Daily Divine Wisdom and Points to Ponder

Daily Divine Wisdom and Points to Ponder 

 Universal Prayer for Enlightenment "Aum. Asato ma sad-gamaya; tamaso ma jyotir-gamaya; mrtyor-ma amrutam gamaya. Aum. Shanti, shanti shanti. (Aum. Lead me from unreal to real; Lead me from darkness to light; Lead me from death to immortality. Aum... peace, peace, peace.) — Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.3.28 

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Daily Divine Wisdom and Points to Ponder 

 Rig Veda Quotes & Sayings "God is one and the sole ruler of the Universe. God is one but the learned call him by many names"

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"Self-Reform automatically brings about Social-Reform. Confine yourself to Self-Reform. Social-Reform will take care of itself".

-Ramana Maharshi

Protection of Joy - OSHO

Protection of Joy

• Osho on Awareness
• Osho on Inner Wealth
• Osho on Meditation

Apr 7, 2015

0 467

Step 1: Preparation

“For the first seven days, the first step: Lying down on the bed, or sitting, put the light off, be in darkness.

Step 2: Remember a Beautiful Moment

“Just remember any beautiful moment that you have experienced in the past. Any beautiful moment — just choose the best. It may be very ordinary…because sometimes extraordinary things happen in very ordinary grounds.

“You are just sitting still, doing nothing, and the rain is falling on the roof…the smell, the sound…you are surrounded, and something clicks. You are in a sacred moment. Or one day walking along the road, suddenly the sunlight falls on you from behind the trees…and click! something opens. For a moment you are transported into another world.

“Once you have chosen it, continue it for seven days. Just close your eyes and relive it. Go into the details. The rain is falling on the roof…the drip drip — the sound…the smell…the very texture of the moment…a bird is singing, a dog is barking…a plate has fallen, and the sound….

“Go into all the details, from all sides; multi-dimensionally, from all the senses. Every night you will find that you are moving into deeper details — things that you may even have missed in the real moment, but that your mind has recorded. Whether you miss the moment or not, the mind goes on recording.

“You will come to feel subtle nuances which you were not aware that you had experienced. When your consciousness is focused on that moment, the moment will be there again. You will start feeling new things. You will suddenly come to recognize that they were there but you had missed them at that moment. But the mind records it all. It is a very very reliable servant, tremendously capable.

“By the seventh day you will be able to see it so clearly that you will feel that you have never seen any real moment as clearly as this one.

Step 3: Week 2: The Climate of Joy

“After seven days do the same thing but add one more thing. On the eighth day, feel the space around you; feel the climate is surrounding you from all sides…up to three feet. Just feel an aura surrounding you of that moment. By the fourteenth day you will almost be able to be in a totally different world, although conscious that beyond that three feet a totally different time and a totally different dimension is present.

Step 4: Week 3: Live the Moment

“Then the third week, something more has to be added. Live the moment, be surrounded by it, and now, create imaginary anti-space. For example you are feeling very good; for three feet you are surrounded by that goodness, that divinity. Now think of a situation — somebody insults you but the insult comes only up to the limit. There is a fence, and the insult cannot enter you. It comes like an arrow…and falls there. Or remember some sad moment: you are hurt but that hurt comes to the glass wall that is surrounding you, and falls there. It never reaches you. You will be able to see — if the first two weeks have gone right — by the third week, that everything comes up to that three-foot limit, and nothing penetrates you.

Step 5: Week 4: Carry the Aura Everywhere

“Then from the fourth week continue to keep that aura with you; going to the market, talking to people, continuously have it in the mind.

“You will be tremendously thrilled. You will move in the world having your own world, a private world, continuously with you.

“That will make you capable of living in the present, because, in fact, you are continuously bombarded by thousands and thousands of things, and they catch your attention. If you don’t have a protective aura around you, you are vulnerable. A dog barks: suddenly the mind has been pulled in that direction. The dog comes into the memory. Now you have many dogs in the memory from the past. Your friend has a dog: now from the dog you go to your friend. Then to the friend’s sister with whom you had fallen in love. Now the whole nonsense starts. The barking of this dog was in the present, but it led you somewhere else into the past. It may lead you into the future — there is no way of saying. Anything can lead to anything; it is very complicated.

