Shiva and Parvati, a sacred Relationship

"The body is Parvati (Shiva's consort) and the Atma (higher self) is God (Shiva, Eshwara).
There was a spiritual aspirant who used to repeat the Mantra Shivoham (I am Shiva) as commanded by his guru. One day someone asked him the meaning of the Mantra he was chanting. He said Shivoham meant, 'I am Shiva.'
But when questioned what is his relationship with Parvati (consort) he slapped his own cheeks and said with a tone of having committed a great sin, blasphemy (Aparadham!).
If he really had faith in the Mantra he was chanting, he would have surely said - 'Parvati (body) is a part of my own being.'
He could not say so as he was attached to his body. Attachment to the body leads to this dualities, because of which man is suffering. Eshwara (God, higher self) and Parvati (body) are present in every individual. The combination of these two aspects constitutes Manavatwam (mankind). Manava (mind) refers to human being. Ma means 'sec'. Nava means 'new'. So mankind is not new, it is ancient and eternal."
Baba. SS. 3/99, p. 72

It is common to see God on one side and man on the other and that is due to body attachment, it creates duality.

Shiva and Shakti are the oneness we try to understand, and Baba uses here the example of Shiva and his consort Parvati.
Parvati is Shiva’s Shakti and he very clearly explains above that it is the body, it is made out of nature (Prakriti).
But it is more than the difference between body and Atman, it is the relationship between Shiva and Parvati.
We all know that we have a body and what we don’t know enough is that we think we are the body, in reality there is the indweller of that body and that is unlimited being and consciousness, it is the higher self and Shiva.

The hurt inner child, how to experience Joy

Today, we are prepared to receive love from all people, but are hesitant to share our love with others. It should be a give and take policy. Love begets Love. You must also be prepared to receive love from others.

Love is a gift of God. In fact, you must rise to such a level that whatever is given by God, you must be prepared to receive wholeheartedly.

At times, God also gives you a bitter pill like the doctor. This is for your own good. Both happiness and sorrow are God's gifts. Nobody can comprehend His Divine Lelas (plays).

Baba

It is not alone the father, it is the reaction of the mother. I remember when we were younger I felt sorry with her and later I hated it when I had to listen. When she was driving, she was not driving but always in a hurry and out of herself and telling everybody what to do and when she was driving it was like sitting on the side of an explosive device.

I always felt tired listening to her, I felt exhausted looking at her. I didn’t want to hear her voice, the sound hurt.

She was running around to prove herself. So I pitied her since I had been a child and therefore, I hated him.

She was probably attached to having a family, a working relationship and a business.
If she would have left it would have ended, the family, the relationship and the business, it was probably too much to as of her to be detached, but it would have been the right thing to do.

I have never seen anyone running as she did, like it would be a test. Walking back from school it was too slow, walk fast home, all about what others might think, the neighbours, the clients.

Mind directed impressions and who would not get fed up and get out of it, the best way to do that is to get out of the mind.  

Business people.

Why should we want to run away if we are established in the self? It is just an old pattern, and it seems to be overwhelming.
Why should we run away?

Soham Meditation; find your own Nature

The power of spirituality is inexplicable and infinite. The institute or individual that cannot obtain this becomes virile.
The power of spirituality can transform an animal into man and man to a divine being.
The paths of spirituality have sprung up to lead man from human state to that of divine. Man tries to understand everything. He has been trying to acquire many types of learning.

However, he has not yet made an effort to find out his real nature. All learning is naught if it cannot help one to realise one's own nature. Knowledge without practical aspect is akin to a lamp in a blind man's hand.

Baba

We always should remember that the breath has its own sound.

It sounds with every inhaling SO and with every exhaling HAM, SOHAM. That is the primal sound of the universe, because if we are aware of it without interruption that sound will go on as OM during the night and also in sleep state inside be present.

That is all what it needs to establish continuity in our life and to go beyond the ever changing relative level.

All it needs is to remember.

Peace, become unaffected by Ups and Downs of Life

To get angry is but the effort of a moment; but to get peace, to become unaffected by the ups and downs of life, is the result of years of spiritual training.
Baba

Yesterday I got an email of my ex about Greece and the conflict between Germany and Austria.

