Luck, Life and New Year

Luck, Life and New Year

We all wait eagerly for New Year to come and to fill our life with good fortune of health, happiness and prosperity. Generally every year we get a gift in a mixed packet, which contains, joy and sorrow, pain and gain, love and enmity etc. But sometimes, unexpected luck appears in life so suddenly that, it makes a story for all of us. And the lucky one becomes zero to hero overnight. 

Young and handsome Ashok Kumar was working as a lab technician in Bombay movies, completely unnoticed. One day when suddenly the leading lady Devika Rani disappeared with some actor, the director Himanshu Rai was put into great trouble. He hesitantly approached Ashok Kumar to play the lead role. That first film of Ashok Kumar, “Jeevan Naiya, 1936”, became such a hit, that Ashok Kumar became zero to hero overnight. 

This sudden appearance and disappearance of luck factor makes life interesting and unpredictable. How and when luck favors, and puts one up and other down in the chess board of life, we do not know. 

Referring about this luck factor, we get a very revealing verse, in Bhagwad Gita :- which says, in order to achieve the goal of all actions we need five causes. “The seat of activity (body), the doer (jivatman), various sense organs, functions of the organs of action, and the presiding deity, the fifth.”.

We may try to do our best in every possible way, but finally the success or failure depends on the divine helping hand, which we call luck, the unseen force. 

According to Upanishad, whatever happens in this world has a solid cause and effect theory behind it. Nothing happens by chance. 

The theory of destiny or luck explained in Bhagavad Gita and Upanishad is very logical, interesting, and based on inner revelations of profound wisdom of ancient sages. 

Our general belief is that, with hard work and with greater skills we can bring success and luck in life. To some extent this theory has some validity, but it does not work always. 

The unknown factor called destiny, or luck is explained in Indian philosophy, as a fruit of our past actions. Our past karma waits for its maturity, and influences our endeavors in present life, at a particular time, in a particular moment to make action a success or failure. Deposits of our past karma, lie deep within, and suddenly come into fruitation, in present life, in a particular time. We call it karma phalam, fruits of action. Karmic energy never gets lost. Unknowingly and slowly it gets matured, and when it appears in life we call it luck. Luck is nothing, but the reappearance of our past karmic account, which we have to pay back and settle, in this life. 

As a seed remains under the earth, hidden and unseen for some time, but carries great potentiality in it. In right time, it slowly appears on the earth, matures gradually, and when times comes, it bears fruits. Those fruits may be sweet and nourishing or bitter and poisonous. It all depends on the inner nature and quality of that seed. What we sow, we reap. The nature’s law is, what we give to life, life gives it back to us in ten fold. So it is always a wise policy, to nurture positive and constructive thoughts, speak only truth and kind words, and do service for well being of all. With that solid foundation of good karma, both our present and future will be secured, happy and meaningful. Opposite situations, like pain and gain, joy and sorrow etc appear in life with a purpose. They come to make us aware about the impermanence of life, and inspire us to act wisely. Then our action can be the path of our liberation. 

Albert Einstein said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies an opportunity”. Only when winds and waves flow high, we get an opportunity, to make ourselves good navigators, who can stay calm, focused and centered, and try to find out a right solution. 

Some struggle is always necessary for our growth and progress. In life when we pay back for our karmic debt, the best way to do it with dignified calmness, and with kindness in heart. Even for the wrong doer, we must be forgiving. Being reactive with anger and aggressiveness, things worsens. By holding back our anger, we feel suffocated. The only way to make ourselves free from all bondages, is to forgive, forget and go ahead. 

We are always being blessed by our creator. To have clean air, water and sun shine, to have disease free body, loving family and friends, to have a shelter and sufficient food to nourish our body; are they not great luck in life? Is it not wise to be happily contented and grateful for what we have, rather being stressed out and run for what we do not have? The lucky star is very much in our hand’s reach. 

We get confused to see, the fluctuation of appearance and disappearance of luck in life.  One can neither be always lucky or unlucky in life. This mixed fortune, can only be explained and linked to our past karmic theory. Only when we connect our present situation to our past karma, we get some convincing answer. Soul is immortal. So when body perishes, the soul carries its karmic result from one life to another. 

But man can be the master of his own life, and can be the creator of his own destiny. By being positive, creative and wise we can change our life and can make it shine like a lucky star again at this moment with our will power. Everything is possible. It all depends on our positive outlook, inner wisdom and strong will power. To be lucky or unlucky, ultimately it depends on our choice. We are the architect of our life and destiny.  

Inspiring Glimpses in life

Inspiring Glimpses in life

Explaining the reason of feeling peaceful energy in holy places, Paramhansa Yogananda said, “There is great value in visiting places, where saints lived. Such places are forever permeated with the vibration left there by the divine souls, who walked those grounds; there vibration will remain, until this earth is dissolved.”

The truth of his saying can be experienced, only when one visits holy places, with unbiased, open and receptive heart. But when and how it happens, is difficult to explain. But the truth is, vibrations of such places can create such powerful impact in mind, which can change perception in seconds.

I had such experience, when I visited the ancient holy city of Benaras (Kashi). With a strong faith to be liberated, people travel from distant parts of the country, just to die in Kashi dham.

After offering puja at Vishwanath temple I decided to attend Ganga arati at Dashaswamedh ghat, in the evening. Every evening that glittering show with lights and chants attracts thousands of people from all over the world.

I was lucky to view that spectacular show, though it was very tough to push through the tremendous crowd. 

After that, we decided to see the beauty of all ghats, city lights, and silently flowing Ganga river in the darkness of night. We got into a boat, which was already full with other passengers.

After viewing the gradual fading lights of many ghats at the river bank, when finally we reached at the last Harish Chandra ghat, it was totally dark outside. There, a complete opposite view drew my attention. I could see, in the total darkness in that silent place, only few flickering flames were coming out from almost a finished burning pyre. Not a single soul was there to witness those last flickers, except a thirsty dog, who was standing nearby, and was licking water from the river bank.

The whole environment threw a magic spell on my mind. In seconds, I was totally drowned into my inner silence. It was so deep, no noise could penetrate it. Sitting with everybody, I was alone in my deep and peaceful silence, totally undisturbed. Later, on my return journey, that inner stability helped me to pass through the same terrible crowd with a smiling face and undisturbed mind. I realized that, it is not the outside situations, but what really matters is our inner attitude and stability, and when that gets reflected outside, it makes outside pleasant or unpleasant to us.