“So one needs a surrounding, a protective aura. The dog goes on barking, but you remain in yourself — settled, calm, quiet and centered.

Step 6: Dropping the Aura

“Carry that aura for a few days or a few months. When you see that now it is not needed, you can drop it. Once you know how to be here now, once you have enjoyed the beauty of it, the tremendous bliss of it, you can drop the aura of it.”

Osho, Be Realistic: Plan for a Miracle

*Words of Wisdom* - Ramana Maharshi

“Unaware of the scriptural affirmation that “Thou Art That” you have gained the state of the Supreme Self. That this has already been gained by you is the conclusive Truth”. Do confirm and assure me by stating so.
C: One out of the vast teaming millions attains the Self state. The spiritual journey of such a person is characterized by distaste for worldly life, passionate zeal for deliverance, traditional schooling with a preceptor (gurukula vasam) and gaining four-fold qualifications necessary for realization by rendering service to the preceptor. Guru initiates the devotee at the right time in the mysteries of the ‘Mahavakya’ who then follows strict discipline and after adherence to ‘sravana’(hearing), ‘manana’(reflection and ‘nidhidhyasana’(meditation) for prolonged periods reaches the state of the final beatitude, after facing great difficulties.
However Bhagavan, due to divine ordainment graced the world in the human form out of supreme compassion to ferry thousands of fortunate devotees to the shore of release. He never heard from any one - much less was instructed – on the secret content of the ‘mahavakya’ – “Thou Art That”. Untutored in scriptures or an external Guru purely by the grace of Arunachala, Sri Ramana Maharshi attained the highest state almost effortlessly. Even as a youth, in a flash he got firmly anchored in the state of Transcendent quiescence – a state conclusively known to be the final state of Beatitude. Bhagavan is one who became a Brahmajnani (who has gained the knowledge of Brahman) without even being aware of the word “Brahman”. Following the normal tradition of disciple seeking confirmation from the Guru, Bhagavan desires to have an assurance affirming his experience from his Master and Guru Arunachala who is not the other of his Atman.
In the line “Blissfully ignorant of the great mahavakya that(tattuvam teriyadu)” the truth “That Art Thou” is reiterated to provide emphasis. In “The truth is this –tattuvam iduven” Bhagavan employs the term “idu”(this) for it has been his most intimate and non-mediated experience(aparoksha)
“Arunachala, Thou art beyond the reach and knowledge of all tattuvas and hast gained exaltation beyond compare. Thou, whose exaltation is infinitely great, is this not the Truth of Thee? Alternatively the ‘tattuvas’ include, most importantly, the three forms of light that illumine the gross world like sun, moon and fire, the instruments of knowledge of the jiva and the four subtle instruments within(the antahkaranas). They are mere instruments of perception. And though, are like the revealing light they are incapable of knowing Arunachala. They are all but the perceived and are ordained nature due to their being material, insentient and created. But Arunachala is the sole aparakrita Purusha - Being beyond nature and matter. While Arunachala remains the sole Supreme Self or the Ultimate Seer and all else is seen, asat (non-being) and jada(insentient) and as such in their nature of having to perceive Him in the dual plane, they are the other of Him – the non-dual Sat Cit Ananda. Arunachala remains ‘moveless’ as the Sole perceiving Eye- and ever shines as Being Awareness – yet perceiving them all. They, merely being the perceived (asat) lack existence, thus He remains unperceived by them. This was explained by Bhagavan in the earlier verse “Who can ever know Thee? The eye of the Eye art Thou and without eyes Thou sees, O Arunachala!”
“Arunachala, Thou art beyond the reach and knowledge of all tattuvas (all the 24 principles) and hast gained exaltation beyond compare. (Thou, whose exaltation so high) Is this all the Truth of Thee? Is another interpretation proffered. The tattuvas include, most importantly, the three forms of light that illumine the gross world like sun, moon and fire, the instruments of knowledge of the jiva and the four subtle instruments within(the antahkaranas). They are mere instrument of perception. And though, are like the revealing light are incapable of perceiving(knowing) Arunachala. They are all but the perceived and are prakrita(ordained nature) due to their being material, insentient and created. But Arunachala is the sole aparakrita Purusha - Being beyond nature and matter. While Arunachala remains the sole Supreme Self or the Ultimate Seer and all else is seen, asat (non-being) and jada(insentient) and as such in their nature of having to perceive Him in the dual plane, they are the other of Him – the non-dual Sat Chit Ananda. Arunachala remains ‘unmoving’ as the Sole perceiving Eye- and ever shines as Being Awareness – yet perceiving them all. They, merely being the perceived (asat) ceasing to exist, He remains unperceived by them. This was explained by Bhagavan in the earlier verse “Who can ever know Thee? The eye of the Eye art Thou and without eyes Thou sees, O Arunachala

