Hiatus

Hari OM

It is not without some regret that posting here has fallen by the wayside. It is simply that matters in daily life have taken precedence, as they must at different periods in our process.

An elderly parent in need of full cares, one's own advancing years taking something of a toll, and a few other commitments, have all conspired to keep Yamini-amma from this part of her saadhana and - by inference - her attention to you. The readers are few, but dedicated, and for that, much gratitude.

The blog will remain standing as it is for now, while consideration is given as to whether to pick it up and continue or to transform it in some fashion.

Meanwhile, if you are a long-term reader, do not hesitate to revisit all the texts and discourses, for they can never be read enough. If you are newly arrived and wondering... do use the link to the very first post in the header-blurb and bookmark as you work through. Do not be tempted to skip. No bridge which ever lasted was built with missing links!

The contacts page will remain active and all queries will be responded to.

May 2020 be spiritually satisfying to all as well is full of joy, health and Love.

R&R

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

As we approach the fifth anniversary of Aatmaavraajanam blog starting up, consideration is being given as to 'where to from here?'

The reason for this is that we have covered a good deal of the prakarana and basic introductory practices. It was initially envisioned that there would be a good deal more discussion via comments or email. However, this has not taken place to the extent one would have hoped or wished.

It is a recognised thing that many people feel nervous to ask questions or enter debates. However, NOT asking questions will result in your missing out on gaining full insight. If questions are not arising, how much thought is going on, really? How intense is the curiosity? Advaita Vedanta is a complex subject. It is vital indeed to ask those questions! Do not worry about whether it seems inconsequential. Fret not about how you might 'look' to the teacher or other students. Drop the ego and allow the information to fully absorb so that questions will automatically pop up.

It is possible for a pilot to get his plane from A to B by just looking out the window and trusting his own instruments. How much easier it is, though, when air traffic control provides correct coordinates and instructions to follow! The chance of mishap or landing in a totally foreign place is much reduced.

Before thinking of flying, however, that pilot needs to have undergone all the basic training and practiced, practiced, practiced!

The premise of this blog, from the perspective of this teacher, was that it serve as part of her own saadhana. Encouraging others to saadhana has been part of that. Saadhana - daily practice according to set principles - is the key to grasping the benefits of researching this philosophy. Maintaining saadhana can be a challenge in the same way that physical exercise can be; then again, exercise can become addictive, so why cannot saadhana also?!

To this end, thought is being given as to how this blog might now shift a little more towards the practical application - probably through questioning and exploration of the instructions of the Masters. Until this thought is fully realised, you will note something of a 'holding pattern' in the posts. There may be new texts which support the concept - one that comes to mind is the Prashnopanishad - the Upanishad of questioning! However, time is required to review and evaluate how best this blog can continue to be useful and to have a purpose for its continued existence.

Absence Alert

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

Yamini-amma will be absent from the 'office' for an extended overseas trip… many posts have been prepared for you and scheduled here. Email will be checked, so if questions or doubt arise, do not hesitate to contact. Do please allow for time-delay for receipt and response though!

As Freedays are, by purpose, 'free-wheeling', attempts might be made to contribute at least some links or a line of inspiration whilst on the move - but this may be erratic.

If you find a blank day or several, consider reviewing an item of text. Just suggesting… 

Look Up

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

Working through the spiritual philosophy that is Advaita Vedanta is akin to embarking on climbing mountains.

Firstly, a worthy and experienced guide and companion must be found (Guru).

Secondly, we must make ourselves fit for the climb (not skip the lessons which prepare us)

Thirdly, we must be clear that even reaching 'base camp' needs a level of commitment and devotion to the task. Anything beyond requires of us a degree of fervour and (to outside eyes) selfishness. The real climb needs our single-pointed attention for any wrong move can result in a terrible tumble. We risk our lives climbing to any height. Spiritual climb has its hazards also - and when we fall, it can be so much harder to retrace our steps.

Work diligently, carefully and with eyes wide open.

Fonts

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

To all who subscribe to the Buddhist philosophy, greetings and blessings to you for Parinirvana Day.

Just a technical note; on having to read from an android tablet recently, it was discovered that it does not display Devanagari script, so a complete gobbledegook was present in place of the neatly typed shlokas! It seems that reading on any device which does not have Devanagari fonts installed will result in this rather alarming mess.

