (both material and spiritual) are governed by laws of attraction and action, beginning with thinking, feeling and willing. Results depend not only on the desire of each person individually, but also on the desire and will of the Supreme Lord. Based upon the ultimate sanction of the Supreme, the laws of attraction and desire, are played out on either the material or spiritual planes of one's body, mind or spirit.
So one may ask how to begin a such revolution in consciousness, and where will the strength and mercy come from which will galvanize our new constitution and service orientation?
According to ancient Vedic wisdom there are unlimited valid, holy names of God which indicate different divine qualities, such as God the All-powerful, or the All-compassionate. Another name of the Supreme, is Lord Sri Krishna, wherein "Krishna" denotes the original feature of Godhead - that of God being divinely and supremely, 'All-Attractive". One cannot artificially give up attraction or desire, but one can perfect one's desires by serving the purpose of Lord, who is All-Attractive.
Daily prayer, meditation and spiritual activity can evoke ever-increasing happiness and knowledge, both of which are necessary on the revolutionary path of personal spiritual evolution. All sincere prayer, holy scriptures and meditations which lead one to develop love of God, are soul-revolution friendly. A process can judged by it's results; thus if one is becoming progressively God-conscious, by default one's happiness increases and bondage to lower ego-driven materialistic pursuits naturally slacken. This is due to a superior spiritual taste being experienced by one's purified, true spiritual ego. All genuine spiritual traditions aspire towards spiritual evolution, although frameworks, methodology and levels of revealed information may vary.
One good way to start one's personal revolution is to ask the omni-present Supreme Lord, Who is All-Attractive (Krishna) and All-Powerful (Rama) to engage one in pure loving spiritual service by means of His own spiritual potency (Hare).
Highly recommended by saints and scriptures is the following prayer/mantra which gradually frees the mind from all doubt and misgivings. Not only are doubts destroyed, but transcendent knowledge and happiness is simultaneously revealed and relished within one's heart.
Through the recitation of this mantra by one seeking eternal loving reciprocation with the Supreme, one attracts God. Silently or aloud, one can repeat this prayer/mantra daily for the optimum benefit of God realization, self-realization and ever-increasing transcendent happiness - both in this life and in the next.
HARE KRISHNA, HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA, HARE HARE
HARE RAME, HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE
Once started, the Lord in the heart will guide you on toward continued progress and guidance.
This mantra is called the Maha-mantra or great mantra for deliverance, as it embodies the ultimate purpose of all spiritual prayers; an interactive and reciprocal love with God.
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This spiritual science has spread worldwide through a modern day saint and fully realized spiritual master, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977). He mentions that effective and pure chanting of this prayer/mantra will gradually open a spiritual window in one's heart almost like a spiritual television, by which transcendent spiritual reality is progressively revealed, culminating in personally meeting God face to face. Reconnecting with God, is actually the mission and real purpose of a truly successful life. Whether one wants to take up that mission or not, is a matter of personal choice. We are loved by God, our Source unconditionally, yet He is even more pleased and ready to reciprocate further, when we offer our love back.
More regarding this spiritual science is found in the Vedic scriptures such as Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Translated by Srila Prabhupada and fully explained verse by verse, these works are a treasure of knowledge and purity. They are available free of charge at http://vedabase.net/en
If you are interested, and have a few minutes to read some stunningly powerful and transformative information as to the nature of the Absolute Truth and your relationship to the Supreme Truth, please have a look at the first chapter of Srimad Bhagavatam, comprised of 23 short verses and entitled "Questions by the Sages".
Thanks for listening.
Comments or questions can be kindly forwarded to [email protected]
4 Comments Social and Spiritual Alchemy3/30/2014
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In days of yore, alchemists searched for a formula to change ordinary lead into gold.
Success has eluded the traditional alchemist, but the concept of turning something seemingly ordinary such as our day-to-day lives into something extraordinary, is actually doable given the right formula.
So how to uncover the secret which reveals the means for a golden transformation?
At least two approaches are possible. One method is to speculate alone or with the help of others to find a formula for positive transformation, followed by testing of that theory by trial and error over time. Or, one can look to knowledge revealed in the sacred writings of various spiritual traditions, then choose whether or not to apply those time-tested formulas.
Spiritual media throughout time has indicated that realizing the gold standard of our eternal existence, knowledge and spiritual happiness in harmony with our Source, is a life well spent.
From the Vedic literatures - Bhagavad-Gita, Chapter 14:
BG 14.1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Again I shall declare to you this supreme wisdom, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have attained the supreme perfection. BG 14.2: By becoming fixed in this knowledge, one can attain to the transcendental nature like My own. Thus established, one is not born at the time of creation or disturbed at the time of dissolution.
In this 14th Chapter titled “The Material Modes of Nature”, we find in the commentary for the 1st verse: “In the Thirteenth Chapter, it was clearly explained that by humbly developing knowledge one may possibly be freed from material entanglement. It has also been explained that it is due to association with the modes of nature that the living entity is entangled in this material world. Now, in this chapter, the Supreme Personality explains what those modes of nature are, how they act, how they bind and how they give liberation”.
The science of of spiritual awakening is taught on many levels, just as student first learns basic math, then takes classes in algebra and so on.
In What Class Do Find Yourself?
Materially and spiritually there are many class structures, according to different societies and definitions.
In a broad sense, two classes of people exist; spiritualists and materialists.
Of spiritualists, there are different classes according the modes of nature as mentioned above, and the same is true of materialists, who fall into different categories. The difference being for the spiritualist, there is a focus on the progressive path of God and self-realization, as opposed to the materialist for whom the growth of material assets and social status is the primary goal of life.
For a spiritualist, or one who believes in God, or a Higher Power, it doesn’t matter what class he may be born into as far social/economic standing goes, because anyone in any condition may approach the Supreme and receive guidance, happiness and protection Bg.18.22.
On the other hand a materialist may find himself or herself in any position in the economic/social food chain by birth, and do one's best from there in the struggle to achieve whatever one considers success to be. Rich or poor, everyone experiences a mix of happiness and distress on life's journey until death comes to evaporate any accumulated gains of physical assets.
Modern political experiments have been done to achieve “Classless” societies, but all have failed because living beings are controlled differently by the modes of material nature they have acquired from past desires and activities. Not all people have the same abilities and desires. According to one’s qualities and work, different classes of society are actually ordained by the Supreme, and meant for social cooperation. Bg 4.13.
In every society there is an intelligent class of men, a martial class, a mercantile class and a laborer class. The problem is, in this age we find that generally the people who occupy the responsible posts of teachers, scientists, politicians, military, and business leaders, are mostly driven by selfish greed, like voracious animals in the wild. It is no wonder that the theory of evolution, although not fully proven and not fully accepted by all scientists, is taught as factual and provides a model that an aggressive materialist may love; the concept that by natural selection, the strong shall prevail over and even devour the weak. Thus one class or one person tries to subjugate and exploit the next.
Actual evolution does exist spiritually, but is an individual evolution of consciousness based on knowledge and grace, as opposed to apparent singular survivalist mutations.
As poet/songwriter John Lennon wrote in his song Working Class Hero:
There’s room at the top, they are telling you still,
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill,
If you want to be like the folks on the hill.
History has show that in class struggle, most revolutionaries eventually become as corrupt as those they dispose, due to a poverty of spiritual knowledge as to how to attain real freedom.