*WORDS OF WISDOM* - RAMANA MAHARSHI

M.: It is in the mind that birth and death, pleasure and pain, in short the world and ego exist. If the mind is destroyed all these are destroyed too. Note that it should be annihilated, not just made latent. For the mind is dormant in sleep. It does not know anything. Still, on waking up, you are as you were before. There is no end of grief. But if the mind be destroyed the grief will have no background and will disappear along with the mind.
D.: How to destroy the mind?
M.: Seek the mind. On being sought, it will disappear.
(From 'Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi' 195)

*Words of Wisdom* - Ramana Maharshi

1. “Unaware of the scriptural affirmation that “Thou Art That” you have gained the state of the Supreme Self. That this has already been gained by you is the conclusive Truth”. Do confirm and assure me by stating so.
2. C: One out of the vast teaming millions attains the Self state. The spiritual journey of such a person is characterized by distaste for worldly life, passionate zeal for deliverance, traditional schooling with a preceptor (gurukula vasam) and gaining four-fold qualifications necessary for realization by rendering service to the preceptor. Guru initiates the devotee at the right time in the mysteries of the ‘Mahavakya’ who then follows strict discipline and after adherence to ‘sravana’(hearing), ‘manana’(reflection and ‘nidhidhyasana’(meditation) for prolonged periods reaches the state of the final beatitude, after facing great difficulties.
3. However Bhagavan, due to divine ordainment graced the world in the human form out of supreme compassion to ferry thousands of fortunate devotees to the shore of release. He never heard from any one - much less was instructed – on the secret content of the ‘mahavakya’ – “Thou Art That”. Untutored in scriptures or an external Guru purely by the grace of Arunachala, Sri Ramana Maharshi attained the highest state almost effortlessly. Even as a youth, in a flash he got firmly anchored in the state of Transcendent quiescence – a state conclusively known to be the final state of Beatitude. Bhagavan is one who became a Brahmajnani (who has gained the knowledge of Brahman) without even being aware of the word “Brahman”. Following the normal tradition of disciple seeking confirmation from the Guru, Bhagavan desires to have an assurance affirming his experience from his Master and Guru Arunachala who is not the other of his Atman.
4. In the line “Blissfully ignorant of the great mahavakya that(tattuvam teriyadu)” the truth “That Art Thou” is reiterated to provide emphasis. In “The truth is this –tattuvam iduven” Bhagavan employs the term “idu”(this) for it has been his most intimate and non-mediated experience(aparoksha)
5. “Arunachala, Thou art beyond the reach and knowledge of all tattuvas and hast gained exaltation beyond compare. Thou, whose exaltation is infinitely great, is this not the Truth of Thee? Alternatively the ‘tattuvas’ include, most importantly, the three forms of light that illumine the gross world like sun, moon and fire, the instruments of knowledge of the jiva and the four subtle instruments within(the antahkaranas). They are mere instruments of perception. And though, are like the revealing light they are incapable of knowing Arunachala. They are all but the perceived and are ordained nature due to their being material, insentient and created. But Arunachala is the sole aparakrita Purusha - Being beyond nature and matter. While Arunachala remains the sole Supreme Self or the Ultimate Seer and all else is seen, asat (non-being) and jada(insentient) and as such in their nature of having to perceive Him in the dual plane, they are the other of Him – the non-dual Sat Cit Ananda. Arunachala remains ‘moveless’ as the Sole perceiving Eye- and ever shines as Being Awareness – yet perceiving them all. They, merely being the perceived (asat) lack existence, thus He remains unperceived by them. This was explained by Bhagavan in the earlier verse “Who can ever know Thee? The eye of the Eye art Thou and without eyes Thou sees, O Arunachala!”
6. “Arunachala, Thou art beyond the reach and knowledge of all tattuvas (all the 24 principles) and hast gained exaltation beyond compare. (Thou, whose exaltation so high) Is this all the Truth of Thee? Is another interpretation proffered. The tattuvas include, most importantly, the three forms of light that illumine the gross world like sun, moon and fire, the instruments of knowledge of the jiva and the four subtle instruments within(the antahkaranas). They are mere instrument of perception. And though, are like the revealing light are incapable of perceiving(knowing) Arunachala. They are all but the perceived and are prakrita(ordained nature) due to their being material, insentient and created. But Arunachala is the sole aparakrita Purusha - Being beyond nature and matter. While Arunachala remains the sole Supreme Self or the Ultimate Seer and all else is seen, asat (non-being) and jada(insentient) and as such in their nature of having to perceive Him in the dual plane, they are the other of Him – the non-dual Sat Chit Ananda. Arunachala remains ‘unmoving’ as the Sole perceiving Eye- and ever shines as Being Awareness – yet perceiving them all. They, merely being the perceived (asat) ceasing to exist, He remains unperceived by them. This was explained by Bhagavan in the earlier verse “Who can ever know Thee? The eye of the Eye art Thou and without eyes Thou sees, O Arunachala