Tablets are rarely used around here. No such thing as 'smartphone' either. It is also possible that even on laptops or desktops unless you have installed Devanagari fonts, you may not have been able to read those (or at least enjoyed their picturesque beauty!) Sorry it has taken this long to realise this possibility. Most of you are probably anyway reading the transliteration and translation only, however, if you do not already have fonts installed, might I suggest you do? It will just look so much prettier!

Not sure quite how this would be done on Android (or other) devices… but if you read regularly on hand-held rather than lap/desktop hardware, then it might pay to follow up on that too.

Or perhaps it doesn't matter to you. Which is fine too! In case it does, the font most often used here is "Sanskrit 99c" but the 99 only version will also suffice.  "Mangal" also occasionally used.

Remedy

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

Fear, as we saw in Guru-ji's article on Choose-day, is a debilitating response to life. Yet so often we let it come upon us. For things such as phobias, there are methods of managing or even desensitising ourselves in order to overcome the fear induced by them. Some of them may be rational, such as having had a negative experience with a spider after which we are likely to be more cautious around them again, but may also build a phobia as a result. Then again, we sometimes have a phobia of spiders even when we never actually see them in our daily lives - and that is irrational.

There are other fears, though, which do not have a specific focal object. We may simply be of a 'nervous disposition'. Some of this, if we understand the role of karma and the jiiva, will be down to vaasanas being played out. If we don't subscribe to the concept of 'paying our debts' in this way, we may put it down purely to biochemistry. There is certainly an element of that - but the chemistry is triggered by 'flight or fright' and that falls back in the realm of the suukshma shariira and once again the numinous spiritual element of our existence.

The 'therapy' for this fearful state of being is to learn more about what is real and what is not. Viveka and vairaagya are the tools by which we can 'medicate' and 'remediate'. 

Explore Fear

Hari OM

Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality.

Making choices in life involves many aspects of thought. Some, of course, are easier than others. Sometimes, our choices are informed on whether or not we are in fear of consequences - including our decision not to decide! Let us explore fear/lessness a little further through this article from Guru-ji (capitalisation is his, layout due to this being from a slideshow).

To understand fearlessness…

WE NEED TO KNOW FEAR.

Experienced by rich and poor alike…

fear or fearlessness has no relation to

the quantity of our possessions.

Arising from different sources…

We fear:

•  Losing something – tangible or intangible
•  The unknown – what does the future hold?
•  Public opinion – what will people say?

Fear of loss is rooted in attachment.

Attachment is the feeling of…

incompleteness in the absence of a thing.

NO ATTACHMENT…NO FEAR

If attachment leads to fear of loss…

dispassion leads to fearlessness.

Fear comes from doing what is prohibited

or CONVERSELY failing to do what we ought to do.

Therefore perform your duty and be fearless.

This is the fearlessness to strive for…

A step HIGHER we should not instil fear in others.

There may be some who are fearless themselves…

BUT feared by others.

A Sanyasi is not in competition with anyone

THEREFORE no one is afraid of him.

While taking the vows of renunciation

the renunciate proclaims…

“I AM NOT AFRAID (of you) and you

need not be AFRAID OF ME !”

This is true fearlessness.

For progress in any field material or spiritual…

FEARLESSNESS IS THE KEY… 

Never Nothing

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

When you have those days that you feel you have nothing to offer, know there is always something. Indeed, it can be when you are feeling exhausted, flattened, mentally low and drained, when it seems that negativity reigns and there is nothing you can do about it, that sitting before an image of your ishtaa-devataa, or the OM, or merely the flame of a lamp or candle that you can offer your burden.

Yes, the burden you carry can be offered also. There has been talk of service in this week's posts but also of the Totality. Nothing we carry is ours alone. To take it as such is to add to our own burden and demonstrates a lack of faith in your ability to rise above the mire of life.

If you have not yet truly surrendered, offered up your burden, try it this very day. Feel the joy as trust builds between yourself and the Higher Essence.

Ta!

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

At last things are back on track here at AV-bloggy!

Saadhana requires discipline. Constancy, determination, purpose. We have to know that there is something worth working for, even if it seems numinous and so distant as to be almost a figment of the imagination. This is the pitfall of philosophy, even the generic university type. Unless we can find the points of practical use to us, all our will to pursue it begins to fizzle. The conundrum is that we have to apply it to find the usefulness. No magic potion or pill to pop will provide the satisfaction of experience in philosophical pursuit, particularly when it is in the realm of the spiritual. Ultimately, experience and practice alone will be our spur. Gaining the smallest insights are the crumbs which draw us continually along the trail of the soul-searching which widens our personality and soothes our hearts and minds.