Freedom is already dormant within as our constitutional spiritual right, once we surrender to the Source of freedom. We are naturally spiritually golden by nature, once materialistic conceptions are removed. An example is given of wiping dust from a mirror which can bring out the mirror's underlying reflective quality (Bg 3.38). By similarly understanding that surrendering to the Supreme who has created both us and the dust of matter which covers us, spiritual freedom is gracefully granted to those seeking to clear the dust of ignorance from within (Bg 7.14)
By understanding the valuable option and alchemy of developing spiritual awareness, performing spiritual practices, and seeking grace through service and surrender, a reward more valuable than mountains of gold can be realized. The transformative awareness and practice of loving service to the Supreme, attracts the loving attention and eternal grace of the Supreme Lord. Such loving service, or Bhakti, simultaneously reveals one's highest spiritual form and function, and frees one from all classes of misfortune. A humble spiritual hero is something to be. The journey begins with continued hearing, chanting and remembering the ecstatic glories of the Supreme Lord.[related blog here]
This heroic process of transforming an ordinary life to an extraordinary one is free and requires no formal club affiliation or expensive tuition. The only investment needed is the valuable time it takes to add spiritual practices in your daily or weekly routine. As spiritual portfolio managers, the saints and sages advise us that returns on such investments are beyond astronomical.
8 Comments March 08th, 20143/8/2014
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A Home Run
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Optional Theme Realted Music - Blackbird - The Beatles
Due to the influence of time, everything and everyone is on a path of transformation. Seasonal cycles bring new leaves and blossoms in the spring, which fall as winter approaches. Time passes and the spring cycle again brings new life. Similarly, living beings cycle and recycle through youth, maturity and old age, enduring various transformations along the way.
Science continues to theorize and speculate, but in the scientific community there is no clear consensus as to the origin of life and the cause of transformations over time. Whether there is any purpose to the struggle of life on earth, is also a matter of opinion. Scientific reductionism contends that life is only a chance combination of material elements which manifested from a primordial elemental/chemical soup, without any reference to where the ingredients of the soup originally came from. As for a meaning and purpose in life, that seems to be up to each individual to tackle alone.
What we can see is that transformation is forced upon is. Common wisdom tells us that that the only thing that is constant in our lives, is change. As to understanding our present condition, some advice in given in the Bhagavad Gita (Song of God). The instruction there is that rather than be absorbed only in trying to set a linear parameter to the cosmos and our lives, we should try to understand the purpose of life beyond the continual set of cycles which bind us. What frees us from cycles of bondage is the weapon of detachment, knowing there is a transformative love awaiting us, beyond whatever transitory and addictive materialistic patterns we now hold on to and identify with.
The analogy is given of a banyan tree, which is a unique tree because from it's branches, roots grow down to the ground, thus making it difficult to understand where it begins and ends. More insight on this example can be found on the verses below (which link to explanations by clicking the blue verse numbers).
The ultimate transformation is to spiritualize one's consciousness in this life, and by so doing break the cycle of birth and death we are now bound by. Something like a caterpillar cocooning itself and emerging as a butterfly, by wrapping ourselves in spiritual knowledge and activities such as hearing, chanting and remembering the Supreme, we can be blessed with the spiritual transformation and wings required to return back to home, back to Godhead. Related SoS Page
Going Home.
Banyan tree with roots extending from it's branches.
BG 15.1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.
BG 15.2: The branches of this tree extend downward and upward, nourished by the three modes of material nature. The twigs are the objects of the senses. This tree also has roots going down, and these are bound to the fruitive actions of human society.
BG 15.3-4: The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this strongly rooted tree with the weapon of detachment. Thereafter, one must seek that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything began and from whom everything has extended since time immemorial.
7 Comments Mantra Meditation 1/22/2014
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A mantra is a repeated prayer to free the mind from it's constant barrage of input from the material senses, and thus reveal a deeper spiritual reality transcending time and space.
The surface of a calm lake can reflect the distant stars in the night sky. Similarly, a calmed mind which can tolerate the urges of the bodily senses, can deeply reflect on and experience, the existence of God within and without. Without controlling and purifying one's own mind, God like the distant stars may appear to be very far away or completely obscured.
There are different prayers and mantras for different purposes, such as attainment of health, wealth or liberation. The "Hare Krishna" Maha-Mantra is specifically meant for this modern age of quarrel and materialism. The chanting or singing of this mantra, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, has no hard and fast rules and can be repeated silently or aloud by anyone, anywhere.
Whether one has all material desires, no material desires or is seeking liberation from the cycle of birth and death, this mantra is supremely effective for all spiritual seekers (Bg 4.11).
This mantra asks the internal spiritual power of Supreme Lord (Hare), who is All-Attractive (Krishna) and the source of all pleasure and strength (Rama), to please engage our soul in activities of eternal loving service. This prayer helps us purify our existence by turning our tendency toward limited, self-service, into divine loving service in concert with Supreme.
Consciously and willingly offering service in love to the Supreme Lord and His devotees, is our actual purpose, identity and eternal ecstatic function, as sparks of the Supreme Spirt. This can be personally revealed by regularly chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra.
Below are some pictures taken while traveling in India and California, along with some quotes from Bhagavad-Gita. You are cordially invited to chant the Maha-Mantra, silently or aloud, or just listen to or read this purely spiritual and liberating prayer, to enhance and activate your spiritual life. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
More information can be found the Symphony of Spirit Webpage found HERE.
Peace In and Peace Out. Click the arrow below hear chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra, recorded in the holy city of Vrndavan, India.
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Hare Krishna Mantra Kirtan, Vrndavan India
From the "Song of God" (Bhagavad-Gita) the Supreme Personality of Godhead said:
BG 10.10: To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
BG 10.11: To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.
BG 18.58: If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.
BG 18.61: The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.
BG 18.62: O scion of Bharata, surrender unto Him utterly. By His grace you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme and eternal abode.
BG 18.63: Thus I have explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.
BG 18.64: Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you My supreme instruction, the most confidential knowledge of all. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit.
BG 18.65: Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.
BG 18.66: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.
(Clicking on the Blue Verse Numbers above, will take you to the full purport explanation and VedaBase site)
4 Comments These Chains of Love Gotta Hold On Me7/5/2013
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Most of us are shackled and chained to a materialistic (bodily) conception of life. Materialistic life, means a life where everything is temporary; our bodies are temporary, and those things experienced by the body such pleasures and pains are also temporary. Suffering the limitations of alternating pleasure and pain is unnatural to our soul proper which is transcendental to material duality. Yet we perpetuate this cycle upon ourselves, by impetuous actions and serving misconceptions. We aren't victims in the drama of life, but rather are just receiving the results of previous actions, through the agents of so-called friends, enemies and natural law. The soul has no enemy, other than ignorance, and even the pain of ignorance can serve us as benefactor, when prompting us to contemplate our present circumstance.
If sought out, human life gives us the opportunity to transcend the ephemeral,
and enter into the eternal realm of spiritual joy and freedom. To experience a spiritually blissful, non-material state of consciousness in the here-and-now is really our mission in life; our hero's journey. Part of our mission and journey is to also gain all knowledge. It's not that we will ever become "All-Knowing" as God is, but if we gain knowledge of the relationship between God and ourselves, we will know everything we need to know, about everything. Such a great soul, who sees and knows who he is, who God is, and how everything is part of the Supreme, is quite rare and is described Here.
