Gems from the Bible-10:

Neglect not the gift that is in thee. (I Tim. 4:14)

From My Spiritual Diary-14:

· A conscious life is an interesting life. Most of us are half awake and half dreaming. Unconscious cerebration must become clear, definite thinking. Then alone is life worth living. Minimize your body consciousness. (Swami Yatiwarananda)

· Have mental freshness, always have the mind of a youngster. Be a child again. Be born a second time. It is imperative to have mental freshness. Cultivate it consciously . Try to be in tune with the Divine. The waters of life are flowing. Open the channels! Open the windows! Off with bad air! Let there be freshness within, always. (Swami Yatiswarananda)

· When something is repeatedly done, it becomes a habit. Man can make or mar his career by the force of habit. It has its effect even on animals. Habit is the most potential factor in man’s life. Habit is said to be man’s second nature. Therefore, man has the power to change both his habit and his nature. In carving a new career, man is never too late. If he resolves, in a day he can change his habit. Following it, his nature changes. (Swami Chidbhavananda).

· He who blames others proves his own inadequacy. (Swami Turiyananda)

· Desires are in no way allayed by enjoyed, but rather increased more and more even as fire grows by being fed with clarified butter. (King Yayati)

· Deficiencies in all fields are made up by hard and sustained work. Spiritual realization depends on the strength of our aspiration for it, and aspiration can make up for deficiencies. (Swami Tapasyananda)

Gems from the Holy Mother, Sri Sarada Devi-1:

We suffer as a result of our own actions; it is unfair to blame anybody for it. We have to surrender ourselves completely to the Lord with faith and devotion in Him, serve others to the best of our capacity and never be a source of sorrow to anybody.

From My Spiritual Diary-13:

· Do not waste even a single moment in idleness or fruitless activity. (Swami Vrajananda).

· The Master used to say, “An imitation custard-apple reminds one of the real fruit.” Similarly, the Master’s photograph will remind you of the Master. Feel his presence in his photograph and devote yourself to his service and worship. You will surely be imbued with his spirit. Let your body and mind be absorbed in him. Make the Master your very own. Then everything will follow by itself. Never deviate from your spiritual path. You will succeed, I am confident of it. Gird up your loins and plunge into the task. (Swami Turiyananda).

· Don’t you know Sri Ramakrishna’s parable of the oyster? The oyster floats about on the surface of the sea with its shell wide open, just for a little drop of the Swati rain. As soon as it gets a rain drop, it dives down to the ocean bed and there forms a fine pearl. You have received the rain drop, viz., grace of the guru. So like the oyster, you too should dive deep into your spiritual practices. (Swami Brahmananda).

· There is only one sin, that is weakness. (Swami Vivekananda).

· If you think yourself strong, strong you will be. (Swami Vivekananda).

· When viewed as dharma, all secular activities metamorphose into the sacred. (Mahabharata).

From My Spiritual Diary-12:

· Go from village to village, do good to humanity and to the world at large. Go to hell yourself to buy salvation for others. When death is so certain, it is better to die for a good cause. (Swami Vivekananda)

· Every man must aim at the highest ideal no matter whether he realizes it in this life or in a hundred lives. And what is the highest ideal? It is love and love is God. (Swami Vrajananda)

· That knowledge which purifies the mind and heart alone is true knowledge (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa)

· Give attention to your breathing. This in itself is a bit of concentration. When breath is controlled, the mind will come back to itself. (Swami Yatiswarananda).

· Personal exertion is indispensable for success in spiritual life. Follow a discipline for at least four years. Then if you do not make any tangible progress, come and take me to task. (Swami Brahmananda).

· According to Vedanta, you shape yourself by your own thoughts – you are what you think you are. Have faith in yourself and keep struggling. Faith is one of the potent factors of humanity and of all religions. (Swami Lokeswarananda)

· Those who do not want anything, get everything. (Swami Akhandananda).

