The empty black hole.

The void you are so terrified to acknowledge.

What am I if not my life story?? My thoughts, dreams, hopes, fears, emotions- My dream weaves of myriad warps and wefts- the patterns, the symbols, the pretty golden moments bordering the reality, the enmeshing of lives- a pleasant dream woven like a wedding sari. But then You point towards the beginning and the end of the fabric… and the endless holes between each weave. The space on which plays the reality. The empty black hole that won’t be filled. It’s that hole that each of us carry within us. Perhaps a remnant of the moment we were severed from the ‘whole’ reality. I don’t care to define its origin but start from the premise that the void IS there. In each and every one of us. The empty black hole we carry within us.

Too long have I lived, never acknowledging its presence. Or at best, covering it with too many virtues. Or creating dream castles outside of it. A being in love with mist. In love with monsoon clouds. The dancing colors of dawn and dusk, playing rainbow dreams upon the clouds. Or the mystic beauty of winter mist- no past, no future, no fears no hopes, just a pause- a moment in mist.

But how long does monsoon stay?? How long does the mist linger?? Sometime, you have to acknowledge the sky. The sky- the vast, vast, vastest emptiness- so stark in front of you every day, and yet, so forgotten.

The same empty space inside of me.

I try to fill it up with dreams and stars and lovers and gods. And no matter how much I pray, my hymns and chants just echo and come back to me. And the emptiness forever remains.

The empty sky that won’t be filled.

I don’t say that it has forever been so. For when we were asleep, there arose beautiful loves in our life. A love that filled our every pore, and filled every empty crevice between those pores- a love that ‘full-filled’ our every cell. But all too soon it is taken away. INVARIABLY, WITHOUT AN EXCEPTION. I haven’t met one living who says he didn’t go through this play. A dream no matter, how sublime, invariably comes to an end. So what is it with the Divine?? Some kind of sadistic game he likes to play?? Or is there a purpose behind every calamity and every wish fulfilled??

The love arose to fill that space you hitherto would not acknowledge. And left too soon for you to confront that void you never cared to look in the face. They still won’t acknowledge- all your well wishers around you. They’ll still ask you to ‘get real’, ‘get going’- the custodians of sanity in the world.

But IF I need to know my reality, I’ll HAVE to give up to grace. (or to emptiness). Why are we so scared of the word ‘empty’?? Why relate it to something dark or sad?? Empty is just empty- Devoid of good or bad. Neither positive nor negative. Neither ‘dukkha’ nor ‘ananda’. Empty is just empty- the sky without a cloud. A wind without a name.

So what does the seeker do?? Confront the reality. Lean into the empty black hole… without any hope or desire for redemption. Without even the martyr’s halo. Just lean without cause, without any compulsion to do so. You may stay outside as long as you want.

(Outside too, exist some pretty magical worlds, I promise. All full of gods and goddesses and spirits and angels. You can attract what you want or attain what you desire. All this is there, and more. But that is STILL without. What about the space WITHIN???  The emptiness that won’t be denied.)

The task is then; to stare into that nothingness- to accept its reality over every other so called reality. The task is then, to give in. Stripped of any term that defined me. To know the void- I have to become the void. Strip yourself of every cause and condition and hope and dream. Take off that halo of virtue; discard the mantle of good causes. And walk on… lean into the black hole, till you fall into it- and let the emptiness absorb you….. to the point that ‘you’ remain no more… till ‘I’ remains no more.

Beyond this, I don’t say from experience, for I have only heard- In the midst of this Void, as if emerging from it, the world once again bursts in with a new face. As though each time you have to lose everything in order to find everything again one step higher.

The same reality, but purged, sanctified, evolved. The void begins to fill. There emerges out of it, or fills into it all the manifold Truths, known or unknown realities, all that is ever real, never was lost. They say the void fills up. Or in fact, reveals itself as already full. The gap between me and Thee, is itself the bridge connecting us.

(All this I say from what I’ve heard) But the task for now is clear. Lean into the well of emptiness….. give up my names of myself, and let His word remain.