This false identification with the body in Sanskrit is call "Maya" which translates to "Illusion" or "That which is not" (More info on Maya / Illusion can be found Here).
"Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains,
And they ain't the kind, that you can see,
Whoa, These chains of love, Gotta hold on me. yeah.
Chains, well I can't break away from these chains,
Can't run around, 'cause I'm not free,
Whoa these chains of love, won't let me be, yeah....
Now believe me when I tell you, I think you're fine, I'd like to love you, but darling I'm imprisoned by these chains...."
Free your mind, the rest will follow.... (thank you En Vogue).
These unseen chains of blind attachment, which bind us either in love or lust to people, places and things, are quite natural in one sense. We were created to love, but we were created to love and relate to our Spiritual Source, rather than try to manipulate matter for our enjoyment. More specifically, our purpose and ultimate satisfaction is connected to having a loving relationship with the Supreme Spirit.
The struggle between Illusion and Truth, or between the forces of light and darkness, sets the stage for our spiritual growth. Crossing the ocean of material attachment and illusion is not easy, but if one wholeheartedly surrenders to the Supreme Lord in a mood of loving devotion and service, it is possible - as described in Bhagavad Gita (Song of God) in the 7th Chapter, (titled Knowledge of the Absolute), Verse 14, found Here.
To experience a Higher Love, we must be ready to surrender the chains of mundane desires, and depend on the grace of the Lord to help us positively enter into the realm of blissful loving service. Such a transition is possible by divine mercy and grace. God is a person, and along with being Omniscient and Omnipresent, is able spiritually extend a hand to those who are sincerely seeking divine love (more here).
When embarking upon one's spiritual journey to find true love and God, we simultaneously and successfully find the dawn of our own true self. This revelation manifests over time, just as when sun rises dissipating the night's darkness, we able to see both the sun and ourselves. This process of knowing and loving the Supreme Lord, was all very beautifully revealed 5,000 years ago in the 9th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita (Song of God), entitled "The Most Confidential Knowledge", found here.
2 Comments Are You Reeling In the Years? Getting any smarter?6/4/2013
3 Comments
"Your everlasting summer
You can see it fading fast
So you grab a piece of something
That you think is gonna last
You wouldnt know a diamond
If you held it in your hand
The things you think are precious
I cant understand
Are you reelin in the years
Stowin away the time
Are you gatherin up the tears
Have you had enough of mine
You been tellin me you're a genius
Since you were seventeen
In all the time Ive known you
I still dont know what you mean
The weekend at the college
Didnt turn out like you planned
The things that pass for knowledge
I cant understand
Are you reelin in the years
Stowin away the time
Are you gatherin up the tears
Have you had enough of mine?"
Holy scriptures and prophets from all traditions remind us of the temporal nature of our bodies and the fleeting nature of our material circumstances. Although our souls are eternal and everlasting, we have a limited time on this earthly plane which can be used to spiritually evolve - or not.
Generally, spiritual evolution begins with three questions:
1. Who am I?
2. Where did I come from?
3. Why am discontent?
According to the ancient Vedic scriptures and other scriptures as well, we find answers:
1. (Who am I?) - We are all eternal loving servants of the Supreme Lord; parts and parcels of God, but find ourselves struggling with material circumstances. In Bhagavad Gita (Song of God) The Supreme states: BG 15.7: The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.
2. (Where did I come from?) We are parts and parcels of the Supreme Absolute Truth (that from which everything emanates) The Lord states: BG 2.12: Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
3. (Why am discontent?) The cause of our distress is also identified in Bhagavad Gita: BG 7.27: O scion of Bharata, O conqueror of the foe, all living entities are born into delusion, bewildered by dualities arisen from desire and hate.
Rather than humbly serve the Lord of Love who is the Source of unlimited satisfaction, we generally try to egotistically exploit the resources of material nature, thus we fuel our own discontent. No matter how materially successful we may be, we cannot avoid distress due to spiritual impoverishment and disenfranchisement, which perpetually entangle us birth, death, old age and disease.
The answers above to some of life's most pondered questions, can have a profound impact on our journey toward self-realization and God realization, if they prompt us to spiritual action such as hearing, chanting and remembering the glories of the Supreme.
1. A type of liberation through knowledge occurs when realizing we are all unique loving servants of the Lord. By engaging in active spiritual service, we define our soul in it's eternal spiritual form and function and revive our eternal loving relationship with God. Consequently we can understand we are not the temporary material body which is designated as black or white, rich or poor, tall or short, American or Indian, etc. These misconceptions about who we are, usually subject us to all types of unnecessary miseries and conflicts if we identify only with our material circumstances.
2. Understanding that are a part of God, and are actually made in His image as parts and parcels of the Supreme Spirit, we can appreciate true brotherhood, realizing our origin is from the same Supreme Father.
We can also know that our true essence is not the product of just random or organized chemical reactions; a dead body cannot be brought back to conscious life just by adding more chemicals. Life/Spirit originally created chemical building blocks, rather than random chemicals accidentally creating life. Science has access to all chemicals, but are unable to combine those chemicals together even to produce a tiny, self-reproducing gnat from scratch, what to speak of a human.
3. A fish cannot feel real comfort when cast onto dry land removed it's natural watery environment. Similarly, as spiritual beings we cannot be fully satisfied being removed from our spiritual Source, by aspiring to dominate dry matter, devoid of any spiritual nourishment. Driven by false conceptions or illusions as to our purpose and identity, we are helplessly bound to the cycle of birth and death (more here) due to ignorance of our true spiritual nature and connection to God.
How well we use our time limited time in pursuing either material or spiritual assets is generally the barometer of our satisfaction, or lack thereof, as we move on through eternal time.
Below is a quote from the Bhagavad Gita (The Song of God) where Sri Krishna (which is the name of Godhead meaning "All-attractive") advises his friend and disciple Arjuna, on the eternal nature of the soul in connection with the Supreme Soul.
(Bhagavad Gita Translation and commentary by AC Bhativedanta Swami Prabhupada) Bhagavad Gita and other translations of the Vedas available HERE.
BG 2.13: As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.
PURPORT
Since every living entity is an individual soul, each is changing his body every moment, manifesting sometimes as a child, sometimes as a youth, and sometimes as an old man. Yet the same spirit soul is there and does not undergo any change. This individual soul finally changes the body at death and transmigrates to another body; and since it is sure to have another body in the next birth—either material or spiritual—....more
The entire Bhagavad Gita and other Free Translated Vedic Literature can be found HERE.
Information on the tradition and practice of Bhakti-yoga (devotional service) as described in the Bhagavad-Gita as path of loving God and Self-realization, be found here, or www.bhaktifeast.com
3 Comments Giving Thanks11/22/2012
3 Comments
November 22, 2012
Happy Thanksgiving.
As we know, the early Pilgrims who landed in America established the mood and holiday of Thanksgiving to take stock, and express thanks for their survival and blessings. The Pilgrims, as the name literally denotes, were on a mission to find a better life, and recognized that God did not play a small part in their journey.
The Pilgrims offered thanks for blessings they felt were ultimately, God-given, but the Pilgrims also did their part. These hearty souls bravely crossed a dangerous ocean, and willingly sacrificed the comforts afforded by their previous ordinary lives. Driven by the faith that a better life could be found in a raw new world, free from the political and religious models of intolerance and exploitation that ruled their status quo, they started out on their journey.