Q&A-19 : Where do you seek for God?

Seek God in the human being; there He is more manifested than in other beings; but He is manifested still more in a devotee. The devotee’s heart is the Lord’s drawing room, where you can have interview with Him. (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa)

The Svetasvatara Upanisad proclaims this vision of the Divine in every human being in a great verse (4.3).

‘You are the woman, You are the man, You are the boy, You are the girl too; You are the old man tottering with a stick (in hand); You are born with faces everywhere.’

(‘Practical Vedanta and The Science of Values’ by Swami Ranganathananda; Published by Advaita Ashrama, (Publication Department), 5, Dehi Entally Road, Kolkata-700014).

Gems from the Bible-9:

"These six things doth the Lord hate: .... A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." (Proverbs, 6:16-19)

A New Way of Living

Jesus told his disciples, "If you are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for the happiness of those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, show the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give what you have to anyone who asks for it; and when they are taken away from you, don't try to get them back. Do for others you would like them to do for you.

Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving - large or small - it will be used to measure what is given back to you.

A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. A tree is identified by the kind of fruit it produces. A good person produces good deeds from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil deeds from an evil heart. Whatever is in your heart determines, what you say.

From the leaflet published during the ‘Candle Lighting Service’ on April 4, 2003 by the Lady Doak College, Madurai. My grateful thanks to the college.

Prayer of the day-10:

To grow a little wiser by day
To keep my inner life both clean and strong
To free my life from guile, my heart from wrong
To shut the door on hat and scorn and pride
To open up to love the window wide
To meet with cheerful heart what comes to me
To turn life’s discords into harmony
To share some weary worker’s heavy load
To point some straying comrade to the road
To know that what I have is not my own
To feel that I am never quite alone –

This I would pray from today,
For then I know my life would flow
In peace until it be God’s will I go.

From the leaflet published during the ‘Candle Lighting Service’ on April 4, 2003 by the Lady Doak College, Madurai. My grateful thanks to the college.

From My Spiritual Diary-11:

· Highest knowledge, devotion, spirituality – these can only be acquired through great self-effort, One has to struggle hard to win them. Then only do they become one’s own and enduring., filling the mind with joy unspeakable. None can make a gift of these to another. Spiritual practice has to be diligently performed. Then only can realization be attained. The degree varies with the intensity of spiritual effort. What is gained without discipline or hard labour loses its gravity, is not highly valued, and does not bring the happiness earned by hard struggle. Moreover, it goes away as easily as it comes, and it is of little use when we are buffeted by the angry billows of life. In dangers and difficulties, in trials and tribulations, it is swept away altogether. To make spirituality one’s own means saturating oneself thoroughly in the idea of the realization of the Self so that one’s nature is wholly changed and an entirely new personality is developed. It is like being reborn again in this very body. Such a thing is possible only if one is wide awake and strives for it to the utmost, as if one’s whole life is at stake. Thus one must continue spiritual practices without interruption and with single-minded devotion as long as the goal is not achieved. (Swami Vrajananda)

· A kind look, a cheering word, a helping hand, -- these are much more valuable than tons of preaching and empty worship.

· Where there is selflessness, there God’s grace works wonders.

Prayer of the day-9:

“ I am Thine, Lord, without any restriction or preference; may Thy will be done in all its rigorous plenitude; all my being adheres to it with a joyous acceptance and a calm serenity.

I have no longer any idea about the future; it is Thou who wilt awaken the new conception more closely answering Thy law.

In a most perfect surrender and a most entire trust I wait; Thy voice showing me Thy path.”

