*POINTS TO PONDER*- The meditation on the Self should continue while walking, working, eating, etc. It should be naturally flowing in all places at all times.~ANNAMALAI SWAMI

ANNAMALAI SWAMI: 'It is very difficult to attain Self-abidance, but once it is attained it is retained effortlessly.'

Q. Are there no breaks at all in the jnani's awareness of the Self? For example, if he is engrossed in reading a good book, will his full attention 'be always on the book? Will he simultaneously be aware that he is the Self?

AS: If there are breaks in his Self-awareness this means that he is not yet a jnani. Before one becomes established in this state without any breaks, without changes, one has to contact and enjoy this state many times. By steady meditation it finally becomes permanent.

It is very difficult to attain Self-abidance, but once it is attained it is retained effortlessly and never lost. It is a little like putting a rocket into space. A great effort and great energy are required to escape the earth's gravitational field. If the rocket is not going fast enough gravity will pull it back to earth. But once it has escaped the pull of gravity it can stay out in space quite effortlessly without
falling back to earth. p 284

Q: Is it better to meditate for long periods of time or for short periods?

AS: Except when one is in the sleep state, the effort to meditate should continue always. Just like the river which is flowing constantly towards the sea, our awareness should flow without a break. We should not have this concept that we should meditate at certain times. The meditation on the Self should continue while walking, working, eating, etc. It should be naturally flowing in all places at all times.

Living by the Words of Bhagavan p 304

*WORDS OF WISDOM* - 'The Self does not move. The world moves in it'. ~Ramana Maharshi

*WORDS OF WISDOM* The real Guru is the pure intellect within; and the purified, deeply inspiring mind is the disciple. ~ Swami Chinmayananda

*POINTS TO PONDER* - Self-reform automatically brings about social reform. Con­fine yourself to self-reform. Social reform will take care of itself. ~Ramana Maharshi

M: Let activities go on. The do not affect the pure Self. The difficulty is that people think they are the doer. This is a mistake. It is the higher power which does everything and people are only its tools. If they accept that position they will be free from troubles, otherwise they court them.

The sculptured figure on the temple tower shows great strain, but really, the tower rests on the ground, and that supports the figure. The figure is a part of the tower, but is made to look as if it is bearing the weight of the tower. Is it not funny? It is the same with the person who takes on himself the sense of doing.

Q: What is your opinion of social reform?
M: Self-reform automatically brings about social reform. Con­fine yourself to self-reform. Social reform will take care of itself.

Somebody commented that the Gita preached karma yoga, because it taught that one should act with selfless motives.

M: No. This can only be achieved after knowing the illusori­ness of ego, i.e. jnana. Hence it really taught jnana yoga,which is the highest, and that we should act by letting the universal act through us.

Q: I am a doctor. How can I best heal people?

M: The permanent cure is jnana; the patients must realize it for themselves, and that depends on their maturity. Otherwise when one disease goes another will come.

Conscious Immortality

*WORDS OF WISDOM* - 'Self-Realization' is sometimes called the immortal state because it never ends and because it is never destroyed or even altered. If you keep your attention on the Self you can attain this immortality. If you attain it, in that ultimate state of being you will find that there is no birth, no death, no desires, no fears, no worries, no mind and no world. - Living by the Words of Bhagavan, p. 294

CONSCIOUSNESS IS NEVER DESTROYED

I have a sister who believes that the world is about to end in a nuclear holocaust. Many other people feel the same. Does Swami have any views on this?

Annamalai Swami: I do not think that the world will be destroyed in the near future. But even if it is about to be destroyed it is not something that you should think about or worry about. Keep your attention in the present; keep it on the Self. If you establish yourself in the Self you need not worry about the future of the world. If you realize the Self, nothing can touch you. You can destroy a jnani’s body, you can destroy the world that he lives in, but you cannot touch or change his Self-awareness.

The disappearance of the entire universe will not affect the jnani because jnana is indestructible. Consciousness, the substratum of the universe, cannot be changed in any way. When the world appears in consciousness, consciousness doesn’t undergo any change. So, even when the universe disappears, consciousness is unaffected.

Everything that appears will one day disappear. There is no permanence in the world of forms. But that unchangeable consciousness in which all forms appear can never be diminished, destroyed or altered in any way. If you learn to be that consciousness you come to understand that nothing can touch or destroy you. …

Ignorance causes us to worry about the possible destruction of the body. If you make your well-being dependent on the well-being of the body, you will always be worrying and suffering. When you know, from direct experience, that you are the Self, you realize that there is no birth and death. You realize that you are deathless and immortal. Self-realization is sometimes called the immortal state because it never ends and because it is never destroyed or even altered. If you keep your attention on the Self you can attain this immortality. If you attain it, in that ultimate state of being you will find that there is no birth, no death, no desires, no fears, no worries, no mind and no world.
- Living by the Words of Bhagavan, p. 294

*WORDS OF WISDOM*- Seek my grace within the Heart. I will drive away your darkness and show you the light. This is my responsibility. ~Ramana Maharshi

BHAGAVAN'S PROMISES

When devotees surrendered their problems to Sri Ramana, it was the same as surrendering them to God. They were submitting to the same divine authority, surrendering to a living manifestation of that same power. Here are some statements that Sri Ramana made on this subject. I have taken them from a book I am currently working on. Each sentence was originally recorded by Muruganar in Tamil verse:

My devotees have the qualifications to rejoice abundantly, like children of an emperor.

Abandon the drama [of the world] and seek the Self within. Remaining within, I will protect you, ensuring that no harm befalls you.

If you inquire and know me, the indweller, in that state there will be no reason for you to worry about the world.

For the cruel disease of burning samsara to end, the correct regimen is to entrust all your burdens on me.

In order that your needless anxieties cease, make sure that all your burdens are placed on me through the brave act of depending totally on grace.

If you completely surrender all your responsibilities to me, I will accept them as mine and manage them.

When bearing the entire burden remains my responsibility, why do you have any worries?

Long ago you offered your body, possessions and soul to me, making them mine, so why do you still regard these things as 'I' and 'mine' and associate yourself with them?

Seek my grace within the Heart. I will drive away your darkness and show you the light. This is my responsibility.

David Godman, Interviews

*WORDS OF WISDOM* - SRI RAMAKRISHNA TOLD A STORY!

Once a Sannyasini came to the royal court of Janaka. To her the king bowed, without looking at her face. Seeing this the Sannyasini said, "How strange it is, O Janaka, that you have still so much fear of woman ! When one attains to full Jnana one's nature becomes like that of a little child - one sees no distinction between male and female.