This time while visiting my son in California, I visited two beautiful temples in Encinitus, and Lakeshrine in L.A. both these temples and hermitages were founded by Paramhansa Yogananda to disseminate the universal teachings of Kriya yoga, sacred spiritual science originating millennium ago in India.

Both these places have beautiful meditation gardens, which attract thousands of people from all over the world. In Encinitus the spectacular view of unlimited horizon, where the perfect blending of the Pacific Ocean with the blue sky has taken place, makes one stand still and speech less. Heart fills with reverence and gratitude’s to have an opportunity to view such marvelous painting of God in the vast canvas of nature.

Atop the bluff, Swami Yogananda used to sit and meditate for hours together. When local surfer saw a Sadhu, with a long flowing hair and orange robe meditating there for day and night, they named that point as Swami Point. In this hermitage, he spent many years, in divine commune and expressed his direct experience with God through his writings.

Lakeshrine temple in L.A has its different charm. The shining lake in the middle, with picture perfect swans in it, the whole place looked like a hidden paradise to find peace and clarity. We were charmed to see the beautiful garden landscaped with trees and flowers around the world. Benches dotting the ground, statues of deities from different religions, welcomed visitors of all religion to come, sit, relax, meditate and enjoy moments of silence.

We stopped at the Dutch wind mill chapel, where services were formerly held. We saw the house boat, where master lived and meditated for hours.

As we entered and sat in the small meditation hall, I prayed to feel the presence of master's blessings. Without much effort, my mind calmed down, all diverse thoughts disappeared.  With one pointed concentration, I could feel lightness in my body. As if I was slightly lifted up from the ground and was very slowly being cradled with motherly affection. It was also an unusual experience, of being and not being together. In Banaras my consciousness was withdrawn inside, in inner silence; and here my consciousness was lifted up from the ground reality.  I realized, whether I withdraw myself in inner silence; or fly high in the freedom of bliss, the message is the same.

The message was, to witness and participate with life, not from the worldly plane. Miseries are felt, only when we get sucked in by worldliness. Inner stability is more powerful than situations. Only by lifting our consciousness up in our blissful nature, or diving deep in silence, we realize, life is a passing shadow. Nothing to be disturbed about it, it is like flickering flames, waiting to be blown off by time. I know, those inspiring moments like pole star will light up and guide my understanding through the dark patches of life, and I will successfully share my courage, clarity and confidence with all. 

Attitude of Gratitude makes life beautiful

Attitude of Gratitude makes life beautiful

Gratitude is a sublime, encouraging, and purifying energy that benefits both the giver and the receiver. There is deep desire for appreciation in every heart. When we are appreciated, we feel encouraged and happy; it brings a smile of satisfaction. By expressing gratitude, we open up our hearts and uplift another’s spirit. 

Generally, not being thankful for what we have, we take account only of what we do not have; and make life miserable for us and others. But with a little awareness, we can realize how lucky and blessed we are. The supposedly little things are actually not little at all but the foundation of our existence - beautiful sunshine, sparkling water, clean air, luscious fruits and greens, all that we have is a gift from God that we must be thankful for. Even while facing the trials and adversities in life we must be thankful for being, and to our creator, and it is also through the very same challenges that we become strong, courageous, and compassionate. 

The attitude of gratitude is a deep sincere feeling, far more so than a superficial expression such as “Thank you”. When heartfelt gratitude is expressed through kind words, thoughtful deeds, or with just a warm smile, it touches others’ hearts. 

Every year when Thanksgiving dinner is celebrated with Turkey and other delicious foods, people generally think more of turkey, than God.

Paramhansa Yogananda beautifully said, while munching on the meat, at least thank God that you are not the turkey, to be used for the festivity of Thanks Giving. He said, if we make every day a thanks giving day, continuous contentment will sparkle in our body, mind and soul. 

Life can be enriched, only when we learn to enjoy every little thing and be thankful for whatever life gives us. One day we may look back and realize, those little moments were so precious and significant in life. So we have two choices - wait for some special day to celebrate, or to celebrate each day as a special day by expressing our love, gratitude and good will to others. 

Edited by Prodeep Bose

Material Success and Spiritual Liberation both can be attained through action

Material Success and Spiritual Liberation both can be attained through action

Swami Yogananda advised us to be “calmly active and actively calm” which means calmness should always be maintained while we are in action or in inaction. In reality, generally we associate stress with work, and a relaxed feeling with our inactive state. 

There is a story about a villager who was enjoying his morning nap, lying on a string cot under a tree, while a traveler came and asked him the reason of wasting time like that. He advised him to be busy in action, so that he can make lot of money, buy things and can be very happy. The villager’s reply was, why go through so much trouble to attain a state of happiness, when he’s already there. 

Both of them were right from their own perspectives. One was thinking about being active and that by accumulating more money he can be happy, while the other thought inactive state is the best way to be happy.

According to Swami Yogananda, if we can balance our action and inaction in proper way, with proper attitude, then they can lead us to the path of liberation and joy. He said work should be done as active meditation and the meditative state should be an active inward search to experience our soul consciousness, our blissful nature. They are not separate, but complement each other. One is the inner experience and the other is its outer expression through action.  

But in life, we act mostly out of compulsions, mainly to look after our families, to perform duties towards society and others. We keep ourselves busy in making more money and to accumulate more physical comforts all through our life. But at the fag end of our life, we feel exhausted, and we think, only being inactive we can have some peace. 

We get some very valuable suggestions from Bhagavad Gita (12th chapter) which says, by abiding some spiritual values in our nature we can face life’s challenges with more courage, clarity and confidence. 

By explaining the meaning of “Dharma” and “Amritam” (Chapter 12/verse 20) it says, these two aspects must be observed in our each and every work. 

“Dharma” means, whatever duties we do in life, it should be done with a spirit of well being of all. There should not be any conflict between self interest and other’s interest. “Amritam” means, our inner blissful nature, which can be realized through meditation. When we realize the spark of divine consciousness exists in me and in all, then positive values like compassion, understanding, tolerance etc automatically blossom in our nature, and we can work in peace and harmony with others. 

When work is done only for self-gratification, and excluding the well-being of others, the result can never bring peace of mind. Even the monetary profit which comes along with our selfish work, by nature’s law, becomes the cause of one’s downfall and misery.