Thank you to those readers who stayed and read and pondered and took the opportunity for revision. Thank yourselves for your constancy, determination and purpose!

Fresh

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

As we face up to a new year, are we feeling refreshed and ready? At all levels?

There can be much mental and emotional wrangling at this time each year. Then again, we can also be in denial and just continue along as if no marker was there at all. Do we need to have such things?

Perhaps not, for the general flow of life. However, we all require benchmarks of some description to measure ourselves against in the bigger frame of existence. If we don't have these, how are we ever going to know if we have been 'naughty or nice' for Santa next year?! Seriously though, it all comes down to how much we value values, appreciate growth and put a premium on the profit of self-evolvement.

There are those who simply do not require such an internal assessment. They are sure of their material status and how to maintain it. This is all they want from life and 'naval-gazing' is considered wasted time. That's okay. For them. For those of us who sit back from the world a bit, though, it is essential for our well-being as a whole that we pay proper attention to our emotional and spiritual selves. Thinking through the nitty-gritty of daily activity is made easier for the philosophical personality if it also has room for attending to the finer points of questioning and researching the what, who, and why of things.

It is hoped that part of your current resolution is to continue reading here, to further your enquiry into Advaita Vedanta and, most of all, that you find you can apply its principles in your daily life in order to gain the most out of that life and thus bring 2019 to full growth!

Daana

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

Another little video this week. Gurudev from one of his Bhagavad Gita talks points out what truly is charity.

Lotus Is...

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

A vid-clip today with a lovely explanation of the example set by the lotus, one of the great symbols of Sanatana Dharma.

It Matters

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

Again you are thanked for your continued patience in this unplanned-for break from ongoing study. Using this time for review and reflection is no bad thing, however. It is hoped you are making the most of it!

A wise teacher in one's schooldays responded to this whining junior's query as to "why do we need to be going back over the same old thing?" with this…

"As long as you think it is the same old thing, you have learned nothing and can learn nothing. Only by looking at each page anew, as if for the first time seen, can your mind open and your brain absorb. Until you understand that nothing matters… everything matters!"

Happy reading.

This - or That?

Hari OM

Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality.

Very often in life we hear - or say ourselves - "there was no choice". It might relate to something mundane such as a limited menu at a restaurant, or it might refer to the big life matters such as moving house or job.

Certainly, there can be times when circumstances feel like they are conspiring against us, causing us to feel that there is 'no choice'. The simple fact is, however, that there is always a choice. It may have to be between two very difficult things, neither of which we wish for, but this is where we have to use our discernment. Viveka determines what is best for us, whether or not we may 'like' the choice to be made.

In a society that is now riddled with offerings for the senses, we can easily fall into the trap of only wanting a choice where there is something we desire on one hand and something we don't on the other. Makes life easy, right?

No. All it does is lead us by our noses and we forget to step back, apply our intellect and decide with a view to our long-term well-being.

If at all there is to be desire permitted in choice, it ought to be applied from the angle of what will bring about the best improvement of ourselves, that we can function optimally and contribute fully. This starts with making sensible dietary choices all the way up to whether we move home or work. It can be about not doing things as much as doing them.

Ponder on this.

Never Old...

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

These few weeks as strength is built and stamina for presenting study posts again, your continued forbearance is appreciated. Some review items will now be appearing as well as general prompts for deeper thinking. While it may be frustrating to be halted in the flow of one line of study, know also that there is much to gain from revisiting that which has been read before. It is the very essence of pure study, in fact. For all too easily we can lose track of the flow of thought, the trend of philosophy. Let this hiatus be fruitful in other ways! Thank you...

Review Saadhana

Hari Om

The festival of Deepavali (Diwali) is a time akin to New Year in Western culture. A time to reflect on what has gone before and to realign one's thinking with some expectation of improved performance, enhanced beingness and increased return on one's investment of time and effort in various aspects of life.

Such reflection, it could be argued Vedantically, ought to be a daily activity. If we deal with such notions on a daily basis they are much more likely to bear fruit than if we attempt only a yearly 'harvest'!

Think of this. Daily. Also, take time to review the following;

Sadhana Panchakam 1

Early Steps

...Five...Six...