The early settlers in America were all pilgrims of some sort, from those seeking religious or political freedom, to those on a quest for fame and fortune. Today, in America and elsewhere, things have not changed in that almost everyone seems to be on a quest for either material or spiritual fortune, or a combination of both.
Life is a meditation. We are all meditating on something. We all use our minds to focus on and execute whatever plot or plan we have to live our lives to the fullest. What we meditate on as the goal of life, from basic survival to fame or fortune, or spiritual congruity, determines our future to a large degree, along with our actions. How we may squeeze God into our meditational equation or not, is up to each person to individually assess. Free will is God-given, and exists, whether one believes in God or not. It’s something to meditate on.
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Where Is The Love, To Be Found?2/21/2018
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Concrete Jungle"....Darkness has covered my light, has turned my day into night, Where is the love, to be found?
Won't someone tell me 'cause, life, sweet life, must be somewhere, to be found."
No chains around my feet, but I'm not free. I know I'm bounded, in captivity oh now
Never known what happiness is, never known what sweet caress is,
Still I'll always be laughing like a clown. Oh someone help me 'cause (sweet life)
I've got to pick myself from off the ground (got to be, out there somewhere, out there for me)
In this ya concrete jungle, I said what do you got for me now?.. Why won't you let me be now?
I said life (sweet life) must be out there, to be found (out there somewhere for me)
Oh instead:concrete jungle, collusion confusion, Concrete jungle, what do you have for me now?"
George Harrison 1973
"Don't know what I'm doing here, but I hope to see much clearer, after living in the material world...
Hope to get out of this place, by the Lord Sri Krishna's grace....
Eternal, Timely Wisdom From Bhagavad Gita 5,000 years ago in India, Sri Krishna, the All-Attractive Personality of Godhead spoke to his dear friend and student Arjuna the following for the benefit of humanity, then and now. It is ever-present wisdom.
Bg 6.20-23
The stage of perfection is called trance, or samādhi, when one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga*. This is characterized by one's ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth, and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.
Bg 6.47
And of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself and renders transcendental loving service to Me – he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.
*Yoga is defined as a means to re-connect to the Supreme Lord; we are already connected but have forgotten our Source. There are different types of yoga, or ways to re-connect with the Supreme cross-culturally, using different approaches and language. Anyone who is attempting to reach out to God through any bona-fide religious process, is a yogi.
Spiritual acts are intended to reveal different types of relationships one may have with God - the Absolute Truth from which everything emanates. It can be noted that offering prayers, music and service to the Lord, is also a type yoga called Bhakti - a direct process of re-connecting to the Supreme, through devotional offerings from the heart. A person from any religious tradition who is sincerely striving to re-connect with Source, by offering heartfelt loving service, is also a Bhakti-yogi.
Bg 10.1
The Supreme Lord said: My dear friend, mighty-armed Arjuna, listen again to My supreme word, which I shall impart to you for your benefit and which will give you great joy.
Bg 10.10
To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
Bg 10.11
Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.
MORE Bhagavad Gita
Note: One may ask, what is the process of offering service to the Supreme? Different practices in religious frameworks are revealed according to the time and place and circumstance; the goal of all ideally being learning how to love God, and know oneself as a part and parcel of the Supreme.
Love of Godhead is already naturally dormant in the heart; it just needs to be uncovered. Like after removing dust from a mirror. The real self and God can reflectively seen but internal vision, once the dust of delusion and misconception are cleared by spiritual practice and grace.
To love, means you mus know who you are loving, so the Supreme reveals himself through various means - such appearing personally in different ages and places - or by sending a messenger/saint to represent Him - or speaking directly from within one's own heart.
According the sincerity level of each person, the Supreme Lord arranges a specific level of instruction and like-minded association to manifest for each seeking soul, custom fit for that soul's journey.
In the Vedic tradition, nine processes of surrender and service have been recommended by sages and scriptures - the first three of which are: Hearing of the Supreme (Sravanam), Speaking or chanting singing the glories of the Supreme (Kirtanam), and remembering the Supreme (Smaranam) as much as possble. A highly recommend, simple and sublime method of performing all three services, is by repeating (silently or aloud this maha-mantra prayer):
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare
This prayer uses holy names to address the Supreme Being as the All-attractive Source of Divine Love (Krishna), He who is also the Source of all spiritual strength and happiness (Rama).
Prayer is asking to be engaged in divine service of the Source of Love and Strength and Happiness, by the agency of the Lord's internal spiritual potency (Hare).
As with all sincere prayer and meditation, even a few minutes a day of this chanting process is a divinely safe and powerful practice for allowing one to gradually feel the uplifting grace and loving presence of the Supreme Lord, within and without.
Bg 9.1
This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed.
Wishing everyone,
Peace, Love, Introspection, and Ever-Increasing Happiness
Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood - Presence of the Lord
0 Comments The Science of Holy Sound 2/27/2015
7 Comments
In Western Culture we hear, "In the beginning was the Word". In the East "Om" is a sacred vibration in connection with God or Source. Genuine scripture, free from perverted interpretation, is also sacred sound, along with Holy Names of Godhead which have unique potency.
Word denotes sound, either when spoken aloud or when read, being heard in the mind. Sound manifests through multiple levels of our being, causing different reactions on
various levels of our consciousness, both gross and subtle, material and spiritual.
In the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of India, musical kirtans (singing with instruments) as a means of spiritually connecting with Source or Godhead through holy sound, is a joyful daily practice. This method of seeking spiritual grace and realization was reinvigorated 500 years ago by Sri Caitanya, an incarnation of Godhead, whose name means "life force". The heartfelt singing of hymns to the Supreme Lord, is a tradition found in both Eastern and Western cultures and a link that unifies us.
A young monk from this Bhakti (devotional) tradition, went to a senior monk to ask how it was possible for someone with a material body, to emit or perceive a spiritual (non-material) sound. The transcription of his question and the answer he received follows, in this transcribed account:
His Holiness B.R. Sridhara Maharaja sat on the roof of his quarters in Navadvipa (West Bengal). The now very old sadhu (saintly person) was in a contemplative mood, and to approach him in this state disturbed me.
He motioned that I should sit in front of him, so I timidly went and sat down on a grass mat at his feet. There was no one to be seen for miles around. "There are many things to see from up here by which we can remember Sri Caitanya." His Holiness said. "We have this Ganges, this forest, the temples, His favorite tree, banana. What have you come here to ask me?"
"Can you explain how, if the Name is a spiritual thing-how is it that we are all chanting it with a material tongue?" I asked, feeling quite foolish. After some silence he began to speak, "Nitai Caitanya, Nitai Caitanya," and then he proceeded:
"It cannot be uttered by a material tongue, nor can a material ear hear the Name. He [the Name] is "adhoksaja" (in Sanskrit, meaning beyond experimental knowledge), having reserved the right of not being exposed to organic senses. All the experience, knowledge and memories that we have are gleaned with the help of mundane sense perception.
Our tongue is comprised mostly of earth and water elements; the nerve endings extending to all parts of the body carry charges of electricity, also a material element. If an object is too far away, it is not touchable, seeable, tasteable, etc; if an object is too close, it is also imperceptible; we can't see our own tilak mark or even our own eyelids.