The great karma yogi Swami Viveknanda said, work should be done for one’s own spiritual liberation, and for the good of the world (Atmano moksartham jagad hitayaca). By winning over greed and weakness, we should work like a master, not like a slave; and should always rely only on truth, which can strengthen our body mind and soul in a positive way.

By daily practice of meditation, when we make our mind pure, elevated, free from all negativities, we work as an instrument of God, and relate to others also as God’s manifestation. 

Our psychophysical energy, which is our capital resource for our actions, can be enhanced by the application of some spiritual values in our life. 

Today’s consumerist culture is ruining our human values in many ways. It also indirectly brings stress and tension in our daily life. When we want to be rich at the cost of others, or we want to get more comfort by destroying comforts of others, end result cannot bring peace in our life. By nature’s law, ultimately we suffer with the pain and unhappiness we have caused. Being over-powered by greed, anger and intolerance, individuals feel exhausted. They burn their own happiness by the fire of negativities created by them. This alarming situation can be seen all over the world today.

Life also can brighten up, if we take little break, and cultivate some creative  hobbies like, be in nature, or read some inspiring book, to make life more meaningful. It is important to balance work with right kind of relaxation. 

The concept of combining qualitative improvement of mind with quantitative growth and production in work is a necessity in today’s world. 

By qualitative development of human mind, society can be free from violence, crime and war. And if a developing country like India pays more attention on quantitative growth through honest and efficient team work, then poverty, illiteracy etc can be removed from society. By balancing these two aspects through our all action, we all can be true karma-yogi, and also can contribute to society and make this world a more loveable and livable place for all.

Miracles of Mindful breathing

Miracles of Mindful breathing 

To feel freedom, peace and joy is the desire of every heart. 

Many of us go to holy places, study scriptures, follow a disciplined life, just to have a glimpse of enlightenment. But still, generally we remain tied to the realities of our circumstance, and feel suffocated by the daily grind. Buddhist Zen Monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, referring to the effectiveness of mindful breathing says that one can achieve many miracles by practicing it in life. To control our restless mind, mindful breathing is given great importance in Buddha’s teachings, and as well as in ancient yoga scriptures. 

Breathing is a physical process that happens by itself but when it is connected to mindful awareness, it becomes an extraordinary act. One feels at ease, and does everything with a centered focus that comes from a true awareness of the self. 

Mindful breathing works like a bridge between the body and mind; it helps to bring our restless mind into calmness, and also to the present moment. The mind’s usual tendency is to run into past memories or dream of future possibilities. As a result, the power of the present moment slips by, unnoticed. Buddha said, “The past is already gone, the future is not yet here. There is only one moment for you to live, and that is the present moment”.  If we miss that present moment, then we continually miss our life. The simple practice of mindful breathing can also create a feeling of oneness with our surroundings – both people and the environment.  The silence we create becomes nourishing for our body and mind, it gives us joy and happiness. We become fully present, and in doing so, connect with life beyond that which is contained within our body. 

A radiant sunset, clouds floating in a blue sky, a little bird hopping on a branch, or the simple beauty of a blade of a grass sparkling with dew drops are miracles of everyday life that can become a source of joy and inspiration in life. 

The relationship between conscious breathing and the power of concentration is well established and can easily be experienced first-hand. Breath has the power to concentrate life force just as a magnifying glass has the power to concentrate the sun’s rays. The simple act of breathing consciously can burn karma and lead to a purified state of existence. 

Life is a display of a complex patterns of joy and sorrow, gain and loss, light and shade. How much we can transform life’s vagaries into a deeper state devoid of fluctuations all depends on our wisdom and insight – one that is available with our next breath. “Breathing in and out mindfully, becoming fully present, with body mind united – these are the conditions for entering the kingdom of God”. (Thich Nhat Hanh, The Path of Emancipation).

Today many people feel lonely, disconnected and miserable, unable to share their joys and sorrows with each other. Living alone does not mean mental isolation. With mindful breathing one can feel at ease in every situation. Life is uncertain; we never know how misfortunes may come to us or to our dear ones. But if we learn to live in an awakened way, treating everybody with understanding and gentleness, then we will have no regrets when something happens to us or to our dear ones. Being loving and compassionate we have the capacity to lead richer, more meaningful lives. 

Buddha advised us through his beautiful gatha (verse), which says, “We must be diligent today. To wait until tomorrow is too late. Death comes un-expectedly. How can we bargain with it?”

A tree that stands strong in the backyard beautifully teaches us the value and necessity of endurance. Shedding leaves, she bears the harshness of cold winter silently, and without losing hope, waits for the spring to come; when she can manifest her beauty again with abundance of new leaves and flowers. From this inbuilt transformational system of nature, we also can learn to receive, embrace and transform any suffering into the enduring richness of life. But for that we must learn to open our heart and feel our interconnectedness and the oneness with our environment. And it all begins with mindful breathing.

Edited by Prodeep Bose

Lessons from a Rose that blossoms in a field of dirt

Lessons from a Rose that 

blossoms in a field of dirt

When young Rahul went to Buddha to have a Dharma talk, Buddha asked him to learn from the four great elements - Earth, water, fire and air. They all have the capacity to receive, embrace and transform. Whether the Earth receives fragrant or filthy water, it transforms all into flowers, grass and trees. Buddha said, if you cultivate your heart to open it up, then it can be immense like the Earth and can embrace anyone or anything without suffering.

Nature has an inbuilt transformational system, by which it can symbiotically co-exist with all the elements. The sight of a Lotus in a muddy pond or a rose in a field of dirt is not uncommon. The secret is they can draw nourishment from decay, and blossom in joy to transform the whole environment with fragrance and beauty. From nature we may learn this skill of how to transform our sorrows into joy, pain into gain and can use our spiritual life force to transform life’s bondage into the stepping stones for our liberation. The Bhagavad Gita refers to our Godly and demonic qualities in detail but gives lot of importance on doing our Purusharth (individual will or effort). Krishna told Arjun that life’s problems may be big or small but how we face it - with courage and confidence or with fear and arrogance, makes all the difference in our progress. Thus the transformational power lies not in circumstance but in our outlook. Purusharth is achieved when we act with wisdom (based on truth and proper discrimination) - with a calm mind, and act for the well-being of all. We must always try to save our life from the fire of anger and pride, and from the filth of greed and lust.