Be mindful of your words which can heal or hurt.

Be mindful of your words which can heal or hurt. You want to empower people, not dis-empower them. If someone is being negative, simply don’t engage with them. Don’t feed the beast. Focus on channeling your frustration or righteous indignation in productive ways that will feed you back in healthy and positive ways. Practice boundaries as well as compassion! Should someone want to engage with you in a negative way, don’t retaliate. Instead let them go home so they can fight with themselves.

The Shiva Sutras – The Third Section – The Means to Enlightenment & Why Learn Kashmir Shaivism?

*POINTS TO PONDER*

The Shiva Sutras – The Third Section – The Means to Enlightenment & Why Learn Kashmir Shaivism?

In Kashmir Shaivism there are three basic ‘means’ (upayas) and one more, which is quite unique in that it is not a means at all. For most, the journey to union with God moves through these three means (upayas), again and again until we are able to hold our consciousness in the final state of realization – the state of ‘Knowing’ we always have been that God consciousness which we sought.
The first section in the Shiva Sutras dealt with the first means, 'Shambhavopaya'; and is for very advanced aspirants who are able to maintain thoughtlessness in continuity. Shambhavopaya originates from the energy of Will (iccha) and thus requires an intensely focused will.
For example in 'Shambhavopaya', the intricate mysterious mechanisms of the 'Matrikacakra' theory of Letters that create this universe are revealed spontaneously. Here the yogi enters into “that transcendental consciousness where he finds that this whole universe has come out from sentences and sentences from words and words from letters and letters from the real ‘I’ which is Parama Shiva (the Oneness).” [SLJ – Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme]
This state of ‘thoughtlessness’ is said to be almost automatic and comes from the grace (anugraha) of an enlightened Master - or from the ‘master’ within you. Swami Lakshmanjoo, who left this world in 1991, has said that his grace will come through his recorded teachings made in Kashmir during his lifetime. I personally have experienced this ‘nectar’ in various degrees, so I know that it is true that the sounds coming from his voice have the power to vivify the teachings and alter consciousness.