Courtesy: “Prayers & Meditations” by Mother, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry

From My Spiritual Diary-10:

* If you give up your small self for the sake of others, you will not only find your real self, but will make others also your own. – Swami Vrajananda

* Ups and downs, prosperity and adversity, elation and depression are natural to life. One of these conditions alone does not last for ever for anyone. These conditions alternate. A true devotee is one who utilizes both these phases of life – the favourable and the adverse – to enhance his spirit of resignation and discrimination. To become victims of absolute and uncontrolled elation or depression will mar our chances of spiritual progress. If our faith could sustain us through all these trials, we shall emerge stronger and wiser through them. (Swami Tapasyananda)

* Whining or self-pity is of no use at all. Can anything be done by such people? Strive hard, be wide awake and push on. Only then success will come.

* Get up, start walking and as you proceed, the road will grow shorter. Courage, hope, unexpected help will come. The path will gradually become easy and straight and in no time, you will reach the goal.

* Go on struggling ceaselessly. Fight like a hero! Never look back, but ever go forward. Onward to the goal! Pay not the slightest heed whether you be exhausted, mangled or mutilated on the way. Be fearless! Courage! Courage! Do not allow even the thought of defeat to enter your mind. Realization of the goal or let the body fall! – let this be your mantra. Victory or death! – let this be the stake. If you to die, die like a hero. (Swami Vivekananda)

Gems from the Bible-8:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works (Matthew, 5:16)

Prayer of the day-8:

A Simple Prayer:

"O Divine Mother! Kindly don't delude us with Your world-bewitching Maya!!"

Gems from the Bible-7:

What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul. (Mark 8:36)

Gems from the Bible-6:

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. (Matthew 6:19)

From My Spiritual Diary-9:

· During spiritual practice, there must be no physical restlessness, no mental restlessness. Through practice, concentration is deepened. Through concentration, the channels of energy are cleared. (Swami Yatiswarananda)

· We must be in touch with the Cosmic Energy. The task is, how to become better and less obstructed channels, that is, how to get more Cosmic Energy. (Swami Yatiswarananda)

· Our ordinary thinking is done with the help of lower mental energy. For lack of exercise, our higher faculties have become weak and hence spiritual energy is not received by us (Swami Yatiswarananda)

· Don’t control the mind negatively; do it positively, by having good thoughts. It is necessary to have a central thought always. (Swami Yatiswarananda)

· The more one can forget his self, the nearer he approaches God. (Swami Turiyananda)

· Association with holy people purifies the mind.

· The one who looks for help from outside nearly always meets with disappointment. Our real help comes from an inner source. (Swami Paramananda).

· Service or Worship with a desire for the fruit thereof is mere shop-keeping. (Swami Vrajananda)

'The Treasure' - Swami Chidbhavananda

...Ages have passed away since man has inherited the earth. While he has unearthed a good deal of the earthly treasures, the spiritual treasure in himself remains untapped. If you dive deep into yourself, you are bound to explore the imperishable spiritual treasure.

Courtesy: 'Daily Divine Digest'

by Swami Chidbhavananda

Published by Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam, Tirupparaithurai-639115, Trichy District, Tamilnadu

Gems from Vedanta-5:

Man must revert to his original simplicity when he desires to know Brahman - Vedanta

Gems from Vedanta-4:

It is possible for man to remodel himself on a superior pattern. Sublimation is the secret of self-amelioration - Vedanta

Gems from Vedanta-3:

Do not deviate from truthfulness. Truthfulness builds man's character - Vedanta

Gems from Vedanta-2:

Atonement leads to Enlightenment - Vedanta

Gems from the Buddha-5:

Mind predominates. Everything proceeds from mind. In all things, the primordial element is mind. If a man speaks or acts with a purified mind, happiness accompanies him as closely as his inseparable shadow – Dhammapda

For detailed article on Dhammapada from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammapada

Q&A-18: "What is Brahmacharya? Is it possible to practice it to perfection?"

The full and proper meaning of Brahmacharya is search of Brahman. Brahman pervades every being and can therefore be searched by diving into and realizing the inner self. This realization is impossible without complete control of the senses. Brahmacharya thus means control in thought, word and action of all the senses at all times and in all places.