Our thoughts and tendencies are very powerful energies, they cannot be stopped or suppressed, and they affect our actions constantly.  All negative thoughts which are potentially destructive in nature should not be allowed to grow.  If we culture a calm and alert mind, we may see these thoughts when they appear, recognize their presence and then just let them go before they manifest into word and action. By observing them in their subtle state, we save ourselves from being overpowered by them, and have the opportunity to skillfully transforming them in some constructive and positive way to evolve our own destiny. 

By experiencing and transforming miseries, we become richer inside, and also make the world richer. These are not abstract ideals but the inner workings of our daily lives. Life’s problems are varied in nature. It may be, a loss in business or in family, addiction, loneliness or may be a bad relationship, but these circumstances all hold within them the power of transformation through our purusharth, or the skillful manifestation of individual will.  

The truth is, in life nothing happens by chance. Whatever good or bad we experience in present life, they happen as a result of our previous karma in different lives. Our present and future life can be saved only by our today’s righteous actions. 

Pain and suffering come in every life to teach us something - to give us an opportunity to be wise and open our hearts with compassion and tolerance. While facing difficulties, we usually want immediate alternatives and think of sidestepping them. We imagine that by avoiding or suppressing the difficulty we can be happy. But that is not so. Our usual response to suppress the reality of a situation or react aggressively to it – both, create unstable emotions that usually result in anger. Our suppressed emotions affect our body and mind adversely. And that anger in turn manifests itself as some physical problem like an ulcer, hypertension, heart problems or mental aggressiveness, self-centeredness, confusion, etc. 

The second strategy, when we vent out our feelings, react sharply, lay blame, quit a job or marriage in a knee jerk reaction, also doesn’t work because the same old demons (pain, confusion, feeling of guilt, tiredness, etc) follow and affect our new situation adversely, creating the same result. So till we learn the lesson of resolving the energy, not just the circumstance that resulted from past actions – seen or unseen, by being spiritual in nature, opening our heart and realizing God’s existence, we remain caught in the energy web of our own past collective actions.  

The only alternative is to learn lessons from our weaknesses, discover wisdom, and use difficulties as our stepping stones to grow spiritually. Not by changing the world, but by changing ourselves, we can bring change in others. Inevitable difficulties of lives can be the source of our awakening, of deepening wisdom, patience, balance and compassion. Buddhist scholar Jack Kornfield says “Without this perspective, we simply bear our sufferings like an ox or a foot soldier under a heavy load (A Path with Heart, p-71).

In today’s world we care more for outside appearance and formal mannerisms than inner substance and sincerity. So often we adopt artificial mannerisms to show our love and concern, but remain angry and resentful inside. This hypocrisy can never bring peace to us or to anybody. 

Anger and hatred accomplish nothing. Swami Yogananda says “Greater than the wounds of battle, are wounds to your soul”. The body perishes, but the immortal soul carries that pain forever. Yogananda ji said, “The spiritual man conquers wrath by calmness, stops quarrels by keeping silence, dispels disharmony by being sweet in speech and shames discourtesy being thoughtful to others.” If that does not work, then keep silent, and pray for the upliftment and well-being of that suffering soul. 

 Edited by Prodeep Bose

“Three Gunas (Tendencies)”

“Three Gunas (Tendencies)”

The expression of nature and ways to evolve beyond it 

Positive thoughts and right actions are the two pillars which make life blissful.  We all desire to have that. But often, with our own inherent tendencies, sometimes we create blockages on the path of realizing our own destiny. Swami Vivekananda said, “For what we call sin and sorrow have all one cause, and that is our weakness. With weakness comes ignorance, and with ignorance comes misery”. 

Those tendencies (gunas), which we carry from our past life’s activities, manifest and influence our thoughts, actions and attitudes in our present life also. 

These tendencies are broadly divided into three groups – Sattwa (purity and harmony), Rajas (Passion and action) and Tamas (inertia and laziness). They also work with different combination and in different ratios in each life. 

To move forward, we must break through Tamas, calm down Rajas and nourish Sattwa.  

Tamas is an energy which pulls us down. It makes a person lethargic, unhappy, discontent, complaining, but not really empower them to do anything.  Tamasic people have no interest, except expressing malaise to others. They remain in darkness in ignorance and always in the mood of denial. 

To wake up from the slumber of the Tamasic state, one must do regular exercises - pranayam, prayer and some selfless service every day. Meeting with enlightened people and reading spiritual books can also help one to come out from Tamasic inertia. Reducing the hours of sleep and watching TV are a good start. Diet should be natural, balanced with fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, milk products and whole grains. Any type of drugs, smoking marijuana, consuming alcohol, eating meat, fast food etc should be stopped completely. These habits totally destroy life by damaging brain cells, mental abilities and self control.

Rajas is the energy that creates desires, restlessness, competitiveness, and conflicts. Under the influence of Raja guna, a person is egotistic, forgets his inner self, and looks externally to get happiness through sense gratification. 

By being engaged in some meaningful, charitable, social and devotional work, he can calm down his Raja guna (restless and egocentric behavior), and can develop compassion and understanding for others. Leading a simple, contented life, eating healthy vegetarian food, he can bring more clarity and calmness in his nature, and also can develop harmonious relationship with others. 

Sattwa is a quality, which brings purity, harmony, wisdom and true knowledge. A Sattwic person has better control over his body and mind; he is humble, truthful and full of compassion for others. Sattwic qualities take the mind inward and upward - being calm and detached from all the fruits of his actions, he does his worldly duties as a service to God. He is stable, faces the ups and downs of life calmly, and without reacting, and he can act correctly in any given situation. He never gets confused or agitated in his body and mind. Without seeking for anything, his life gets blessed with peace, joy and harmony. Yoga terms such person as with “samadrishti – unaffected vision”. 

Our life’s activities are controlled by the interplay of these three gunas born of nature. But there are always possibilities open to us to improve our life by transforming the basic instincts and working to achieve higher spiritual values. That effort is called Purushartha (our own effort). This purushartha is the main focal point of Bhagavad Gita. Bhagavad Gita prescribes this for all of us to do in life, and says that it is the only way for our liberation. 