The second section of the Shiva Sutras relates to the next means of achieving God consciousness – Shaktopaya, which originates from the energy of knowledge (jnana). The aspiring yogi must raise his/her consciousness to the point that the wisdom can be absorbed of the Master who is within or a living teacher.
“In Shaktopaya, the yogi does not have to recite mantras or use his breath to be aware or concentrate on any particular spot. [SLJ-KS]” Here centering on the “reality between any two actions or any two thoughts” results in an “unbroken awareness” which leads you into God consciousness. [SLJ]
Swami Lakshmanjoo refers to the three sections in the Shiva Sutras as Awakenings. The third section/awakening is concerned with 'Anavopayah', which is termed the ‘inferior’ means to enter into God consciousness and uses imagination. It is the longest section with 45 sutras that explain various techniques - such as the process of concentrating on breathing, the organs of sensation (the five senses, etc.), contemplation, and concentrating on a particular place. It also informs the aspirant of the possible consequences of these practices, how we achieve elevated states and yet often lose what we attain.
These three means of achieving God consciousness are explained in greater detail in Swami Lakshmanjoo’s book, ‘Kashmir Shaivism – The Secret Supreme.’ This book serves as a sort of reference-dictionary or shortened encyclopedia of Kashmir Shaivism. It is said to be a condensed version of Abhinavagupta’s magnum opus The Tantraloka, in which the enlightened Kashmiri genius, superb writer and poet, Abhinavagupta collected and brilliantly arranged all the wisdom of Kashmir Shaivism.
Swami Lakshmanjoo’s ‘Kashmir Shaivism – The Secret Supreme’ is the result of a series of lectures given by 1971-1972 in response to John and Denise Hughes who fortunately for us, in those days long past, asked to be taught Kashmir Shaivism.
There is one final means (upaya), which has to be everyone’s favorite because you don’t have to do anything. It is called 'Anupaya' and is actually no ‘means’ at all. In Anupaya “nothing is to be done. Be as you are. If you are talking, go on talking…Do not do anything, only reside in your being. [SLJ-KS]” Fun, and of course easier said than done! Obviously this is for the very advanced yogi and one who is just on the edge of, or already in God consciousness. Still the idea of doing nothing to achieve what you already are is very appealing.

Why should we learn Kashmir Shaivsm? Why bother with all these Sanskrit terms that describe the systems by which the universe is manifested and help us to understand the mechanics of our own consciousness. After all, this is not five-sense western science.
I feel that the state of the world these days is a reflection of the effects of western science. In spite of the comforts and advances that science has contributed to our current civilization – the fact remains that we are effectively poisoning our own planet. This has happened in a very short time, within my lifetime of 65 years. We are contaminating the land, air, ocean and the waters that we depend on for our survival. You know this.
Unless we change our consciousness, it seems that the Earth herself may soon reject us as a species. It is my personal view that the most important achievement, the greatest goal for any of us is a higher consciousness. An elevated awareness in you will in turn change others by the process of contagion, a kind of psychic osmosis.
There will be those who will achieve the highest goal of total Liberation (jivan mukti). While many who aspire may not reach the final goal, they will become greater in their own understanding and awareness of our intrinsic relationship to the Oneness. Yet they will influence and alter the world around them, and what is certain is that allowing the God-within to permeate our very being and thinking does have the power to change the world.
I have seen this for myself. Yes, I want complete enlightenment, liberation from the endless cycles of birth & death (samsara). And every step I take towards that goal makes my life better not only for me, but also for those I love - and for the planet. As Krishna says, do this for the Well-Being of the world (loka-samgraha). What would this world be like if our leaders were enlightened men and women - or even partially enlightened? What if they understood and allowed the God-within them to permeate their thoughts and actions, just as Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita relied on Krishna before the great battle.
Awareness is everything. Kashmir Shaivism is telling us that God is ubiquitous, immanent, permeating everything. God is not far away from us, not up in the clouds or seated on a golden throne high in some inaccessible heaven. God is within us. There is nowhere to ‘ascend’ to. We have no distance to cross, except in our own consciousness. God is Love. God is waiting eternally within our Hearts, waiting patiently for us to turn and embrace that which we always are.
Awareness sets us free. Consciousness has the power to be conscious of its self! As we learn these systematic understandings of the mechanics of the manifested universe, and come to understand how our own consciousness operates as if on automatic (through the gunas), this acquired awareness will expose the processes by which we have ensnared ourselves in the temporal illusory hologram. Kashmir Shaivism gives us the means to observe and thereby master our careless compulsions. We can become aware of the fact that thoughts and words as sound entrap us in our own webs of self-generated illusions.
As long as we remain oblivious of the various reckless ways we as individuals ‘imagine’ our world, the inevitable consequences will always be the same – ever repeating cycles of birth and death. Only by uniting with the God-within can we free ourselves from the illusory entanglements we create.

KASHMIR SHAIVISM, The Secret Supreme, Revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo, edited by John Hughes; Universal Shaiva Fellowship, 1985, 2003.