"When the senses are extended by microscopes and telescopes, these instruments have more range, but are still limited to the material sphere. The telescope cannot penetrate te outermost covering of the universe; the microscope lens is composed of atoms and therefore cannot see the atom or anything smaller than the atom.
Likewise, the system of mental speculation is also inefficient to perceive the spiritual elements. Mind is a material element whose density is very slight. (Bhagavad-gita VII:4) Higher abstractions are no more spiritual than hard rocks. There is a common belief that by extending the potency of the mind we can conceive of the infinite, but this process is defective. More
7 Comments A Musical Interlude10/1/2014
7 Comments
It is said that the secret of spiritual advancement, is to serve and please a saintly person; a pure devotee of the Lord. When such a person is pleased, he naturally showers his blessings upon such a fortunate soul, being a conduit of mercy from the Supreme Lord. In modern times, a genuinely saintly person was recognized all over the world, in primarily a short of window of time from 1965 to 1977, whose name was A.C. Bhaktvedanta Swami Prabhupada. It is well documented that George Harrison, who at one time played in a band called the Beatles, found spiritual inspiration in the writings and in personal association with Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada instructed all of his students to glorify the Supreme Lord in whatever occupation they might find themselves engaged in, and that they should explain in their own words what they had learned, to others. George Harrison took this to heart, and wrote many songs expressing his spiritual realizations and convictions. Srila Prabhupada was very pleased with Mr Harrison's efforts and as such, his success in this life and in the next are beyond question, in this writer's humble opinion. Since the theme of this website and blog is spirituality intertwined with musical expression - and understanding that internal reflection is part of spiritual practice, you are invited to a musical interlude to contemplate the offerings of a talented and devoted soul, Mr George Harrison as performed by his friends in a tribute concert, performed one year after his departure from this mortal world.
7 Comments Peaceful Revolution Through Spiritual Evolution9/15/2014
4 Comments
Please click arrow to the right if you would like theme-related music for todays blog.
"You say want a revolution, well you know, ......we'd all love to see the plan.."
The Beatles
00:00
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Revolution 1 - The BeatlesFor Personal and Collective Revolution - A Genuine Spiritual Plan For Positive Change
If you are somewhat revolted by current conditions either personally, economically, socially, ecologically, politically, or on any other level, you are not alone. Political, economic, as well as revolutions in consciousness are necessarily fomented when dead-end, stagnant models of operation no longer serve their intended purposes.
A revolution needs a plan; a plan based on the best knowledge at one's disposal for taking action. All of humankind is suffering, but generally the first step is to revolutionize one's own existence first to some degree, rather than attempting to"fix" other people and situations prematurely. To head up your own personal revolution requires finding the root cause of the problems at hand, and source of power to enact solutions.
The root cause of all problems or distress, stem primarily from being a voluntary slave to an illusory obsessive master. This master which is never fully satisfied, namely one's own mind and senses, demand service first and foremost, generally without considering much else. Full speed ahead, damn the torpedos, that golden carrot is just within my grasp!
How can our limited senses and changing body offer the unlimited pleasure we naturally seek? It's not possible; the body has natural limitations, whereas one's spirit, connected to Source does not.
Each spirit, or soul that resides temporarily in a material body is conditioned to enjoy the body and mind as the all and all, forgetting one's higher spiritual nature. This is problematic on many levels. We generally don't know who we are in a spiritual sense, or what to do about it. It is revolutionary knowledge to understand that when our spirit is consciously connected again to Source/God, we gradually experience unlimited love manifesting in the heart automatically, constitutionally; it is what we are meant to do.
There is a revolutionary path however to happily liberate one's mind and spirit from the cruel masters of unbridled desire, anger and greed that our mundane ego and existence thrives upon. It is a loving path based on true knowledge of the self or spiritual ego, awakened by spiritual science and activities, characterized by wisdom and lovingly devoted action in spirit.
By spiritually engaging the mind and senses, a transformation descends in the form of active loving service to Supreme Whole, our Source, God. When the purpose of the Supreme is served with love, each individual being as part of the Supreme experiences the highest reciprocal love in connection with the Supreme. The purpose of the Supreme is to spiritually expand love. As spiritual sons and daughters of the Supreme, our pleasure-giving potency is meant for that same spiritual purpose - expanding and experiencing divine love.
This revolution in personal consciousness which progressively unfolds on the spiritual platform within each heart, is eternally dynamic. How so? By cultivation of spiritual knowledge, action and service, the Supreme Lord takes up residence in one's heart. Actually the Supreme is ever-present, inside and out. Not being mindful of this truth and deluded by external compulsions, we have forgotten our internal, eternal connection to the Supreme Source of all love and satisfaction. This highest truth is described in the ancient scriptural writings of the Srimad Bhagavatam, also known as the Bhagavata Purana.
SB 1.1.2: "Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṇa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart."
For everyone, as spirit/souls encased in a physical body with a subtle mind and emotions, concomitant threefold miseries mentioned above affect our consciousness. As conscious beings - consciousness being one of the symptoms of the soul - a trifecta of misery periodically arises from: one's own body and mind, from the bodies and minds of others, and from the forces of nature.
These miseries do not discriminate, and whether you are a have, or a have-not. The solution however is not to outwardly claim what someone else may have, but rather to claim one's own spiritual birthright. As sparks of the Supreme Spirit, we actually have no eternal connection to the ever-changing conditions of the body, society, or country in which were born or temporarily live. Everyone's spiritual birthright is this: eternal life, liberty, and pursuit of ecstatic happiness. Such freedom is spiritual happiness well beyond the flickering temporary pleasures that the physical body and senses can offer. Once the senses are engaged their original spiritual function of loving service to the Supreme, all revolutionary purposes on the spiritual level are served.
One's senses can be spiritual purified, enabling the perception of spiritual sound, sight, etc.. Therefore, action through one's senses can be of two types - either selfishly limited and binding, or liberating and fulfilling, dependent on intentionally engaging in the service of our spiritual Source, or not.
The Supreme Lord is described as the Absolute Truth from which everything emanates. By serving the Supreme, our own eternal happiness, function and highest purpose is automatically served. This is because we are all parts and parcels of the Absolute Truth; eternal sparks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, meant for reciprocating love with the Supreme on all levels.
Actions and intentions carried out on all levels (both material and spiritual) are governed by laws of attraction and action, beginning with thinking, feeling and willing. Results depend not only on the desire of each person individually, but also on the desire and will of the Supreme Lord. Based upon the ultimate sanction of the Supreme, the laws of attraction and desire, are played out on either the material or spiritual planes of one's body, mind or spirit.
So one may ask how to begin a such revolution in consciousness, and where will the strength and mercy come from which will galvanize our new constitution and service orientation?
According to ancient Vedic wisdom there are unlimited valid, holy names of God which indicate different divine qualities, such as God the All-powerful, or the All-compassionate. Another name of the Supreme, is Lord Sri Krishna, wherein "Krishna" denotes the original feature of Godhead - that of God being divinely and supremely, 'All-Attractive". One cannot artificially give up attraction or desire, but one can perfect one's desires by serving the purpose of Lord, who is All-Attractive.