With right effort, we can upgrade ourselves step by step from Tamas to Rajas, and from Rajas to Sattva, when we can establish happy relations with all and can spread harmonious vibrations around us.

The Bhagavad Gita tells us to go one step further and try to develop total equilibrium of mind (samatva), and that is possible when one can go beyond all gunas, and can be balanced in pleasure and pain. 

“who is same in honor and dishonor, the same to friend and foe, has renounced the sense of doer-ship in all actions, he is said to have risen above the qualities (gunas)” (Bhagavad Gita, chapter 14/ verse 25).  According to Vedanta, in that state, one is strong and fearless. The Sanskrit word “Trigunatitha” means, who has gone beyond three gunas. Such person becomes one with Brahman, and he does not have to go through the circle of birth and death any more. That soul merges with supreme soul and become fully liberated. 

Edited by Prodeep Bose

Pantanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga (Eight fold path), and its relevance today

Pantanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga (Eight fold path), and its relevance today 

It is a common belief that yoga represents a variety of physical exercises. It is partly true, but exercises (asanas) are only step three in the eight fold path of yoga (ashtanga yoga).

To develop our full potentiality, to realize our spiritual nature, it is essential to develop the body, mind and soul in a balanced and harmonious way. Sage Pantanjali’s Ashtanga yoga, gives a comprehensive formula, by following which we can be physically healthy, mentally stable and spiritually enlightened. 

Today if we turn on the TV or read a newspaper, we get only shocking news of violence, anger, intolerance and greed, which is a picture of the world we have created. But we can counteract the negative forces that surround us and our own psychological and spiritual drawbacks by practicing yoga every day. Bhagavad Gita described yoga as the wisdom of skillful living with harmony and moderation - and doing all our worldly responsibilities with a calm mind. By moderation of eating, sleeping, working and waking, a yogi destroys pain and sufferings. 

4000 years old Pantanjali’s “Yoga Sutra” defines “yoga chittavritti nirodha”. It can be translated as restraint (nirodha) of mental (chitta) fluctuation (vritti).   B. K. S. Iyenger says, “yoga is the method by which the restless mind is calmed and the energy directed into constructive channels”. Self-control is the central premise of yoga. 

The great karma yogi Swami Vivekananda said, “The purpose of all this physical discipline through asanas and pranayam- is to increase our inner will power”.

Yoga which means our union with our creator is possible in many ways. An emotional man through total devotion and love for God (bhakti yoga), and for a gyan yogi, realization comes through knowledge.

Patanjali speaks of five causes behind our mental disturbances; and they are ignorance (avidya), feeling of ego (asmita), attachment (raga), aversion (dvesa) and love to cling to worldly things (abhinivesa). Yogi with his constant practice, controls and eradicates these weaknesses to be in peace. 

Patanjali described the eight fold path of yoga (ashtanga yoga) in yoga sutra’s second chapter. The first is yama, which speaks of five ethical disciplines. They are non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), non-stealing (asteya), control of passions of senses and mind (brahma charya), and fifth is absence of greed and non-attachment (aparigraha). These ethical rules can bring peace and happiness in individual’s life and also in society. 

While yama’s rules are universal in their application, the second step Niyama’s rules are more focused on individual’s discipline. They are purity of body and mind (saucha), contentment (santosh), austerity (tapas), self study and self analysis (svadhya), and surrendering to the Divine (Ishwar pranidhan). The yogi, when learns to dedicate his all actions to the lord, then Divinity reflects in him. 

The third anga (step) is asana (exercises). By toning and stretching the muscles, by making spine more flexible, a yogi makes his body more energetic. Body is an important instrument to carry our spirit forward. So a yogi by taking good care of his body, excels in controlling his mind, intellect and self. 

The fourth step is pranayam, which means science of breath. Through proper inhalation and exhalation, body can be disease free, mind calms down, and the yogi develops better concentration and discriminating power. Like a lock and its  key, breathing has a direct impact on our mind. By focusing on proper exercise, proper breathing, proper relaxation, proper natural vegetarian diet, and with meditation and positive thinking one can spread positive energy around him. Many serious ailments which are termed as psychosomatic disease are related to our stressful life. Dr. Deepak Chopra referred to recent clinical projects, which observed that by increasing the alpha waves in the brain, yoga can reduce depression and stress level.  Another recent experimental study done at the University of California, Los Angeles shows yoga and meditation can help to improve memory. 

After pranayam, the fifth anga (step) is pratyahar (withdrawal), when a yogi brings the senses under complete control.

The sixth step is called Dharana (concentration), when the yogi concentrates wholly on a single point, and can still his mind from all diversions. In the stage of Dhyana (meditation), the yogi’s mind gets absorbed in all pervading divinity. B. K. S. Iyenger described the signs of progress in the path of yoga as “Health, a sense of physical lightness, steadiness, clearness of countenance and a beautiful voice…Freedom from craving….a balanced, serene and a tranquil mind. A symbol of humility, (who) dedicates all his actions to the Lord, and becomes a jivan mukta (liberated soul). 

In the last step of Nirvana - like camphor which becomes one with the flame, the yogi also becomes one with his creator, the eternal Brahman. A true yogi, with his better concentration and with wisdom, does all his worldly duties with perfection, but he never gets attached to them. Worldly diversities and desires cannot pull him down from the path of liberation through God realization.  Not by changing others, but by changing himself step by step, the yogi takes his mind to a higher dimension of life, he becomes blissful, and like a fragrant flower spreads his goodness all around. Sankaracharya described that blissful state as follows: “I dwell within the senses but they are not my home; ever serenely balanced, I am neither free nor bound – consciousness and joy am I, and bliss is where I am found”. (song of the soul, Atma Satkam).   

Edited by Prodeep Bose

Following the 5 pillars of yoga can lead us to a state of bliss

Following the 5 pillars of yoga can lead us to a state of bliss

When, Lord, will this unrest come to an end? 

Crushed under the dead weight of oppression

The whole world, O Lord, is in agony.

Peace and happiness are gone. (Tagore, World Unrest)

The poet’s cry echoes the cry of millions of human beings today. We all know the value of peaceful living, but today we are constantly at war with ourselves, with our dear ones, or with communities or nations. Stress, worry, and a feeling of loneliness are part of our life. It seems so strange, that after fulfilling the basic needs for survival, all other species remain quite happy except for human beings. Our cravings and desires are unending, which always lower our gaze downwards. It is a common sight that the dog walking with his human owner looks happy, wags his tail, and looks up joyfully towards the human but the human walks with his head down, depressed. 

