Showing posts with label Om. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Om. Show all posts

October 17, 2016

Look Upon God as Mother


Sri Ramakrishna describes a spiritual vision: 
"The Divine Mother revealed to me in the Kāli temple that it was She who had become everything. She showed me that everything was full of Consciousness. The image was Consciousness, the altar was Consciousness, the water-vessels were Consciousness, the door-sill was Consciousness, the marble floor was Consciousness - all was Consciousness. I found everything inside the room soaked, as it were, in Bliss - the Bliss of God. I saw a wicked man in front of the Kāli temple; but in him also I saw the power of the Divine Mother vibrating. That was why I fed a cat with the food that was to be offered to the Divine Mother. I clearly perceived that all this was the Divine Mother - even the cat."

Nectar of Self Awareness

I honor the God and the Goddess,
The eternal parents of the universe.

The Lover, out of boundless love, takes the form of the Beloved.
What beauty!
Both are made of the same nectar and share the same food.

Out of Supreme Love they swallow up each other
But separate again for the joy of being two.

They are not completely the same but neither are they different.
No one can tell exactly what they are.

How intense is their longing to be with each other.
This is their greatest bliss.
Never, not even in jest,
Do they allow their unity to be disturbed.

They are so averse to separation
That even though they have become this entire world,
Never for a moment do they let a difference come between them.

Even though they see all that is animate and inanimate, arising from within themselves,
They never recognize a third.

They sit together in the same place,
Both wearing a garment of light.
From the beginning of time they have been together,
Reveling in their own Supreme Love.

They created a difference to enjoy this world.
When that "difference" had one glimpse of their intimacy
It could not help but merge back into the bliss
Of their eternal union.

Without the God, there is no Goddess,
And without the Goddess, there is no God.

How sweet is their Love!
The entire universe is too small to contain them,
Yet they live happily in the tiniest particle.

The life of one is the life of the other,
And not even a blade of grass can grow without both of them.

Only these two live in this house called the universe.
When either one is asleep
The other stays awake and plays the part of both.

Should both of them awake, the whole universe would vanish without a trace.

They became two for the sake of divine play,
But in every moment they seek to become one again...

How can we distinguish these two from each other?
He appears because of Her,
And She exists because of Him.

We cannot tell sugar from its sweetness,
Nor camphor from its fragrance.

To capture light we take hold of fire.
To capture the Supreme Shiva we must take hold of Shakti.

Light illumines the Sun,
But the Sun itself creates that light.
The glorious Sun and its light are one and the same.

An object has a reflection:
When looking we see two images, yet there is only one thing.
Likewise, this work is a reflection of the Supreme Lord.

We may see two, yet only One exists...

Shiva and Shakti are One,
Like air and the wind,
Like gold and luster.

Shiva and Shakti cannot be separated.
They are like musk and its fragrance, like fire and its heat.

In the light of the Sun there is no difference between day and night.
In the light of the Supreme Truth there is no difference between Shiva and Shakti.

Shiva and Shakti envy the Primordial Sound "OM" because they are seen as two while the sound OM is always regarded as One.

Jnanadeva says,
"I honor the union of Shiva and Shakti, who devour this world of name and form like a sweet dish.
All that remains is the One."

- by Jnanadeva from "The Inner Treasure" by Jonathan Star





SHIVA
The archetypal masculine
The Seer
Pure witness consciousness
Pure being
The One
Transcendent
The still point
Spirit
The unmanifest
The sun
Light
Nirguna Brahman
Unity
Wave
Consciousness


-----------------


SHAKTI
The archetypal feminine
The Mother
Pure embodiment
Pure becoming
The many
Immanent
The dance
Matter
The phenomenal world
The moon
Dark
Saguna Brahman
Multiplicity
Particle
Energy



By Swami Tyagananda 
at Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, India





Mother of All Things
The universe had a beginning
Called the Mother of All Things.
Once you have found the Mother
You can know her children.
Having known the children,
Hold tightly to the Mother.

Your whole life will be preserved from peril.
Open up the openings,
Multiply your affairs,
Your whole life will become a burden.

Those who see the small are called clear-headed;
Those who hold to gentleness are called strong.

Use the light.
Come home to your true nature.
Don't cause yourself injury:
This is known as seizing truth.