A ,man or woman completely practicing Brahmacharya is absolutely free from passion. Such a one therefore lives nigh unto God, is Godlike.

I have no doubt that it is possible to practice such Brahmacharya in thought, word and action to the fullest extent.

Gandhiji in Young India, June 6, 1924
Courtesy: ‘Truth is God’ – Gleanings from the Writings of Gandhiji
Published by Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad-380014, Gujarat

Gems from the Buddha-4:

If a man speaks or acts with an evil mind, suffering follows him as the wheel follows the hoof of the bullock that pulls the cart - Dhammapada

For detailed article on Dhammapada from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammapada

From My Spiritual Diary-8:

· Regarding moral conduct, observe these two rules: Be truthful always, and honour and worship all women as mothers. (Swami Brahmananda)

· Attachment or the sense of ownership, in relation to objects or individuals is the root cause of all the bondage in the world.

· Realization of God is impossible without purification of the heart. (Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa)

· The mind becomes pure through ‘japa’. While repeating the mantra, you should remember God. Such repetition and remembrance will do much good. Mere repetition without remembrance will not be any use. (Swami Brahmananda)

· In this transitory world, there are five permanent gems: Company of the Sadhus; Talks about God; Complassion, Humility and Doing good to others. (Saint Tulasidas).

· Compassion is the root of all virtue and happiness, and arrogance is the root of hell or narrowness and misery. Do not leave compassion even when life is about to leave the body. (Saint Tulasidas).

· The moment you thoroughly understand that you are a gool, you begin to become wise. (Swami Akhandananda).

· Useless work, useless talk, gossiping and useless thinking are like weeds. Pull them out. Then there will be time for useful work. (Swami Yaatiswarananda)

Prayer of the day-7:

"O Thou Unbounded Spirit of the Universe,
Make me to feel Thy nearness, that my mind
may be freed from all doubt and fear.
May I find Thy Presence everywhere.
May I perceive Thy beauty and sublimity
in all things.
Give unto me true devotion.
May I always feel that Thou art my Resting-place.
My Source of inspiration and joy.

Courtesy: "Book of Daily Thoughts and Prayers" by Swami Paramananda
Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai-600004

From My Spiritual Diary-7:

· Sweet words, sweet dealings, forbearance, service and love – in the long run these triumph over all ills of life.

· Even wild animals become submissive by kind treatment.

· Examine yourself and resolve firmly in your mind to mend your defects, even if you fail again and again; lay all your troubles before God; weep and pray to Him from your heart to remove all your faults and mistakes.

· Have no ill feeling towards anybody. To one who is good, the whole world is good.

· By willing to abstain from sense indulgence, man grows in stamina.

· By yielding to base urge, man weakens his will.

· Attuning the individual will with the Cosmic Will is redemption.

· Poverty is not an extraneous factor. It is subjective. It is a defect in the mind.

· That man lives well in the world, who is capable of both attachment and detachment.

· Man grows in spiritual excellence, when he gives up all attachments to sense object which are evanescent. (Vedanta)

Gems from Jainism-5:

Kill Not. Cause no pain - Mahavira

Courtesy:

http://www.worldofquotes.com/author/Lord-Mahavira/1/index.html

Gems from the Buddha-3:

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him; If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him - Buddha

Courtesy:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/buddha.html

From My Spiritual Diary-6:

* By being guileless, one can speedily realize God. There are several kinds of people who do not attain divine knowledge. First, a man with a perverse mind; he is not guileless. Second, one who is very fastidious about outer purity; Third, a doubting person.

* The power and potentiality of the mind increases as it progresses in self-purification.

* Quieting down the body and mind is meditation.

* Minimising the bodily requirements is imperative for spiritual advancement. He is a yogi who has reduced his bodily needs to the bare minimum.

* The mind that delights in the mundane, gets entangled.