I answered that there is no control, because there is no unity, they don't belong together and he shouldn't take that too serious.
Only afterwards came up that I spoke of our theme, because it had been always a question of belonging or not belonging.
Because when I met him he answered a Baba question. Baba had asked another devotee in the interview room, to whom I belonged?
I translated and spoke later about that interview and my ex took advantage of that and said, 'you belong to me'.
I had to get the right answer, because it was Baba who had asked it and it had to do with unity, but that is an inner belonging and the questions 'Who we are? Where we come from and where we are going?'

The right answer between us was - there was no answer possible on that level - because it was Tamas, turned reality upside down and he took only advantage of it.
I thought he will help to get the answer, but he was of no help, he was an obstacle, the problem was - that it was a Sai Baba question he took advantage of and he was not aware what he was doing.

Difference between Happiness and Peace

Everyone is after happiness. The hunt for comfortable jobs and positions of influence, the founding of banks and business houses, the growth of bungalows – all these are evidences of the eagerness to live in happiness. But there is no real eagerness to live in peace.
Happiness should not be confused with peace. No one rich, well placed, prosperous or powerful has peace. Peace cannot be found in passbooks or iron safes. You can investigate and verify this truth yourself. Peace cannot also be ensured by the piling of bombs and weapons. Mere terror and counter-terror will not establish cordiality and harmony. Realize that the physical is subordinate to the spiritual. The secret to peace lies in service and love towards all beings.
International peace cannot dawn until the minds are cleansed of hatred and terror; remove these two evil traits within each heart and plant therein love and service.
Baba

That means our motivation is different from the outcome. We look for happiness, but we don't get it because there is no peace. If we live in peace it makes happy.

When I met my ex I went for it because of Baba behind, I thought he would make sure it would go in the right direction. 
If happiness is not there, we quickly adapt and find another situation which seems to be happier, but peace is a spiritual training.
That was the difference between my ex and me.
I went for it in Baba’s presence to make sure I would not lose the aim of going in direction of peace and with the focus to reach peace.
As it didn’t work out, Baba called me to him to make peace with him.
My ex had no notion of it, not even when we were with Baba, disturbing the inner peace he cancelled our financial resources thinking that my parents should take care.
He was stupid, he didn’t know what he was doing.
Already when he said that 'I belonged to him' he didn’t know what he was doing, because I spoke of an interview question Baba had asked and he took advantage of it. He never asked himself if that was answering a spiritual question, and he couldn't live with it that it was not the right answer.
Tonight I went from one nightmare to the other.
When I was meditating I focused on the breath getting finer and on the sound of it ‘Soham’. As we know from TM it had to become finer to transcend. The sound is the main level to transcend. It felt alright.
The shock came up when that ended in a black hole and the question was, what had a technique to do with a black hole?
Even if the mantra and the becoming finer was right and it felt like it would go on forever. There appeared a black hole and that ended up in doubt, something was wrong and that made it not better, but worse. And there were no answers and no peace.

Acquantances and feeling at Home

Just close your eyes for five minutes and think of the profit your efforts have won for you. One wish always leads to another and this goes on like a never ending chain. Initially, you wish to marry, then you get a daughter or a son, after this you desire to finish their education, marriage and the list goes on and on. The joy one gets by fulfilment of any desire is imperfect, limited, temporary and pregnant with grief. The secret to true happiness lies in detachment (vairagya). The tongue has oil, fat and greasy substances rolling over it, but it is unaffected by these and does not become greasy.

The mind too must be tamed to be unaffected by the experience of success and failure, gain and loss, well-being and illness. Practice surrendering at the feet of the Lord at all times; let His will prevail.

Baba

Years ago I lived in a relationship with a neighbour and after it was finished, that guy turned into the opposite, it was not friendship but manipulation. After was disturbance in the air only felt by me. Everybody in the family said, what do you have, there is nothing.

Most of abuse are offenders acquainted with the victims; often relatives, brothers, fathers, uncles or cousins and other acquaintances such as 'friends' of the family, babysitters or neighbors.

Tell a Lie Long Enough and the Sheeple will Believe

Tell a lie big enough, loud enough and long enough and the sheeple will believe.
JS

We meditate here a lot. This morning I was meditating with the others and some TM memory came up and just for a moment I felt that sick, I had to stop and wait a while to go on.
After I wondered what did made it come up. Meditation is in general an easy exercise and we don't do any effort, but I noticed before that I got sick when TM came in my mind

The principle of Atman, Atma thathwa, is not changing and therefore, always the same.
It is an inner reality and we find it in consciousness.
The technique and the programs with TM are established to keep the teaching pure, it means the Atma principle, pure they understand as no change, but not inside, but on the outside and that doesn't work. Outside everything is changing, inside it is not and the master is not there.