Our general belief is, that the cause of our unhappiness lies outside of ourselves. So we think by changing external circumstances we can be happy; and when that does not happen, we become increasingly stressed. For this wrong diagnosis of our unhappiness, we are paying a heavy price in our life. What is diagnosed as a psychosomatic disease are often caused by our negative thinking and attitudes towards life. Swami Yogananda says outside events are neutral, but how we react to them is what is important. Our happiness depends on our reactions, not on events. 

The great scriptures of yoga, The Bhagavad Gita, the yoga sutras, and Upanishad clearly describe that the real causes of war with ourselves and others are rooted in the individual’s unwillingness to listen to the voice of the heart, his inner conscience. 

According to the yoga system, the only way to solve these problems lies in applying spiritual tools and committing ourselves to disciplines that can lead to self-realization and transformation. Through transformation of our internal experiential life we find the immediate effects on our external circumstantial life - on our relationships, our families, and our work. Individual transformations also lay the ground-work for societal transformations as well as the culture that will shape the lives of future generations.

According to yoga philosophy, there is a definite method to attain inner peace, harmony and illumination. Our ancient masters discovered methods that create a bridge between our body, mind and soul; our inner and outer world, our worldly life and spiritual life. By taking good care of 5 basic things, we can make life blissful. They are; proper exercise, proper breathing, proper relaxation, proper healthy diet, and positive thinking through meditation.

Yoga regards the body as a vehicle of the soul in its journey toward perfection. So yogic asanas (exercises) are designed, not to create muscular limbs, but to stay flexible and disease free. They also deepen our awareness of the subtle energy body, and keep our organs and glands healthy. When the functions of glands and thereby hormones are rejuvenated, they help balance our emotions and improve our mental outlook. These exercises are performed gradually and at an individualized pace, and their benefits can be seen in our physical, mental and spiritual lives. 

Next is pranayama. Prana means breath and yam is control. Yogic breathing is deep abdominal diaphragmatic breathing, so when the abdomen contracts with exhalation it helps to oxygenate at higher levels than shallow breathing. In this process, one feels more energetic, has better oxygenation, and remains disease free. Breathing has a direct impact on our mind. If the mind is restless, the breath is short and shallow. So also, is the mind stabilized by deepening and lengthening our breath - the connection between mind and body, is thus an immediately demonstrable one.

Next is proper relaxation. To recharge our body and mind in a yogic way is to withdraw our identity from body and mind consciousness, and with auto-suggestion, send prana to every cell in the body and all organs. That relaxation method is called savasana “corpse pose”. Through savasana, the yogi identifies himself and with all pervading, blissful, and pure consciousness within, finds total relaxation. 

The yogic diet always includes food that is natural, fresh, easy to digest, and balanced with the right quantity of protein, vitamins, minerals, etc. The yogic diet is vegetarian and includes fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, whole wheat, nuts, etc. All foods leave a subtle effect on our mind. So when our food and livelihood do not create any disturbance in our hearts or in the lives of others, it is considered good. So a serious seeker on the path of yoga will exclude meat, fish, eggs, coffee, alcohol and any ingestion of drugs. 

As proper foods are essential pillars to maintain a healthy body, positive thoughts can nourish a healthy mind. As Swami Vivekananda warned us not to touch any thought that weakens our mind. To recharge our mind is a two way process. First is to clean up all the negative thoughts – driven by ego, anger, attachment, greed, etc. from our mind. The second is to fill up the mind with positive thoughts like honesty, compassion, humility, non-attachment, etc. The mind is an energy field; it can never remain empty. If we consciously fill up with positive and creative thoughts, then every mode of expression in life will be benevolent. We should not forget that we are on an eternal journey of self-realization; to realize divinity in us and in all. We will be grossly mistaken if we think that our existence is only for hand to mouth living and cycles from our office to our bed. 

By meditation, we calm, concentrate and expand our mind. Touching the divinity within, we will be liberated. And that state only can bring lasting peace and happiness in life. Yoga teaches us that by transforming ourselves, we can bring transformation in a positive way around us. Desire to have yogic union between creations and creator echoes in these lines of the Upanishad:

Lead me from the unreal to the real.

Lead me from darkness to light.

Lead me from mortality to immortality. 

Edited by Megan Petra Wheeler and Prodeep Bose

In Search of Happiness

In Search of Happiness

Childhood for most people represents boundless joy and happiness. A sense of freedom and a state of flow much like a gurgling stream, shimmering down a mountain top. And children make everybody happy. That spontaneity is who we were at our core, undemanding and pure in heart. Happiness is part of our nature; be it a child’s laughter or the occasional tear-drop, brought a sense of simplicity to life for all to experience. The thrilling experience of just swinging from a tree, or running after butterflies on drenched meadows remain plastic moments, ever fresh in our memory. We were full of positive energy, and happy in each moment with whatever we had. 

But as we grew up, our stress came from facing life’s challenges, and our spontaneous positive energy level was mostly overcome with preoccupations of ‘making a life’. We started to feel irritated and unhappy with ever increasing frequency when life did not live up to our set expectations. And some of us startedto searchagain for our lost happiness, our lost paradise in different ways.   

We went to different places, tasted exquisite cuisine, collected costly things, to achievethat state of flow again. And the temporary satisfactionstayed just long enough for us to get a glimpse of our lost world - the sensations of touching, tasting or seeing lasted but a while, till the mind got bored, and the moment passed, drawing us towards a new stimulus. 

Though happiness to some extent depends on external factors, it mainly depends on our mental attitude and self-awareness. Circumstances are always neutral. Swami Yogananda says, “it is how we react to them; that make them seem either happy or sad”. 

We make our life with our own choices. If we decide to be happy then nobody can make us unhappy, and if we decide to be unhappy, then nobody can make us happy either. 

Unhappiness is compounded by our reactions to situations we perceive as negative – and this perception is constantly filtered and motivated by our uncontrolled desires, habits and karmic tendencies. We are caught in a loop of acting and feeling not by our conscious choice.

Spiritual masters recommend practicing meditation and yoga to connect the mind and body,and reflect on life as it is, not as we project it to be. This ability gives us the power to discriminate between a mirage projected over life and the experience of life itself, which is intrinsically joyful. And we become skillful in our response to circumstance, reacting moreintuitively than impulsively.  