Injury

Hari Om

Dear readers and fellow travellers, your aachaarya has broken her left wrist last night so there will be a suspension of posts until that hand can be used again - it is the dominant one for computer work, sadly.

Healing thoughts and prayers are requested and thank you for your patience to return to study. The AUMday posts are scheduled up to the Z but all else must wait.

Perhaps you might take this opportunity to go back over different study already undertaken and refresh memory and understanding...

Yxx

Received Wisdom

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

The point about the origin of the scriptures came up in yesterday's post on the SadaacharaH. It can be a contentious point, what is given 'by God' and what is merely the work of Man, albeit at a very high level. The speciality of comparison here at AV-bloggy is between the Sanskrit and the Biblical teachings. Let us look at these.

The books of the Bible are known to be authored. It is a continued argument among apologeticists, archaeologists and academics as to the writing of the Pentateuch (first five books) regarding how much was written by Moses, who is generally considered to be the author of these. Biblical devotees, Jews and Christians, believe that the words were 'dictated' to Moses by God on Mt Sinai. There are many references in other books of 'inspiration of God' being given for the laying down of laws or writing the books. Careful study of semantics, though, tends to point to the writing of the books of the Bible in a historical context; the third person, past tense and so on. This includes the Pentateuch.

Without fail, the references to God are also in the third person. God is seen as an entity separate from all that is seen. There is an authority given to God which is purely human in nature.

In the New Testament, the teachings of Yeshu point strongly to his having spent his missing fourteen years in India learning the philosophy of Vedanta, and He obviously understood it was universal and could be utilised to help His own people to live differently, and to view their relationship with 'God' differently. For those who were spiritually advanced enough, it could be found that the 'kingdom of the Lord' referred to moksha/nirvana. For those not yet ready, it was still a desirable goal, couched in terms of heaven. When He offered the bread and wine as tools by which to remember Him, he was pointing to the Eternal Presence of Aatman. The thing is, though, Yeshu didn't author any of the books which tell His story; that was done by the disciples and sometimes a long time after events.

The point here is that the Bible fits into what in Sanskrit would be called 'smRti' - 'remembered words'. The writings are produced by Man, albeit with some inspiration. Inspiration itself might be considered to be the 'voice of God', but at all times it is apparent throughout the Bible that ownership is taken for the writings by one or other human.

SmRti texts in Sanskrit are items such as the Dharma-suutra, Mahaabhaarata and the Ramaayana (the last two also being classified as itihaasa, 'histories'.  These are still considered scriptural insofar as they provide sound advice on the practical matters of daily life. Authorship is known and attributed.

Shruti - 'given words' - are the Vedas and, specifically, the Upanishads. In these are contained the Sacred Knowledge of That which is All. The Higher Existence - HE. At no time in any of the shruti is the HE given gender or even a material representation. OM is the only form. However, for Mankind to find its way to this extreme principal of existence, there needed to be representations with which it could identify. Thus the different levels of 'God', resulting in an apparent plethora of gods.  There are no authors nor any attributions of the shruti. Not even to 'God'.

The shruti just 'is', in the same manner that HE just 'IS' (Inner Self).

Seeing God

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

This little vid clip of Swami Advayananda responding to a question about the phrase 'Hari Om' is succinct and engaging. Swami-ji was aachaarya for the 15th batch at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya and is the head of CIF - Chinmaya International Foundation.

To Ride Life

Hari OM

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

As the leaders of the world's big nations posture and peck and primp and preen and use smoke and mirrors to befuddle the other, we would do well to remember that this is nothing new. History, it seems, re-enacts itself at least once every century. It is only necessary to look at any ancient scripture and there we will find tales of stretching territories, 'rightful' wars and defence. We will also read of diaspora, fleeing to foreign lands for food, shelter and safety.

There is nothing new in the world. Knowing this, we might also be inclined to think there is nothing we can do. However, the lesson of Sri Krishna to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita is quite the opposite. No matter that things keep on happening the way they do, the ultimate test of a human being is to be the very best of the species that it is possible to be. We can - we must - take responsibility for ourselves and our thoughts, words and deeds; attend to the duties laid out for us with humility and Love; seek always to keep Higher Purpose at the forefront of our minds and Service and Caring in our motivation for action. These are unifying factors in global society. 

Find your guidance where you will. Be sure to practice what is preached. Life will be the best it can be, then, no matter what comes.