Shine On

I am awestruck by the wisdom of fortune cookies these days. Is the Dalai Lama secretly writing these messages? Really, these are profound words from the mouths of cookies. Given at the end of a Chinese meal, their heady wisdom a conversation starter to be sure. Today, a clever note in a fortune cookie gave me much to reflect upon. This simple message of truth sounded like something my Swami would have said, reminding me of a fundamental Vedantic principle. That is, consciousness is the SHINE. It is the source of illumination, the very light by which the material world is reflected to our eyes. Apart from objects we see in the waking world, consciousness never, ever, changes. Irregardless of whether we are in the waking world or in dream sleep, the eternal conscious witness is always present in all three states: waking, dreaming and sleeping. Cosmic consciousness watches for eons and eons apart from the body mind complex. Blazing forth like a thousands suns, shining forever as pure, perfect, God consciousness. The God who shines love within, is the same God who reflects love without. And that's the way this fortune cookie crumbled today!

Melting into the Light, I am the unattached Light that shines.

The Light shines, the Light which is Brahman.

That which I am is nothing but Brahman.

I exist and I exist as the Light of Brahman.

I myself, offer myself, into the infinite Light which is myself.

OM peace, peace, peace be unto us all.

God the Eternal Witness 

Lecture by Swami Sarvapriyananda

Panchadasi 
by Sri Vidyaranya Swami

Translated by Swami Swahananda

Follow Your Beliefs

Need Some New Beliefs? 

Read the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Online

Not another one of these philosophy cookies. I just wanted it for the crunch factor. Now this sounds like something my Swami would say. Today, even my food was preaching Vedanta philosophy. "Well"... I answer to no one but the crumbled cookie, "Who am I? Why am I here? What is the meaning of this life? Why do I have to suffer? What are my beliefs?" At certain moments in our lives these questions trouble us and we want meaningful answers. These momentary and intimately personal critiques often result in inner convictions that have a lasting profoundness. With this comes the understanding that I am completely in charge of my free will as I navigate my way towards my own brand of spirituality. Beliefs it seems are formed after much self inquiry. Upbringing, environment and the media play a major role in shaping our early beliefs. Our particular approach to political, social, and economic affairs affects beliefs also. Learning from sages, artists, and writers, our daily experiences revel a true sacredness of life. We need to believe in things, to structure and orient our lives in ways that make sense to us. All beliefs are subject to change as we mature and experience life. Learning about other cultures and testing their ideas for ourselves helps us to formulate new beliefs. We test these personal experiences and biases by choosing to react in accordance with our moral obligations to self, loved ones, and community. These experiences can be the starting point for the flame of spiritual life or that yearning for God.

Stardate 2014 

Lecture by Swami Chidbrahmananda

Pray For What You Want

Zen in it's simplicity, a note in a fortune cookie gave me much to ponder. Could the universe be trying to tell me something? Today it seems even my food was preaching Vedanta philosophy. This bold demand to pray was fascinating to me especially coming from a cookie. It sounded a lot like what my Swami would say. For by definition, prayer is talking to God in a spirit of love. Through daily personal prayer we connect with our spiritual reality and develop virtues that enrich our lives and purify our spiritual channel to God. Prayer empowers us to take control of the way we respond to any of life's given situations. Through prayer and meditation our spirits are guided on a purposeful journey. As a result, prayer naturally extends to our actions (i.e."Work"). A fundamental teaching in all the world's religions is that our actions should reflect our prayers so that our deeds, our very lives, may be purposeful, virtuous, and beneficial to our fellow man. Living in a prayerful state occurs when every decision we make, every action we undertake, every word we say, is motivated by the remembrance of God. And that's the way this cookie crumbles!

Power of Prayer lecture by Pravrajika Vrajaprana