- Lao Tzu







February 11, 2015

Swami Sarvadevananda

I bow down to the Sadguru
The spiritual teacher who dispels the darkness of ignorance.
Who is the embodiment of Brahmananda
The inexpressible absolute bliss of Brahman.
Who bestows that supreme joy on others.
Who stands alone entirely unattached.
The very personification of spiritual wisdom who has gone 
Beyond the pairs of opposites like pleasure and pain, 
Heat and cold, that characterize relative existence.
Who is vast as the sky.
Who is indicated by the great Vedic phrase of the Mahabharata, "That thou art."
Who is one without a second, eternal, stainless, and immovable.
The witness to all that arises who has gone beyond all states of mind 
And is free of the three gunas: tamas, rajas, and even sattva.
To him the true Guru do we bow down in adoration.
Om, shanti, shanti, shanti









June 1, 2014

Healing Vibration

Between the Santa Barbara Vedanta Society Temple and their bookstore 
is a massive twelfth-century bell, cast in Japan, which had 
once been rigged to a Chinese military ship.




As is well known, sound has great power over matter. By using sound it is possible to cause geometric patterns to form on sand and also cause objects to be shattered. How much more powerful, then, must be the impact of this force on the vibrating living substance of our sensitive human bodies. Scientists know that sound vibration is processed in the same area of the brain that deals with feelings and emotions, thus proving music's therapeutic potential. Used by clinicians to alleviate pain, boost immunity and lower pulse rates in hospitals, harmonic sounds can revitalize and strengthen the body and soul. Today modern society has become increasingly convinced of the therapeutic benefits of food prepared with love and positive thought vibrations. Let us make use of mantras, prasad, holy sites, relics of saints and soothing musical tones to calibrate and heal, through resonate power, the remotest reaches of the human psyche.  







April 1, 2014

In the Glow





Silence.... Is the beginning and end of yoga meditation work. Sitting in silence enables us to begin to know the symphony that is present inside ourselves. Really there is no silence as we will learn when we try to sit in meditation. Our heart beats, respiration, nervous, digestive and circulatory systems all create a myriad of sounds, a mini celestial orchestra, that we can become aware of through silence. Listening is an active activity, as opposed to hearing which is a passive activity. Listening involves using our ears as an organ of consciousness to discriminate between the sounds around us. By sitting in silence it enables us to empower the act of listening. When we sit in this manner we also become aware of natures external sounds, birds chirping, wind blowing, dogs barking, clocks ticking or the hum of electrical sounds. But it is through the simple act of sitting silently in meditation and tuning into the inner world of sounds that we truly change the way our everyday perceptions and brainwaves work. In meditation we learn how to detach ourselves from the sense organs. Meditation is the time to look and listen to understand our suffering. Finally we experience an openness that helps us to realize our interconnectedness to all things.  

Swami Vivekananda writes:
"First sit for some time and let the mind run on. The mind is bubbling up all the time; it is like the monkey jumping about. Let the monkey jump as much as he can, simply wait and watch; knowledge is power, says the proverb, and that is true; until you know what the mind is doing, you cannot control it. Give it the rein. Many hideous thoughts may come into it, you will be astonished that it was possible for you to think such thoughts, but you will find that each day the mind’s vagaries are becoming fewer, and less violent; that each day it is becoming calmer. In the first few months, you will find that the mind will have a great many thoughts; later you will find that they have somewhat decreased, and in a few more months you will find they are fewer and fewer, until at last the mind will be under perfect control. But we must patiently practice every day."

This is where Arati/Vespers comes in handy. From my own experience, I find Vespers a very effective way to transition from my busy work day into the contemplative state of evening meditation. While sitting in the silence of the temple, I listen to the Santa Barbara Vedanta Society Nuns sing three beautiful Sanskrit hymns and become a watchful witness to the closing ritual of dusk. This allows my soul to unload much of it's hurried material world burdens and relax in the loving unity of the oneness. 








March 3, 2014

OM Time


The sound OM is Brahman. The rishis and sages practiced austerity to realize that Sound-Brahman. After attaining perfection one hears the sound of this eternal Word rising spontaneously from the navel. "'What will you gain', some sages ask, 'by merely hearing this sound?' You hear the roar of the ocean from a distance. By following the roar you can reach the ocean. As long as there is the roar, there must also be the ocean. By following the trail of OM you attain Brahman, of which the Word is the symbol. That Brahman has been described by the Vedas as the ultimate goal."
-- The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna


OM, literally means God. And sometimes you just have to take an OM Break. You know what I'm saying. A chance to have a moment of peaceful contemplation and turn inside. A welcomed pick me up after a frustrating or hurried day. A moment of stopping which gives the power to act from a resourceful, skillful place. Introspection and meditation seem to work for me and offers that much needed time to center myself and reaffirm what is the real goal of life. Oneness with God. The symbol OM means God in Sanskrit and as a spoken vibration on the lips is the Divine God made manifest. Whenever and wherever I am I've found I'm never too busy to have a chat with God. Ideally I try always to silently chant my mantra, the golden thread of oneness behind my daily householder life. Many times life's challenges and trials come bursting into my life unannounced and without prior warning. Quick put out the fire of the latest personal crises!!! But if I rest in stillness a moment and repeat my OM's with intention, soon the dust settles, my mood lifts, unity and comfort is achieved. My new centered focus and joy is embraced. Holy Latte!