Our dependency on the outside world to draw upon our intrinsic happiness can also be a problem. Swami Yogananda says “the more you depend upon conditions outside yourself for happiness, the less happiness you will experience” (Where There Is Light, p. 120). It is factually incorrect that big houses and luxurious items are a pre-requisite to being happy – in fact, sometimes it’s to the contrary.  The anxiety and worry that burns through people often comes from either gaining or losing material possessions of increasing value.

Happiness is also not an individual matter. To fill up my own cup of happiness, it is essential to give service to other needy souls.John. D. Rockefeller, the richest man of the world was physically, mentally and emotionally a miserable man. His biographer says, at the age of 53, he donated all his wealth and formed Rockefeller Foundation, to promote education and medical care throughout the world.By his generosity; he not only helped others but also led a more fulfilling life thereon forward. 

Joys and sorrows both are felt in our mind. We must always be careful to keep the mind engaged with ideas and feelings that lead to a positive place. Thoughts are actions of the mind; they generate energy and are a powerful influence on our life. So, like a good gardener, we must learn to be selective and weednegative thoughts and water only good tendencies like compassion, honesty, love, in us to evolve our consciousness. Then only flower of happiness can blossom to make us happy, and can spread its fragrance everywhere through our thoughts, action, and speech. 

Life is too valuable to be wasted on being negative, unhappy and lacking a deeper sense of the extraordinary and rare value of our consciousness. Life is impermanent, so whatever we can do, we should do it now. The truth is, sooner or later we all will remain only as memory in a few peoples’ minds. 

As the poet saint Kabir said, “When we come to this world, we cry and everybody smiles. Let us do such work in life that, when we leave, we smile and everyone else will cry”.

Edited by Prodeep Bose

Communication through Language

Communication through Language

Language is an instrument through which we express our feelings and communicate with others. It started and developed through human civilization.

Not only human beings, birds, animals, plants they also communicate through their own language.

Only difference is, human language is manmade and animals language is God made, animals are born with it.

In layman’s ear, barking of dogs may sound just the same. But from the same barking, a dog lover will understand whether the dog is hungry, angry, playful, or wants to be petted. Animals are most genuine in expressing their emotions. They do not have words, but their body language, tonal modulation, expression of eyes everything works together. Nobody taught them, they are born with it.

It is amazing to see how animals divide their duties and give alarm calls to each other. Crows and cocks are ever ready to give awaking morning call to others in early dawn. After some time other birds start chirping and get ready to fly away from their nests in search of sumptuous breakfast. 

Forest is the place, where big, middle size, small animals, birds all stay in harmony. But when there is an impending danger from human being or from some big animals, monkeys and crows start giving danger signals in top of their voice to all other animals. They play the role of a security guard.

Animals are very straight forward in dealing with their kids. I remember one scene, where a young monkey was adamant and was refusing to jump from one terrace to the other. Its mother just slapped the kid, and pulled him to do so. There no language was needed, just action was enough. 

Just before passing away my dear dog Lopsy gave me her last hug to express her gratitude. That touch was so genuine, that in a half a second she taught me the lesson of genuine love and sincere attitude of gratitude. That was the parting gift to me from my dear Lopsy.

Human language is more sophisticated, and it has been developed to express our feelings. It has also flourished in literatures through many ornamental expressions. To some extent, socio, cultural pattern also gets expressed through human language.

Urdu was most used language in Mughal court. It has a touch of royalty, courtesy, and very romantic too. Sound effect of Bengali language is quite soft which, to some extent may express Bengal’s easy going life style. The advantage of that is, when someone expresses strong emotions in Bengali, it does not sound too harsh, though from body language and tonal quality, reality may be revealed. If English is spoken with proper English accent, one may hear the rhythm of marching sound in it, which is similar to English man’s formal and disciplined life style. 

Though language can be an instrument for our easy communication, but it can be very powerful, strong, and more expressive if we combine our body language, with right tonal quality, appropriate choice of words all together with right intension. Communication becomes most effective when our intension, choice of words, and body language all work together in the same order. 

But often in today’s society, for different reasons, we do not express our feelings or intensions, in an honest way. We try to be diplomatic in using our language. It is good, when we do not use strong language to others, but it can be confusing when our language is very sweet, but intension is not be pure.

Language should not be blunt to hurt anybody. But communication can be effective only when our intension is pure, and our expression, choice of words, right tonal quality all are used in perfect balance and harmony. 

Our intensions and thoughts are very powerful, they create life in our language. Verbal language is just an instrument to manifest our inner feelings. It is truly said by some poet 

“when the heart full 

Silence is the best expression”.

Suggestions to handle desires efficiently

Suggestions to handle desires efficiently

“There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it.”- George Bernard Shaw

It is so true. Often we loose interest in what we have, and run after something which we do not have or should not have. In both situations we are sad, unhappy and restless. Our health, relationships, position, and prosperity - everything changes in due course of time. To accept those obvious changes gracefully and with confidence, we need to develop calmness and clarity of mind.

The diverse experiences of life make us more alert. We learn to be mindful to see things with more clarity. It is through the ups and downs of life that we get an opportunity to grow spiritually and learn to take responsibility of our own destiny in our hands.

God has given us intelligence, ability and freedom of choice. But often instead of actualizing those God given virtues, we get stuck to one idea or another, and use all our senses to pursue it, and eventually get entangled in many misfortunes. Also our careless behavior can cause lot of pain among our dear ones. But just with mindful observation of one’s tendencies, and by evaluating the consequences before we act, many painful situations can be avoided.

We know our thoughts and actions create permanent tendencies in our mind. These tendencies (vritti in Sanskrit spiritual literature) shape our path. As LaoTzu says, if you live too much in the dark you become allergic to light, if you live too much in impurity you become allergic to purity.

Tendencies that create imbalance, by definition will bring temporary excitement, but will likely create lasting damage to our mind, physical body, and energy (subtle body), and in effect, our soul.  When we lose a sense of balance, our senses are excited and we often become aggressive. It is essential to train the mind, even as a child, when the mind is in an impressionable mold and can be shaped in positive way to have proper control over their senses, thoughts and actions.

