Everything in this world is temporary. ‘Bad’ times pass and ‘good’ times pass. The only thing that is constant is you. The real, eternal you; brahman. We are absolutely pure and perfect as we are, however, this innate, perfect divinity is wrapped in a mind complex that has varied characteristics, thus we have diverse experiences based on the qualities of our mind. Difficult times reveal what kind of mind we currently have as our reactions to these difficulties are very revealing. Everything that has to happen to us has to happen. It is orchestrated for our own good by brahman in order to impro ..read more

Particular forms of God appeal to different people, just like some people are fans of particular films or film actors. Having a name and form to focus on in pursuit of the truth is fine and often even necessary, but it should not be mistaken for the truth itself. It is merely a mechanism by which we can focus the mind on God. In the end, only sanathana dharma contains the raw, unfiltered truth, whereas religions, though they ultimately teach the same knowledge, decorate the truth in all kinds of rituals and stories which are subject to misunderstanding. Whichever religion, deity or persona one ..read more

Once we understand what needs to be known, we must then approach a guru with great humility in order to learn that very thing. The guru is important because without their guidance it is very difficult to learn that ultimate truth on our own. A guru knows both the ultimate knowledge that we are trying to learn and also knows us better than we know ourselves and therefore knows what we need and when. Furthermore, once we have found our guru, we should ask the right questions and not get distracted and waste time. The guru can teach us what to do, but he cannot do it for us. In the end, we must p ..read more

The mind is comprised of four major elements and by a combination of these elements, we make decisions and navigate the world. In order to always make good decisions, it is necessary to verify our thinking with either a direct guru or against some universal standards set by the exemplary behavior of noble people. The next level is always thinking selflessly and sacrificing one’s desires or preferences for the good of the many. Beyond this is one more level still, where one does not even think, selflessly or otherwise; one just is. This is the state known as the śāntā ātman; where our mind and ..read more

Just as juice cannot be seen in the fruit, fragrance cannot be seen in the flower or butter cannot be seen in milk, so too, brahman may not immediately be seen in the world around us. However, by certain processes, we can extract the juice from the fruit, the butter from the milk, or the fragrance from the flower, and in the same way God can be extracted from the world. All spiritual practices are nothing but variations of this process of extracting or perceiving the latent divinity in everything. We should also not allow the mind to indulge in excuses as to why we are unable to pursue our spi ..read more

It is said that brahman will only reveal itself to the one who believes in it despite not being able to perceive it with the senses or even imagine it in the mind. In a manner of expression, brahman is pleased with the one who believes in it. One may ask then, why brahman made creation with so many things that apparently distract us from itself. The antidote to this toxin of distraction is to see brahman in everything, including the things we may have considered distracting. Not only does this neutralise the distraction, it transforms it into a reminder of brahman, having the exact opposite ef ..read more

One of the most basic and yet most important goals on our spiritual path, is to control the indriyas. Not giving in to their every whim and fulfilling every desire that may arise will form the requisite foundation for the rest of our spiritual growth. If this foundation is not laid correctly, then all other yogic practice is vulnerable and can be undone in an instant with the arrival of a particularly potent desire. Once we have realised the truth, it is our duty to help others discover it also and free them from the suffering of ignorance. However, when our spirituality is not fully developed ..read more

aṇoraṇīyān It means subtler than the subtlest. This is a word that Yama uses when explaining that the Truth cannot be taught or understood when just anybody talks of it. It will only be understood when one who has experienced it speaks. The truth is subtler than the subtlest. It requires some thinking and withdrawal to be understood. If you'd like to get the links and shownotes for this episode, visit: https://www.saiprakashana.org/KU-EP10 ..read more

Using the analogy of a computer, Sadguru beautifully explains the four aspects of the mind, namely – मनस् manas – a collection of all kinds of thoughts बुद्धि buddhi – the ability to discriminate, analyse, and come to a decision चित्त citta – memory, storage अहंकार ahaṁkāra – identification The body follows what is collectively dictated by these four aspects of the mind. Having described this, Sadguru then shares how to attain a pure, good mind, with pure thoughts, pure intentions leading to pure actions. If you'd like to get the links and shownotes for this episode, visit: https://www.saipra ..read more

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