* Yoga is not possible for him who eats too much or for him who abstains too much from eating; it is not for him, who sleeps too much or too little (Bhagavad Gita).

* If you seek God, then seek Him in man; He manifests Himself more in man than in any other thing. If you see a man endowed with ecstatic love overflowing with prema, mad after God, intoxicated with His love, then know for certain that God has incarnated Himself through that man.

* Words give rise to more words. If, therefore, anybody says something unpleasant or unjust to you, it is better to ignore it and keep quiet. The dumb have no enemies. Try to put up with difficulties as best as you can.

* He who endures, prevails; he who does not, is destroyed.

Gems from the Quran-2:

“He deserves paradise who makes his companions laugh” - Quran

Courtesy: http://thinkexist.com/quotes/quran/

Gems from the Bible-5:

Nothing shall be impossible unto you. (Matthew, 17:20)

From My Spiritual Diary-5:

* Truth can be realized only if one devotes oneself whole-heartedly to spiritual practice to the best of one's ability, day after day, month after month, year after year. There is no other path than this. There is no other way to Mukti.

* If one forms the habit of practising Japa and meditation steadfastly every day, it develops into a sort of craving in course of time.

* Try repeatedly to free the mind of all attachments to sense objects by prayers, by discrimination of good and evil, and by the repetition of the Mantra.

* One should not get up or engage in worldly talk immediately after meditation. One should try to make that mood last as long one can.

* Know the Mantra to be the source of great power and the very essence of the Chosen Ideal. One has to catch hold of the gross to reach the subtle; and through the subtle, one attains to the super-subtle, which is beyond the reach of mind and speech.

* If the mind is conquered, the world can be conquered. All spiritual practice and discipline are for that alone - the conquest of the mind.

* Our prayers are sure to be fulfilled if they come straight from the heart.

* What you intensely desire you are sure to get. But you have to work; nothing can be acquired without toil and travail.

* For householders, as Chaitanya said, the disciplines to be practiced are KINDNESS TO LIVING BEINGS, SERVICE TO THE DEVOTEES and CHANTING THE NAME OF GOD.

* The wealth of the miserly is squandered in these ways: first, litigation; second, thieves and robbers; third, physicians; fourth, their wicked children's extravagance.

Gems from Vedanta-1:

The bliss of the Self blurred by the impure mind is misery. The bliss of the Self reveals itself as such in the pure mind.

Courtesy: Daily Divine Digest by Swami Chidbhavananda.

From My Spiritual Diary-4:

* Man cannot see God on account of his ego. You cannot see the sun when a cloud rises in the sky. But that does not mean there is no sun; the sun is there just the same - Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

* If a devotee prays to God with real longing, God cannot help revealing Himself to him.

* Bhakti is to adore God with body, mind and words. With body means, to serve and worship God with one's hands, go to holy places with one's feet, hear the chanting of the name and glories of God with one's ears, and behold the divine image with one's eyes, With kind means to contemplate and meditate on God constantly and to remember and think of His lila. With words means to sing hymns to Him and chant His name and glories.

* Devotion as described by Narada is suited to the Kaliyuga. It means to chant constantly the name and glories of God. Let those who have no leisure, worship at least morning and evening by whole-heartedly chanting His name and clapping their hands.

* Hanuman said, "O Rama, sometimes I find that You are the Whole and I a part; sometimes that You are the Master and I, Your servant;but, O Rama, when I have the Knowledge of Reality, I see that You are I and I am You."

* Cultivate the virtues of purity, self-control, detachment, truth and ahimsa in various forms and become a dharmatma.

* Worship your Ishta-Devata by every means in your power and acquire the grace of God.

* All men find themselves in this life in the toils of 'samsara' in accordance with their own 'karma'.

"WITHIN" - Srimat Swami Chidbhavanandaji Maharaj

When it rains, when storm sets in, when night comes, man keeps within. That act6 is a physical necessity for self-protection.