Contentment is a great virtue. But often we set our targets based on others, and that makes us unhappy, frustrated and jealous.  We must remember everybody reaches their own goal, according to his own physical and mental capabilities, and the tendencies they have developed. As we all differ on the point of our capabilities and tendencies, our achievements cannot be the same. We may desire, put our best effort, and whatever is the outcome, we should learn to accept that with a happy and contented mind, without feeling jealous of others. Bringing simplicity, purity and sincerity in our thought, actions and effort, we can surely create a happy balanced state in life.  

Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh says, “If we suffer in the present moment, we should look deeply into the kind of desire that has made us suffer…our notion of happiness may be responsible for our suffering” (Ref: under the Banyan Tree, page 30.)

Without being obsessed by only with one idea, if we try to connect with the positive possibilities around us, we may find some way to transform our pain in a meaningful direction.

The life of a great theosophist, Anne Besant is one such example. She was greatly depressed to see her only child suffering from an incurable disease. After learning about the “karmic law” of eastern philosophy, she came to India and devoted her life working for the betterment of women and children. She also adopted an orphan boy, named J. D. Krishnamurthy, who became a great spiritual master, and also inspired many with his writings and oratory. Perhaps if she had not faced such a misfortune, her life might not have been as meaningful and consequential as it ended up and nor would she have been an extraordinary mother to an extraordinary son.

Intense suffering awakens our natural empathy. It makes us understand that suffering is not unique, it is being shared by millions other beings. When we feel others’ pain as ours own, it is the stepping stone to come out from self centeredness. And while it motivates us to do some good for other suffering souls, it also helps us to achieve a higher order of consciousness.

This natural empathy can also be realized through meditation. By relaxing the body, and concentrating on the breathing, or single pointedness - when mind calms down, and thoughts fall away, we realize that the life force which is keeping us alive is precisely the same life force also keeping everybody alive in this planet. That not just this life force, but this conscious awareness is a single shared entity. With an awareness of that divine spark in us and in all, we realize that though we have a separate body and individual thoughts, but we are not just body and thoughts, but interconnected spiritual beings. Behind the body-mind complex, behind the nervous system or psychic system, there is one infinite spirit (Atman) which is ever pure and ever free. And that is our true nature.

With realization of the Divine within, we step out from our tiny ego, and feel one with all.

Shankaryacharya says in his Upanishad commentary, “take away the Atman from the world, the world becomes a zero”, and as soon as we put ‘one’ (Atman) before zero, everything becomes valuable. This awareness of the Atman makes us capable to establish happy relations with others, to be tolerant and to be compassionate.

Today’s high pressure world is breaking our psychic and nervous system, but can be conquered only by the strength of inner spirituality. But to achieve anything, effort is required, and it is worth making that effort for this cause alone.

 Edited by Prodeep Bose

Simple steps to help us and others

Simple steps to help us and others

In life, we are always in relationship with ourselves, with others, and with life’s different situations. But how we relate with life, is very important. Whether we connect with life with fear and aggression; or with love, compassion and wisdom; that makes all the difference in the quality of our lives. 

Spiritual practice is also a relationship. It teaches us to relate with life, in a more positive, constructive and loving way. 

We are all small parts of this whole “universe”, limited in time and space. But generally our tendency is to see our existence, our thoughts, and feelings as separate from the rest of the world.  This optical delusion of consciousness restricts us to our personal desires and our affections only for a few persons nearest to us. But unless we come out from our little selves, and embrace all with loving kindness, we cannot be truly happy. 

Albert Einstein once described spiritual life as, “our task must be to free ourselves from this prison, by widening our circle of understanding and compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty”. The same view is expressed by all enlightened souls of the world. Swami Vivekananda said each soul is potentially divine; we just have to recognize it, and try to live in whatever means we can. 

But today we give more importance to our separateness, to our individuality rather than our integral nature. Today for our limited and myopic vision, we are losing loving connection between each other, and worse is we are losing connection to our spiritual values in life.  

Today our children are being raised by day care centers and television. Their tender minds are being molded to value superficial glamour, and money more, than to build up values in life.  “If children are brought up with love and good values, they can contribute a lot to the society. But we create a generation of discontented, wounded, needy individuals” (Jack Kornfield, A Path With Heart, p. 292).  

As the society is promoting more the culture of mindless consumerism, our lives are also being cluttered up more with confusions and miseries. 

We are all feeling suffocated with life’s pressure, but do not know how to get out of it. The real dilemma is, we neither can swallow the present situation, nor can we reject it. But at the same time, very sincerely we all want to experience peace, joy and tranquility of spiritual life. 

Everything is possible in life, because there is always hope and new possibilities in life. As sun rays dispel the darkness of night like that, wisdom from enlightened souls also dispels ignorance from human minds and shows the path of true joy and happiness. In Bhagvad Gita it is said when there is a decline in dharma (righteousness) and rise in adharma (unrighteousness), then I body myself forth. For the protection of the virtuous, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of dharma, I come into being in every age (chapter IV/verse 7). 

Great spiritual personalities like, Krishna, Christ, Rama and Buddha appeared on this earth from time to time to teach us how to live, and laid some spiritual guidelines for us to follow. They are not passive statements. They are like scientific formulas, capable to bring magical change in life, if they are followed with sincere regularity. 

Those simple formulas are, not to kill, not to steal, not to lie, not to misbehave sexually or through harmful speech, and not to use intoxicant substances which causes loss of awareness and makes us careless.  

Non killing means reverence for life. We must try to protect and respect every form of life. Non stealing means, not to take others property without their consent, it also implies not to rob the treasures of our mother earth to satisfy our selfish greed. By not lying we develop our voice of compassion, understanding and justice. Fourthly our intimate relations, family life can glow with joy and happiness if we restrain from misbehavior in sexuality. Lastly by standing away from intoxicant substances, we can always be alert and consciously awake to take right action in all circumstances of life. 

When life blossoms like a fragrant flower with all good qualities in it, it spreads its values, peace, joy and wisdom everywhere. That is the goal of life. Life is not to take but to give. Not by taking, but by giving, life gets full, and helps others to be full also. 

“The sky rains kisses in showers

The earth returns them in flowers”. 

                                         (Tagore, Lekhan) 

We should come out from our little cocoon and try to help our fellow travelers of this troubled world. Our love and compassion should not be restricted only to our family and friends; even it should help our enemies to reap the blessings of peace.