Daily prayer, meditation and spiritual activity can evoke ever-increasing happiness and knowledge, both of which are necessary on the revolutionary path of personal spiritual evolution. All sincere prayer, holy scriptures and meditations which lead one to develop love of God, are soul-revolution friendly. A process can judged by it's results; thus if one is becoming progressively God-conscious, by default one's happiness increases and bondage to lower ego-driven materialistic pursuits naturally slacken. This is due to a superior spiritual taste being experienced by one's purified, true spiritual ego. All genuine spiritual traditions aspire towards spiritual evolution, although frameworks, methodology and levels of revealed information may vary.
One good way to start one's personal revolution is to ask the omni-present Supreme Lord, Who is All-Attractive (Krishna) and All-Powerful (Rama) to engage one in pure loving spiritual service by means of His own spiritual potency (Hare).
Highly recommended by saints and scriptures is the following prayer/mantra which gradually frees the mind from all doubt and misgivings. Not only are doubts destroyed, but transcendent knowledge and happiness is simultaneously revealed and relished within one's heart.
Through the recitation of this mantra by one seeking eternal loving reciprocation with the Supreme, one attracts God. Silently or aloud, one can repeat this prayer/mantra daily for the optimum benefit of God realization, self-realization and ever-increasing transcendent happiness - both in this life and in the next.
HARE KRISHNA, HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA, HARE HARE
HARE RAME, HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE
Once started, the Lord in the heart will guide you on toward continued progress and guidance.
This mantra is called the Maha-mantra or great mantra for deliverance, as it embodies the ultimate purpose of all spiritual prayers; an interactive and reciprocal love with God.
___________________________________________________________________________________
This spiritual science has spread worldwide through a modern day saint and fully realized spiritual master, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977). He mentions that effective and pure chanting of this prayer/mantra will gradually open a spiritual window in one's heart almost like a spiritual television, by which transcendent spiritual reality is progressively revealed, culminating in personally meeting God face to face. Reconnecting with God, is actually the mission and real purpose of a truly successful life. Whether one wants to take up that mission or not, is a matter of personal choice. We are loved by God, our Source unconditionally, yet He is even more pleased and ready to reciprocate further, when we offer our love back.
More regarding this spiritual science is found in the Vedic scriptures such as Bhagavad-Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Translated by Srila Prabhupada and fully explained verse by verse, these works are a treasure of knowledge and purity. They are available free of charge at http://vedabase.net/en
If you are interested, and have a few minutes to read some stunningly powerful and transformative information as to the nature of the Absolute Truth and your relationship to the Supreme Truth, please have a look at the first chapter of Srimad Bhagavatam, comprised of 23 short verses and entitled "Questions by the Sages".
Thanks for listening.
Comments or questions can be kindly forwarded to [email protected]
4 Comments Social and Spiritual Alchemy3/30/2014
8 Comments
In days of yore, alchemists searched for a formula to change ordinary lead into gold.
Success has eluded the traditional alchemist, but the concept of turning something seemingly ordinary such as our day-to-day lives into something extraordinary, is actually doable given the right formula.
So how to uncover the secret which reveals the means for a golden transformation?
At least two approaches are possible. One method is to speculate alone or with the help of others to find a formula for positive transformation, followed by testing of that theory by trial and error over time. Or, one can look to knowledge revealed in the sacred writings of various spiritual traditions, then choose whether or not to apply those time-tested formulas.
Spiritual media throughout time has indicated that realizing the gold standard of our eternal existence, knowledge and spiritual happiness in harmony with our Source, is a life well spent.
From the Vedic literatures - Bhagavad-Gita, Chapter 14:
BG 14.1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Again I shall declare to you this supreme wisdom, the best of all knowledge, knowing which all the sages have attained the supreme perfection. BG 14.2: By becoming fixed in this knowledge, one can attain to the transcendental nature like My own. Thus established, one is not born at the time of creation or disturbed at the time of dissolution.
In this 14th Chapter titled “The Material Modes of Nature”, we find in the commentary for the 1st verse: “In the Thirteenth Chapter, it was clearly explained that by humbly developing knowledge one may possibly be freed from material entanglement. It has also been explained that it is due to association with the modes of nature that the living entity is entangled in this material world. Now, in this chapter, the Supreme Personality explains what those modes of nature are, how they act, how they bind and how they give liberation”.
The science of of spiritual awakening is taught on many levels, just as student first learns basic math, then takes classes in algebra and so on.
In What Class Do Find Yourself?
Materially and spiritually there are many class structures, according to different societies and definitions.
In a broad sense, two classes of people exist; spiritualists and materialists.
Of spiritualists, there are different classes according the modes of nature as mentioned above, and the same is true of materialists, who fall into different categories. The difference being for the spiritualist, there is a focus on the progressive path of God and self-realization, as opposed to the materialist for whom the growth of material assets and social status is the primary goal of life.
For a spiritualist, or one who believes in God, or a Higher Power, it doesn’t matter what class he may be born into as far social/economic standing goes, because anyone in any condition may approach the Supreme and receive guidance, happiness and protection Bg.18.22.
On the other hand a materialist may find himself or herself in any position in the economic/social food chain by birth, and do one's best from there in the struggle to achieve whatever one considers success to be. Rich or poor, everyone experiences a mix of happiness and distress on life's journey until death comes to evaporate any accumulated gains of physical assets.
Modern political experiments have been done to achieve “Classless” societies, but all have failed because living beings are controlled differently by the modes of material nature they have acquired from past desires and activities. Not all people have the same abilities and desires. According to one’s qualities and work, different classes of society are actually ordained by the Supreme, and meant for social cooperation. Bg 4.13.
In every society there is an intelligent class of men, a martial class, a mercantile class and a laborer class. The problem is, in this age we find that generally the people who occupy the responsible posts of teachers, scientists, politicians, military, and business leaders, are mostly driven by selfish greed, like voracious animals in the wild. It is no wonder that the theory of evolution, although not fully proven and not fully accepted by all scientists, is taught as factual and provides a model that an aggressive materialist may love; the concept that by natural selection, the strong shall prevail over and even devour the weak. Thus one class or one person tries to subjugate and exploit the next.
Actual evolution does exist spiritually, but is an individual evolution of consciousness based on knowledge and grace, as opposed to apparent singular survivalist mutations.
As poet/songwriter John Lennon wrote in his song Working Class Hero:
There’s room at the top, they are telling you still,
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill,
If you want to be like the folks on the hill.
History has show that in class struggle, most revolutionaries eventually become as corrupt as those they dispose, due to a poverty of spiritual knowledge as to how to attain real freedom.
Freedom is already dormant within as our constitutional spiritual right, once we surrender to the Source of freedom. We are naturally spiritually golden by nature, once materialistic conceptions are removed. An example is given of wiping dust from a mirror which can bring out the mirror's underlying reflective quality (Bg 3.38). By similarly understanding that surrendering to the Supreme who has created both us and the dust of matter which covers us, spiritual freedom is gracefully granted to those seeking to clear the dust of ignorance from within (Bg 7.14)
By understanding the valuable option and alchemy of developing spiritual awareness, performing spiritual practices, and seeking grace through service and surrender, a reward more valuable than mountains of gold can be realized. The transformative awareness and practice of loving service to the Supreme, attracts the loving attention and eternal grace of the Supreme Lord. Such loving service, or Bhakti, simultaneously reveals one's highest spiritual form and function, and frees one from all classes of misfortune. A humble spiritual hero is something to be. The journey begins with continued hearing, chanting and remembering the ecstatic glories of the Supreme Lord.[related blog here]
This heroic process of transforming an ordinary life to an extraordinary one is free and requires no formal club affiliation or expensive tuition. The only investment needed is the valuable time it takes to add spiritual practices in your daily or weekly routine. As spiritual portfolio managers, the saints and sages advise us that returns on such investments are beyond astronomical.