Sacrifice or how we build the Roof

Perform abhisheka (puja, yagya and arati) to the Atma-linga (the Divine within), with the waters of your own pure mental impulses (Chittha-vritthi).
What is true yajna (ceremonial sacrifice)?
Giving in charity accumulated wealth is Dravya yajnam.
When all physical and mental activities are utilized for sadhana (spiritual discipline) it is Thapo yajna. (Tapas)
Doing karma (action) but yet remaining unbound by it, is Yoga Yajna.
When the mind (chittha) moves in one direction and the sense organs (indriyas) move in another, the person is doubly confused. So keep attachment afar. When you accomplish this, every act of yours becomes a sacrifice (Yajna).
Whatever you speak becomes a holy mantra; and the place where you plant your foot is rendered holy.
Baba (thought for the day)

 
My first reaction to that thought for the day was like, no that is difficult too many Sanskrit expressions. 
But that should just be a reason to at least try to understand it. If we look closer at it after all it is not that difficult.
Baba tells first we should do puja or yagna or arati to the inner higher self, (Atma-linga) is the inner God in the heart. 
And how should we do it? By keeping our thoughts and intentions in the mind pure. Therefore, what he tells is to keep purity in the mind and that is the best offering to the inner divinity. 

And then he tells us how to do real sacrifice. 
If we have lots of wealth, we can use it for charity.
If all our mental and physical intention goes in direction of spiritual discipline, it is called Tapas.
If we are performing action, Karma and are not bound by it and giving the result to him only it is Yoga.
But if the intention of our mind and the senses go into different directions, we get even more confused, double confused, because we see the mind in charity, but the senses are enjoying themselves and we think by the mind we go in direction of the divine, but on the sense level there is attachment, the result is big confusion.

The Core of the Problem, Hidden Intentions

Be in the world like a maid servant in a rich man's house. The maid servant deals with all the objects and things always knowing that nothing belongs to her and that this is not her true home.

Baba

The kernel was there in my dream as usual making me from inside aware of it.

First with the reality that everything is relative, we really cannot take anything with us and the question is not how much we have, but how we leave that world, how we die.

We don't have everything as long as we didn't realize the higher self. 

And my ex when he said that 'I belonged to him', he took advantage of the interview. Baba had asked to whom I belonged, and I spoke about that interview because there was no other way to get answers but by communication. It was not just there as insight, it had to be expressed. Like now if there is a picture inside like the core of it, it doesn't get clear by itself, but it brings up certain things and by that it gets clearer. 
But why did it happen, because my own father was like that, therefore, I was not aware of it and therefore, it was still a mirror to get it in the open. 
But I should not call it a Baba lila, because it is a conditioning and that has its own dynamics. These are patterns. It is not the divine will that it should happen, it happens because of illusion, because of the patterns. He is the mirror, the reflection in the mirror changes corresponding to the mind looking at it and the brain inferring. It is not his will, it just happens because of Karma, divine law. 

Cultivate the inner View

Everything in this world is ephemeral, transitory; it is here today, but it may not be here tomorrow. So, if you desire for something, seek the Lord, who has no decline. Instead, if you crave for progeny, wealth and all comforts, you will suffer untold misery when you are called upon to leave everything and depart. At that moment, you would lament, “Oh, did I love so deep that I may weep so loud?” In this transitory life, joy and pain are also perforce transitory. There is nothing here fit to be worshipped as eternal. So, to get immersed in this search for the evanescent and to forget the Supreme and the Everlasting is indeed unbecoming of man.

Baba

My hotel bed is that hard, I turn around and around and if not the bones hurt, so for sure something else.

In the first interview Baba asked, what do you want? I explained to him that my boyfriend was with TM and I was with him and that was my situation. What I wanted was 'understanding', knowing how to go on and he said, 'that is very difficult to understand'.

In the mean time I have understood that God is very difficult to understand because he is everything, but also not.

Baba asked everybody, what do you want? He explains that even if we had the best birth and a great childhood, we still have to get liberation from birth and death.