Being drawn within has several purposes. Birds and beasts keep to themselves in illness. Man withdraws within for repose. Repose is involuntary and retreat voluntary. To go within for spiritual illumination is the best and most profitable act that man can do. The knowing man is steady in the practice of it.

"He whose happiness is within, whose delight is within, whose illumination is within only, that yogi becomes Brahman and gain the Beatitude of Brahman" - Bhagavad Gita

Courtesy: Daily Divine Digest by Swami Chidbhavananda, Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam, Tirupparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamil Nadu.

From My Spiritual Diary-3:

* If you want peace of mind, serve others.

* With him, to love meant to love actively, to serve, to help. And the loved one was not to be chosen, but was to be the nearest whosoever he happened to be, even the enemy in process of beating you, or the wicked or unfortunate - particularly7 such; for their need was the greatest.

* Unity is the test of truth. Everything that makes for Oneness is truth. Love is truth, and hatred is false, because hatred makes for multiplicity. It is a disintegrating power.

* You are weak because you wish to be.

* First have faith in yourselves. You yourself are the proof of God! "Thou art that!" Each of the pulsations of your blood sings it. "And the universe with its myriads of suns with one voice repeats the word: "Thou art that!"

If you cannot love your brother whom you have seen,m how can you love God whom you have not seen?

* I do not believe in a God who will give me eternal bliss in heaven and who cannot give me bread here. (Swami Vivekananda)

Mahatma Gandhiji on Prayer

Our prayer is a heart search. It is a reminder to ourselves that we are helpless without His support. No effort is complete without prayer - without a definite recognition that the best human endeavour is of no effect if it has not God's blessing behind it. Prayer is a cal to humility. It is a call to self-purification, to inward search.

Courtesy: "Truth is God" by M.K.Gandhi, Navajivan Publishing House, Ahmedabad.

From My Spiritual Diary-2:

* Poise, self-control, forbearance, discrimination, steadiness in one’s dharma, truthfulness, compassion, memory of the past, contentment with what is available, giving of alms, dispassion, faith in God, feeling of shame for ill-conduct, simplicity, humility, absorption etc are the characteristics of SATTVA. (Bhagavad Gita)

* Knowledge leads to unity; ignorance to diversity.

* If you meditate on an ideal, you will acquire its nature. If you think of God day and night, you will acquire the nature of God.

* A broomstick is itself unclean, but it cleans dirty places.

* Unless a man is simple, he cannot realize God.

* As long as the baby plays with the toy and forgets everything else, its mother looks after her cooking and other household duties; but when the baby throws away the toy and cries, then the mother puts down the rice-pot and comes to the baby. (The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna)

* It is desirable to reduce the number of one’s duties and entanglements.

* The watchword of all well-being is not I, but thou. Who cares whether there is a heaven or hell, who cares if there is a soul or not? Here is the world and it is full of misery. Go out into it as Buddha did, and struggle to lessen it or die in the attempt. Forget yourselves, this is the first lesson to be learn, whether you are a theist or an atheist, whether you are an agnostic or a Vedantist, a Christian or a Mohammedan. (Swami Vivekananda)

From My Spiritual Diary-1:

(I started maintaining 'Spiritual Diaries' more than ten years ago. They were meant for my personal use only. As such, I did not bother to note down the source of the various materials. Now as I feel that they could be useful to other spiritual aspirants, I have started posting them in this blog. However, I shall try to indicate the source wherever possible. I am sorry for this inevitable omission.)

....

* The poison generated by hatred could kill twenty persons. So don’t hate anybody.

* Much more energy is used up in being angry once, than is expended in working the whole day.

* Finding fault will only generate poison within you.

* Give up vanity and pride.

* All troubles come to an end when the ego dies.