8 Comments March 08th, 20143/8/2014
7 Comments
A Home Run
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Optional Theme Realted Music - Blackbird - The Beatles
Due to the influence of time, everything and everyone is on a path of transformation. Seasonal cycles bring new leaves and blossoms in the spring, which fall as winter approaches. Time passes and the spring cycle again brings new life. Similarly, living beings cycle and recycle through youth, maturity and old age, enduring various transformations along the way.
Science continues to theorize and speculate, but in the scientific community there is no clear consensus as to the origin of life and the cause of transformations over time. Whether there is any purpose to the struggle of life on earth, is also a matter of opinion. Scientific reductionism contends that life is only a chance combination of material elements which manifested from a primordial elemental/chemical soup, without any reference to where the ingredients of the soup originally came from. As for a meaning and purpose in life, that seems to be up to each individual to tackle alone.
What we can see is that transformation is forced upon is. Common wisdom tells us that that the only thing that is constant in our lives, is change. As to understanding our present condition, some advice in given in the Bhagavad Gita (Song of God). The instruction there is that rather than be absorbed only in trying to set a linear parameter to the cosmos and our lives, we should try to understand the purpose of life beyond the continual set of cycles which bind us. What frees us from cycles of bondage is the weapon of detachment, knowing there is a transformative love awaiting us, beyond whatever transitory and addictive materialistic patterns we now hold on to and identify with.
The analogy is given of a banyan tree, which is a unique tree because from it's branches, roots grow down to the ground, thus making it difficult to understand where it begins and ends. More insight on this example can be found on the verses below (which link to explanations by clicking the blue verse numbers).
The ultimate transformation is to spiritualize one's consciousness in this life, and by so doing break the cycle of birth and death we are now bound by. Something like a caterpillar cocooning itself and emerging as a butterfly, by wrapping ourselves in spiritual knowledge and activities such as hearing, chanting and remembering the Supreme, we can be blessed with the spiritual transformation and wings required to return back to home, back to Godhead. Related SoS Page
Going Home.
Banyan tree with roots extending from it's branches.
BG 15.1: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.
BG 15.2: The branches of this tree extend downward and upward, nourished by the three modes of material nature. The twigs are the objects of the senses. This tree also has roots going down, and these are bound to the fruitive actions of human society.
BG 15.3-4: The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this strongly rooted tree with the weapon of detachment. Thereafter, one must seek that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything began and from whom everything has extended since time immemorial.
7 Comments Mantra Meditation 1/22/2014
4 Comments
A mantra is a repeated prayer to free the mind from it's constant barrage of input from the material senses, and thus reveal a deeper spiritual reality transcending time and space.
The surface of a calm lake can reflect the distant stars in the night sky. Similarly, a calmed mind which can tolerate the urges of the bodily senses, can deeply reflect on and experience, the existence of God within and without. Without controlling and purifying one's own mind, God like the distant stars may appear to be very far away or completely obscured.
There are different prayers and mantras for different purposes, such as attainment of health, wealth or liberation. The "Hare Krishna" Maha-Mantra is specifically meant for this modern age of quarrel and materialism. The chanting or singing of this mantra, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, has no hard and fast rules and can be repeated silently or aloud by anyone, anywhere.
Whether one has all material desires, no material desires or is seeking liberation from the cycle of birth and death, this mantra is supremely effective for all spiritual seekers (Bg 4.11).
This mantra asks the internal spiritual power of Supreme Lord (Hare), who is All-Attractive (Krishna) and the source of all pleasure and strength (Rama), to please engage our soul in activities of eternal loving service. This prayer helps us purify our existence by turning our tendency toward limited, self-service, into divine loving service in concert with Supreme.
Consciously and willingly offering service in love to the Supreme Lord and His devotees, is our actual purpose, identity and eternal ecstatic function, as sparks of the Supreme Spirt. This can be personally revealed by regularly chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra.
Below are some pictures taken while traveling in India and California, along with some quotes from Bhagavad-Gita. You are cordially invited to chant the Maha-Mantra, silently or aloud, or just listen to or read this purely spiritual and liberating prayer, to enhance and activate your spiritual life. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
More information can be found the Symphony of Spirit Webpage found HERE.
Peace In and Peace Out. Click the arrow below hear chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra, recorded in the holy city of Vrndavan, India.
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Hare Krishna Mantra Kirtan, Vrndavan India
From the "Song of God" (Bhagavad-Gita) the Supreme Personality of Godhead said:
BG 10.10: To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
BG 10.11: To show them special mercy, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.
BG 18.58: If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.
BG 18.61: The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.
BG 18.62: O scion of Bharata, surrender unto Him utterly. By His grace you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme and eternal abode.
BG 18.63: Thus I have explained to you knowledge still more confidential. Deliberate on this fully, and then do what you wish to do.
BG 18.64: Because you are My very dear friend, I am speaking to you My supreme instruction, the most confidential knowledge of all. Hear this from Me, for it is for your benefit.
BG 18.65: Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.
BG 18.66: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.
(Clicking on the Blue Verse Numbers above, will take you to the full purport explanation and VedaBase site)
4 Comments These Chains of Love Gotta Hold On Me7/5/2013
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Most of us are shackled and chained to a materialistic (bodily) conception of life. Materialistic life, means a life where everything is temporary; our bodies are temporary, and those things experienced by the body such pleasures and pains are also temporary. Suffering the limitations of alternating pleasure and pain is unnatural to our soul proper which is transcendental to material duality. Yet we perpetuate this cycle upon ourselves, by impetuous actions and serving misconceptions. We aren't victims in the drama of life, but rather are just receiving the results of previous actions, through the agents of so-called friends, enemies and natural law. The soul has no enemy, other than ignorance, and even the pain of ignorance can serve us as benefactor, when prompting us to contemplate our present circumstance.
If sought out, human life gives us the opportunity to transcend the ephemeral,
and enter into the eternal realm of spiritual joy and freedom. To experience a spiritually blissful, non-material state of consciousness in the here-and-now is really our mission in life; our hero's journey. Part of our mission and journey is to also gain all knowledge. It's not that we will ever become "All-Knowing" as God is, but if we gain knowledge of the relationship between God and ourselves, we will know everything we need to know, about everything. Such a great soul, who sees and knows who he is, who God is, and how everything is part of the Supreme, is quite rare and is described Here.
This false identification with the body in Sanskrit is call "Maya" which translates to "Illusion" or "That which is not" (More info on Maya / Illusion can be found Here).
"Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains,
And they ain't the kind, that you can see,
Whoa, These chains of love, Gotta hold on me. yeah.
Chains, well I can't break away from these chains,
Can't run around, 'cause I'm not free,
Whoa these chains of love, won't let me be, yeah....
Now believe me when I tell you, I think you're fine, I'd like to love you, but darling I'm imprisoned by these chains...."
Free your mind, the rest will follow.... (thank you En Vogue).
These unseen chains of blind attachment, which bind us either in love or lust to people, places and things, are quite natural in one sense. We were created to love, but we were created to love and relate to our Spiritual Source, rather than try to manipulate matter for our enjoyment. More specifically, our purpose and ultimate satisfaction is connected to having a loving relationship with the Supreme Spirit.