I know someone who said that when he asked her what she wanted, she answered, she had everything. I dreamt about it, it woke me up.

We never have everything, what is the use of all material values if we don't have health. And even if we have health, we still are not enlightened.

“The incarnations of the Lord are not accepted as such by many.  Even their parents, kinsman and comrades hesitate to adore them.  Only a very few sages, who cultivated the inner view through study and sadhana, know their reality.”

Baba

Kodaikanal and beautiful Moments

Baba at Kodaikanal

The Atma (Soul) is inherently devoid of attachment. It has no awareness of its own needs or nature of its possessions. It has no 'I' or 'mine' for these are the marks of ajnana (Illusion). Only those afflicted with ajnana will suffer from the ego or the sense of 'mine'. Though it may appear to ordinary eyes that ‘I am the doer’, the truth is ‘I am a non-doer’!

Not only this, the effect of action (karma) does not cease as soon as it is finished. Karma yields fruits; the results of Karma breed desire for them; and that in turn results in impulses for further Karma. These impulses bring about further births. Thus Karma can lead to the cycle of births and deaths; it is a vicious whirlpool, making you revolve round and round, and finally dragging you down into the depths. So do not put your faith on this world and the objects of the world. Cultivate and practice detachment!

Baba

My colleague had surgery today and when I brought her some food, I found her in tears and the sadness that Baba has left the body came up.

She is that much self-controlled, she didn't allow the pain to come up. The surgery brought it up. 
I dreamt also of Baba tonight, I saw him very clearly and when I close the eyes I see him walk around and that wonderful love which was in the air always.

She made me remember last year being with him. We were waiting for him to come back on Easter and they brought him back in a coffin.

She made it come up again, that moment. I was standing at the window and saw the ambulance bringing him back like that in a coffin. There are no words to tell how sad it felt.

Her sadness got it up in me too. 

I have never experienced anything more sad and that went on for days.

The Colours of the Rainbow

God is not to be spoken of as coming down or going up, since HE is everywhere.
Baba

We are in Brazil and it began to rain and it rained all night. 
Today was the first day at the Casa and it was a great meditation experience. There was the light of the chakras and the triangle I had in my dream some time ago, the pyramid. 


During meditation there was the light blue colour and I went up and down in the body and through the chakra colours. It began at the root and went up to the blue and there was the purple, blue and red together. 
It is a mixture of red and blue. 
It is an incredible spiritual place here, silent and undisturbed, I have never seen the colours of the chakras that clear. 


But I had to retire and absorb it, because I cannot meditate all afternoon and watch the chakra colours. 

Samadhi and Samyama; all Self-Control

One-pointedness is steadfastness of the mind.3.1
In that (Dharana) the continuous flow of similar mental modifications is called Dhyana or meditation.3.2
When the object of meditation only shines forth in the mind, as though devoid of the thought of even the self (who is meditating), then that state is called Samadhi or concentration.3.3
The three appearing together are self-control (Samyama)3.4

Patanjali Yoga Sutras Baba said to us in the interview room pointing at his dress, as we were all cold in Ooty and it rained a lot, he said, 'all self-control'. We were packed up in thick shawls.   We made between us and him a difference, put him high up above seeing him as God and us as human.  One-pointedness has something to do with being focused on truth only, on the higher self, on God, the observer, on Atman and not getting into the vagaries of the mind. (It means not just being focused during the exercise of meditation). Being focused on the observer, truth, we get to the second state of continuous 'flow' of a similar mental modification... (That was in the air when we met the Maharishi, a feeling of 'going on and on'. When trying to thank, he said that it was 'beyond thanks', but why he said it that gets only now clear in my mind - as the rest of the knowledge was not there. It was all about sutras and outer flying, it was not about samadhi.)

Stick to the right Path; Thousands of People...

Let me tell you that it is impossible to plumb the hearts and discover the natures of jnanis, yogis, ascetics, saints, sages, and the like.

People are endowed with a variety of characteristics and mental attitudes, so each one judges according to his own angle, talks and argues in the light of his own nature. But we have to stick to our own right path, our own wisdom, our own resolution without getting affected by popular appraisal.

Baba

I know the ashram as a place where thousands of people from all the world came together and some very disturbed minds. What do we expect from them, that they get it all? 
All that highest knowledge?