December 25, 2013

Unity In Diversity


I believe that there are no coincidences in this life. We are destined to meet people and have experiences which will expand our hearts and our spiritual journey. And so what a blessing it was to discover that devotees: Visnupatni Devi Dasi, Raja Guhiam Das and we were united at the core of our being in this eternal oneness. As Californians traveling in Quito, Ecuador, my husband and I experienced unity in diversity first hand. Miraculous it seemed that in a country where 95% of religious worshipers are Catholic, we found each other and shared an immediate bond with these divine souls. Joined by words like the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads our conversation in broken Spanish had us praising the similar rather than the differences in each other. Words like Krishna, Rama, Ganesh, Shiva, and Swami Prabhupada, became clear evidence that ours was a supreme uniting love. Though our visit was only for 30 minutes it was one we shall never forget. We shared prayers, mudras, hugs, cries, and even bhajans music via my iPhone. The fact that it all happened on a very auspicious day, Christmas Eve, proved to us it was meant to be. Finally we said our Sanskrit farewells; "Namaste" and "Hari Om Tat Sat" an ancient mantra from the Vedas, promising to meet again if the Lord wills.






August 8, 2013

Meditation


In meditation we start learning to practice focus and sit quietly before God in love. Focusing the mind on any supreme aspect of God is true meditation. The consistent practice of meditation removes stress, anxiety and fear by eliminating the causes of our sufferings. Through meditation man becomes one with God (Brahman). Personalities are transformed and one develops physical and mental strength.

“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just 
leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.” 
- Swami Vivekananda

Meditation Technique:

– Sit in a comfortable cross legged position. You may also sit on a chair or lean against a wall for this meditation.

– Elongate your spine upwards, lengthen your neck and subtly bring your chin back and in, like a soldier at attention. This will align the spine with the back of your head.

– Take 5 deep, slow breaths though the nose. Keeping the head straight this will oxygenate your blood and relax you. Try to remain as still as possible.

– Rest your hands in any comfortable position or mudra, you can place them on your knees.
Close your eyes and try to go deeply into yourself while holding this mudra. Do not strain.

– Now inhale deeply and begin to chant in a soft, slow, steady voice the manta OM (pronounced AUM). One chant of OM (AUM) Mantra should last for the entire exhalation. Its a long “Oh”, followed by a semi long “Mmmm” during each exhalation. Once all the air has been expelled, inhale fully again and begin to chant the mantra once more.

– Visualize the OM sound coming from a point in the middle of your heart and emanating throughout your entire body. Feel OM as the Infinite Pure Consciousness. It is this primordial sound vibration that expresses itself everywhere both in the microcosm and the macrocosm.

– Try to feel that every cell and molecule in your body is like a rising sun full of infinite energy, beauty, purity and bliss Absolute. Feel that every cell of your body is shining like the luminous golden rays of the sun. With your inner vision visualize the rising sun in Infinite blue space. You are that Supreme Auspiciousness.

– Feel that you breathe out only Pure Love and good thoughts. Spread this positive vibration of thought in all directions to the far corners of the universe to all beings. You may repeat OM, your personal mantra or any prayer to retain this Infinite harmony in your being. Pure Love is Pure Consciousness. Shivoham!






September 24, 2011

I am Pure Knowledge and Bliss



Om. I am neither the mind, intellect, ego, nor chitta,

Neither am I the senses of hearing, taste, sight, smell or touch;
Nor am I ether, earth, air, fire, or water,
I am Pure Knowledge and Bliss:
I am Siva! I am Siva!

September 16, 2011

Chant the Name



Chant the name of the Lord and His glory unceasingly 

That the mirror of the heart may be wiped clean
And quench that mighty forest fire, 
Worldly lust, raging furiously within.




Oh name, stream down in moonlight on the lotus heart,
Opening its cup to knowledge of thyself. 
Oh self, drown deep in the waves of His bliss,
Chanting His name continually,
Tasting His nectar at every step, 
Bathing in His name, that bath for weary souls.

August 25, 2011

Heart's Lotus

Oh Lord, dweller within;
You are the light
In the heart's lotus.
Om is your very self,
Om, holiest word,
Seed and source of the scriptures.
Logic cannot discover you, Lord,
But the yogis know you 
In meditation. 
In you are all God's faces, 
His forms and aspects,
In you also we find the guru.
In every heart you are  
And if but once, only, a man 
Will open his mind to receive you 
Truly that man is free forever.