* Egotism is the nature of ‘tamas’. It is begotten by ignorance. It is futile to be egotistic. Neither the body nor wealth will last. (Bhagavad Gita)

* Egotism, sleep, gluttony, lust, anger and the like are the traits of people with ‘tamas’. (Bhagavad Gita)

* Men with ‘rajas’ entangle themselves in many activities.(Bhagavad Gita)

* A man endowed with ‘sattva’ is quiet and peaceful. He earns only enough money to give his stomach simple food. He never flatters men to get money. He does not hanker for name and fame. His worship, charity and meditation are done in secret; people do not know about them at all. (Bhagavad Gita)

* ‘Sattva’ is the last step of stairs; next is the roof. As soon as ‘sattva’ is acquired, there is no further delay in attaining God. One step forward and God is realized. (Bhagavad Gita)

* The entangled souls repeat those very actions that make them suffer so much.

The Importance of Prayer

Jesus told his disciples that men ought always to pray. He himself was always in prayer. We often forget this. Prayer, for any spiritually-minded person, is no part-time occupation. For a man who has faith in God, all activities are prayers of a sort - walking, sitting, working, eating, playing. Such a man lives, like Brother Lawrence, in the presence of God, and his actions are offerings of prayer unto Him.

Excerpted from "The Context of Meditation" by Swami Bhavyananda - "Meditation" published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai.

Grateful thanks to Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore.

Prayer of the day-6 : 'A Prayer for Purity'

May my flesh and blood be purified.

May my skin and my bones be purified.

May the marrow of my bones be purified.

May all my body be purified.

May I be free from attachments.

May I be free from impurities.

May my organs of sense be purified.

May my organs of action be purified.

May all my actions be purified.

May my mind be purified.

May my vital energy be purified.

May the earth and the air be purified.

May fire, ether and water be purified.

May I be pure! May I be pure!

I am verily the Atman!

I am pure! I am free! I am blissful!

- Swami Premananda

Q&A-17: It means we must first think of God? But constant remembrance of God is difficult.

Unless you first get united to God through constant remembrance, you would not be able to unite others with Him.

With the help of the name of God, this becomes easy. Constantly go on chanting the name of God or one of the many devotional songs. Then a part of your mind will remain engaged in God. Pictures of gods and goddesses, of saints and prophets remind us of God and help in producing a spiritual mood

- Swami Brahmeshananda, "Spiritualizing Everyday Actions", Vedanta Kesari, November 2005.

Grateful thanks to Vedanta Kesari.

Q&A-16: Can my relations with my family also be spiritualized?

Yes, Love your friends and relatives through God.

Here is an example. On the surface of the ocean there are waves and bubbles. The bubbles come together and get attached to each and love each other. Sometimes, one or two burst also. Now, we are our friends are like bubbles. We come together and love each other. God is like the ocean and forms the substratum and basis of our existence. So, first we must get in touch with God - the ocean, and through Him, relate ourselves to others since we are all His parts.

- Swami Brahmeshananda, "Spiritualizing Everyday Actions",

Vedanta Kesari, November 2005.

Grateful thanks to Vedanta Kesari.

Q&A-15: What about our day-to-day activities?

Consider all actions as worship of God. In some form or the other, all activities must be associated or connected with God. When you cook food, cook for God. Eat it after offering it to God as prasad etc.

- Swami Brahmeshananda, "Spiritualizing Everyday Actions", Vedanta Kesari, Novbember 2005.

Grateful thanks to Vedanta Kesari.

Q&A-14: All spiritual people suggest us to connect our daily actions to spiritual life. How to do it?

This can be done by various means: First, by setting a spiritual goal in life. Instead of worldly, mundane goal, decide to attain God-realisation.

Together with this, consider yourself a spiritual aspirant. At present, you consider yourself a student or a doctor, or a teacher. With this, also strongly feel that you are a spiritual aspirant. If you can consider yourself as a servant or a son or daughter of God, it is still better. Spiritual life becomes easy and natural if the goal of life and our concept of ourselves are changed and are given a spiritual dimension

- Swami Brahmeshananda, "Spiritualizing Everyday Actions", Vedanta Kesari, Novbember 2005

Q&A-13: How do you differentiate between Spirituality and Materialism?