The struggle between Illusion and Truth, or between the forces of light and darkness, sets the stage for our spiritual growth. Crossing the ocean of material attachment and illusion is not easy, but if one wholeheartedly surrenders to the Supreme Lord in a mood of loving devotion and service, it is possible - as described in Bhagavad Gita (Song of God) in the 7th Chapter, (titled Knowledge of the Absolute), Verse 14, found Here.
To experience a Higher Love, we must be ready to surrender the chains of mundane desires, and depend on the grace of the Lord to help us positively enter into the realm of blissful loving service. Such a transition is possible by divine mercy and grace. God is a person, and along with being Omniscient and Omnipresent, is able spiritually extend a hand to those who are sincerely seeking divine love (more here).
When embarking upon one's spiritual journey to find true love and God, we simultaneously and successfully find the dawn of our own true self. This revelation manifests over time, just as when sun rises dissipating the night's darkness, we able to see both the sun and ourselves. This process of knowing and loving the Supreme Lord, was all very beautifully revealed 5,000 years ago in the 9th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita (Song of God), entitled "The Most Confidential Knowledge", found here.
2 Comments Are You Reeling In the Years? Getting any smarter?6/4/2013
3 Comments
"Your everlasting summer
You can see it fading fast
So you grab a piece of something
That you think is gonna last
You wouldnt know a diamond
If you held it in your hand
The things you think are precious
I cant understand
Are you reelin in the years
Stowin away the time
Are you gatherin up the tears
Have you had enough of mine
You been tellin me you're a genius
Since you were seventeen
In all the time Ive known you
I still dont know what you mean
The weekend at the college
Didnt turn out like you planned
The things that pass for knowledge
I cant understand
Are you reelin in the years
Stowin away the time
Are you gatherin up the tears
Have you had enough of mine?"
Holy scriptures and prophets from all traditions remind us of the temporal nature of our bodies and the fleeting nature of our material circumstances. Although our souls are eternal and everlasting, we have a limited time on this earthly plane which can be used to spiritually evolve - or not.
Generally, spiritual evolution begins with three questions:
1. Who am I?
2. Where did I come from?
3. Why am discontent?
According to the ancient Vedic scriptures and other scriptures as well, we find answers:
1. (Who am I?) - We are all eternal loving servants of the Supreme Lord; parts and parcels of God, but find ourselves struggling with material circumstances. In Bhagavad Gita (Song of God) The Supreme states: BG 15.7: The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.
2. (Where did I come from?) We are parts and parcels of the Supreme Absolute Truth (that from which everything emanates) The Lord states: BG 2.12: Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
3. (Why am discontent?) The cause of our distress is also identified in Bhagavad Gita: BG 7.27: O scion of Bharata, O conqueror of the foe, all living entities are born into delusion, bewildered by dualities arisen from desire and hate.
Rather than humbly serve the Lord of Love who is the Source of unlimited satisfaction, we generally try to egotistically exploit the resources of material nature, thus we fuel our own discontent. No matter how materially successful we may be, we cannot avoid distress due to spiritual impoverishment and disenfranchisement, which perpetually entangle us birth, death, old age and disease.
The answers above to some of life's most pondered questions, can have a profound impact on our journey toward self-realization and God realization, if they prompt us to spiritual action such as hearing, chanting and remembering the glories of the Supreme.
1. A type of liberation through knowledge occurs when realizing we are all unique loving servants of the Lord. By engaging in active spiritual service, we define our soul in it's eternal spiritual form and function and revive our eternal loving relationship with God. Consequently we can understand we are not the temporary material body which is designated as black or white, rich or poor, tall or short, American or Indian, etc. These misconceptions about who we are, usually subject us to all types of unnecessary miseries and conflicts if we identify only with our material circumstances.
2. Understanding that are a part of God, and are actually made in His image as parts and parcels of the Supreme Spirit, we can appreciate true brotherhood, realizing our origin is from the same Supreme Father.
We can also know that our true essence is not the product of just random or organized chemical reactions; a dead body cannot be brought back to conscious life just by adding more chemicals. Life/Spirit originally created chemical building blocks, rather than random chemicals accidentally creating life. Science has access to all chemicals, but are unable to combine those chemicals together even to produce a tiny, self-reproducing gnat from scratch, what to speak of a human.
3. A fish cannot feel real comfort when cast onto dry land removed it's natural watery environment. Similarly, as spiritual beings we cannot be fully satisfied being removed from our spiritual Source, by aspiring to dominate dry matter, devoid of any spiritual nourishment. Driven by false conceptions or illusions as to our purpose and identity, we are helplessly bound to the cycle of birth and death (more here) due to ignorance of our true spiritual nature and connection to God.
How well we use our time limited time in pursuing either material or spiritual assets is generally the barometer of our satisfaction, or lack thereof, as we move on through eternal time.
Below is a quote from the Bhagavad Gita (The Song of God) where Sri Krishna (which is the name of Godhead meaning "All-attractive") advises his friend and disciple Arjuna, on the eternal nature of the soul in connection with the Supreme Soul.
(Bhagavad Gita Translation and commentary by AC Bhativedanta Swami Prabhupada) Bhagavad Gita and other translations of the Vedas available HERE.
BG 2.13: As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change.
PURPORT
Since every living entity is an individual soul, each is changing his body every moment, manifesting sometimes as a child, sometimes as a youth, and sometimes as an old man. Yet the same spirit soul is there and does not undergo any change. This individual soul finally changes the body at death and transmigrates to another body; and since it is sure to have another body in the next birth—either material or spiritual—....more
The entire Bhagavad Gita and other Free Translated Vedic Literature can be found HERE.
Information on the tradition and practice of Bhakti-yoga (devotional service) as described in the Bhagavad-Gita as path of loving God and Self-realization, be found here, or www.bhaktifeast.com
3 Comments Giving Thanks11/22/2012
3 Comments
November 22, 2012
Happy Thanksgiving.
As we know, the early Pilgrims who landed in America established the mood and holiday of Thanksgiving to take stock, and express thanks for their survival and blessings. The Pilgrims, as the name literally denotes, were on a mission to find a better life, and recognized that God did not play a small part in their journey.
The Pilgrims offered thanks for blessings they felt were ultimately, God-given, but the Pilgrims also did their part. These hearty souls bravely crossed a dangerous ocean, and willingly sacrificed the comforts afforded by their previous ordinary lives. Driven by the faith that a better life could be found in a raw new world, free from the political and religious models of intolerance and exploitation that ruled their status quo, they started out on their journey.
The early settlers in America were all pilgrims of some sort, from those seeking religious or political freedom, to those on a quest for fame and fortune. Today, in America and elsewhere, things have not changed in that almost everyone seems to be on a quest for either material or spiritual fortune, or a combination of both.
Life is a meditation. We are all meditating on something. We all use our minds to focus on and execute whatever plot or plan we have to live our lives to the fullest. What we meditate on as the goal of life, from basic survival to fame or fortune, or spiritual congruity, determines our future to a large degree, along with our actions. How we may squeeze God into our meditational equation or not, is up to each person to individually assess. Free will is God-given, and exists, whether one believes in God or not. It’s something to meditate on.
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- AuthorMale, 63 Los Angeles California, just one of over 7 billion or so other people temporarily camping out on earth, and a grateful student of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada since 1972.
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