In the West if we have never seen such a big gathering, we don't even know how it looks, have not idea about the environment and therefore, we get a wrong impression.

There are thousands sitting together quietly and some have more disturbed minds. It is amazing that so many people can be together peacefully.

Samyama - Threefold Dicipline in Meditation

Listening

It is easy to criticise or belittle the "leelas" (plays) or infinite potencies of God. But it is very difficult to comprehend the truth about the Divine. The Omnipresent Divine is present both in Truth and untruth. He is present both in righteousness (Dharma) and unrighteousness (Adharma). He is present in good and evil. With regard to such an all-pervading Divine, how can anyone determine what is good and what is bad?
Baba

I can tell only from my own experience, my own truth.
Focus is for me self and self-realization, observing to know the difference between self and non-self until the self was there as inner light. That is experience of the difference and never changing truth.

Thinking it over

Absorbing

Focus is the first part of the threefold discipline. The second is meditation, flow, going on and on. If the focus was will-power and self-confidence, the second part is realizing on the feeling level it has no end, it is going on and on, no disturbance. And the third part of it is merging, Samadhi, it means even intellect and is the result of the two others.

What is not 'you' is luggage; less luggage, more comfort

Reduce the luggage you carry about when on the journey of life. Remember, all that is not ‘you’ is luggage. The mind, the senses, the intelligence, the imagination, the desires, the plans, the prejudices, the discontent, the distress - all are items of luggage. Jettison them, soon, to make your travel lighter, safer and more comfortable. Less luggage, more comfort.
BABA

All what is not 'me' is luggage? There was a baggage wagon with luggage in my dream and you were also on that wagon.  All what is 'not me', that is about everything. That is inside teaching.

Waiting waiting to find what was in the self, when everything seemed mind only.
Everything outside, if it was job, parent's house or the environment, it was not self-motivated. And here Baba tells it is in our thoughts and in desires.
What is 'me'? The self only.
Therefore, the mind the senses, the intelligence, the imagination, the desires, the plans, the prejudices.
And all the discontent... is also not 'that'. The self is light, love, beauty and truth, there is no discontent and distress.

Inner Light and Siddhi Powers

Remember always that it is easy to do what is pleasant. But it is very difficult to be engaged in what is beneficial. Not all that is pleasant is profitable. Success comes to those who give up the path strewn with roses and brave the hammer blows and sword thrusts of the path fraught with danger. As a matter of fact, no road is strewn with rose petals. Life is a battle field (a Dharmakshetra), where duties and desires are always in conflict. Smother the fiery fumes of desire, of hatred and anger that rise up in your hearts; it is sheer cowardice to yield to these enemies that turn you into beasts. Meet all obstacles with courage. Difficulties make you tough and strong.
Baba (thought for the day)

The memory of past meditations came up. That was the time with the TM leader, focused mostly inside into meditation. Focused on the inner light,

All these can also be gained by direct intuitive perception; (Or, by the practice of the threefold discipline on the inner light, all knowledge is gained). 3.33

Swamivenkatesananda Patanjali Yogs Sutras

He calls it the threefold discipline. It is not only meditation and going inside, it is inner focus, flow and unity to be Samyama, it is threefold. And a Patanjali sutra has to be practiced in the threefold discipline - Samyama.

Light-Beings (Homo Luminous) and the Bronchial Tube

Fill souls with My Light so that they may arise to life in Love!
I radiate Brahmanic Light through your Atmic Mahadoubles; They are like Light pipes!
The strata of the Absolute are your ‘clothes’, and you live beneath them.
Always perceive your new Atmic Bodies — to the Full Height! You have to learn to live with them; in this process, the physical body becomes divine and the soul’s control center moves into Paramatman — into the ‘I’ of God!
Baba

Every time we breath in we take in the light, with every exhale we get out the darkness of the ego and body identification, what is left - silence. In the light is only silence, it is calm and beautiful, but the result - we are light, it is the mirror.

Bronchial Tube

The sutra of Patanjali focus just on that bronchial tube where Prana is stored, we take in light and immortality. We exhale what is mortal and get transformed into light-beings - homo-luminous.
Soham, means I am that and takes in with every breath light. In the bronchial tube it is therefore calm and silent (Patanjali). And with Qigong we store the Chi, the light, in the navel.