Materialism means accepting the supremacy of matter and setting material goals as earning money, name and fame, worldly prosperity etc. as goals of life and striving for them. Spirituality means accepting the supremacy of spirit, or God as the ultimate reality, and striving to achieve it

- Swami Brahmeshananda, "Spiritualizing Everyday Actions", Vedanta Kesari, Novbember 2005.

Grateful thanks to Vedanta Kesari.

Q & A-12: Why did God create the World?

"Why did God create the world?" the Master (Swami Sivananda) asked Gurusaranananda. The latter could not reply and kept silent.

Then the Master continued, "Many people put me this question. It is a transcendental question. 'Why' applies only to things of the world and not to things transcendental. Realise this Self. Then you will get an answer to the question."

Courtesy: "Imaya Geetham", Tamil monthly, Dec.2007.

Grateful thanks to Imaya Geetham.

Overcome All Obstacles : Swami Sivananda

1. A weak, emaciated and decrepit old body is unfit for Yoga Sadhana.

2. Be not a victim of imaginary ills and diseases.

3. Let your body be strong, healthy and pure. Body- building is
nation-building.

4. Practise Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana
and Paschimottanasana and a few rounds of Sukh
Purvak Pranayama in the morning. You will
possess wonderful health.

5. Thinking of a disease constantly will intensify it.
Feel always: “I am healthy in body and mind”.

6. Take pure food. You will then have a pure intellect
and good memory. You will attain Self-realisation
with the aid of the pure intellect and good memory.

7. First offer to the Lord whatever you eat, then take
it as His Prasad. This will purify your food.

8. Take illness as the Lord’s blessing.

9. Again and again assert: “I am the bodiless,
disease-less, all-pervading immortal Soul or
Atma”.

10. Every disease is a Karmic purgation.

11. All diseases take their origin in the mind. Treat the
mind first, then the physical diseases will disappear.

12. Worry has caused newer and deadlier diseases, like
blood pressure, heart trouble, nervous breakdown etc.

13. Fear checks the flow of blood and even poisons it. Laughter
and cheerfulness increase the circulation of blood. They are
blood tonics.

14. Ill-health is a myth. It does not exist beyond the range of the
physical and mental sheaths. The body and mind alone are
subject to diseases. The Atma, your true Self, is beyond these
and, therefore, eternally free from diseases and death.

15. Brahmacharya rejuvenates. It augments energy, nerve and
brain power and vitality. It is the life-ray of man.

16. The practice of Hatha Yoga to a limited extent is necessary to
keep you fit, hale and healthy.

17. Hatha Yoga is a course of psycho-physiological discipline for
the attainment of complete mastery over the body, the nervous
system and Prana.

18. The control of the body and its subordination to the Spirit
makes the Hatha Yogic system an invaluable aid to the aspirant.

19. Diseases, worries and troubles can affect only the physical
and mental aspects, but not the spiritual Self.

20. Disharmony of thought, word and deed is the cause of all
troubles, miseries and quarrels in this world.

Courtesy: “Imaya Geetham”, Tamil monthly, Dec.2007

Q&A-11: "How to Attain Immortality? - Swami Sivananda"

Through ignorance and lust comes death. Through knowledge the deathless state or the immortal Atman is reached. Both life eternal and death abide in the body. Life is a lightning flash or breath. Time is but a thunderclap of death. Live in Atman. You will attain immortality. Go beyond time. You will attain eternity.

Withdraw the Indriyas. Meditate. Live in the Self. Your whole being will be uplifted into mystic ecstasy. You will feel the divine thrill of joy.

Courtesy: “Imaya Geetham”, Tamil monthly, December 2007.

Grateful thanks to Imaya Geetham.