Related Articles

• Papaji (H.W.L. Poonja): by Lisa Carneal
• The Journey of the Soul – III
• I am not this, I am not that; who am I? – Gururaj Ananda Yogi Satsang
• Njanappaana by Poonthanam Nambudiri-6
• The Journey of the Soul – II

I have been writing on the web on Eastern spirituality, nonduality, yoga, and mysticism, in the context of Bhagavan Ramana’s teachings since 1997.  You will find articles on luthar.com by me and other authors that are diverse and varied and touch on many different aspects of self-inquiry, yoga, kundalini, meditation and related topics.  If you look at the home page, you will see that many International scholars and sages have written on the luthar.com site.

I am not tech savvy and since 1997 have focused mostly on the content of what I write and not on how to market it. I have a professional webmaster who helps me keep the site going and I rent my own server. The monthly cost is considerable but writing on yoga. advaita, and meditation in the context of Bhagavan’s teaching on self-inquiry and sharing it with others has been a labor of love for me.  Luthar.com does not have any google ads and things like that. The site has grown via word of mouth and is currently ranked second in the advaita-vedanta category by Alexa Rankings (adyashanti.org is first, only slightly ahead of luthar.com)

A few months ago my webmaster added the tab of “Testimonials” to my menu bar. Many of you (over the last 13 years) have written to me privately and expressed appreciation for the luthar.com site and the content on it.  I am now asking for testimonials from the readers and my friends so that I can put them on luthar.com under the testimonial tab. I believe it will take the site to the next level in its natural progression.

Please contact me if you wish to write a brief testimonial for the site. You can include your picture if you like as well. I will periodically forward the materials to my webmaster who will then start uploading it.

Thank you for your support.

Yours in Bhagavan Ramana.

Namaste.

Harsh K. Luthar

More interesting articles

• Ahimsa – The Antidote to Fear: Dr. Harsh K. Luthar
• Spinal Nourishing Pose
• About Swami Sadasivananda
• Brainwave Entrainment And Atma Vichara: By Bob Graham
• Call of the Conch-Part 2

When I was 22 and meditating in my teacher’s meditation hall, I was literally thunderstruck when the singers started to chant, Arunachala Shiva, Arunachala Shiva, Arunchala….Om Shakti, Om Shakti, Om Shakti Om, Om Shakti, Jnana Shakti, Para Shakti Om!

It was as if volcanoes erupted all over my skin and every atom in the body danced with ecstasy without reason. I did not know why it was happening! As Pascal said, “The Heart has its reasons, which reason cannot know.”

I am always grateful for the opportunity to speak of Ramana Maharshi and consider it a privilege to make my site available to Bhagavan devotees for the teachings on the Self.

Ramana’s teachings are the purest teachings. Everything else, at least for me, pales in comparison.

Ramana Maharshi, in the innocence of his youth, read about the life of 63 Saivite saints and became fascinated with their devotion and intoxicated with Divine Love. Within a few months, he realized the Self.  At the tender age of 16, Ramana left home to go to Arunachala where he stayed for the next 53 years.

At the holy mountain of Arunachala, Ramana sat in Samadhi as his body was eaten away by maggots. Ramana literally treated his body as a corpse, and without people to feed him and take care of him the first few years, the body would not have survived.

Ramana is utterly unique. His life was public and everyone had free access. There was no hocus pocus and mystery which many so called “masters” are famous for. Sri Ramana was an embodiment of Ahimsa and compassion. One sees that in his words, his conversations, his actions.

In the early years at Arunachala, deadly plague afflicted the area. Many people had died or run away. Everyone was afraid. There was no Ashram then and Ramana and his friends lived in caves.

When one of Sri Ramana’s devotees came down with the plague, the other devotees advised Ramana that they should all move to a different area away from this person. They assured Ramana that the devotee who had come down with the disease would be sent food periodically to the cave and thus taken care of.

The Sage of Arunachala, however, refused to leave the devotee afflicted with plague. Ramana said that everyone was free to go but he would stay with the sick devotee. He requested that  some food should be sent for both of them. Seeing Ramana’s adamant position on the matter, the other devotees then also decided to stay.

If we read the actual stories of Ramana’s life and conversations with Ramana, the immaculate purity, serenity, and the overwhelming beauty stand out. Sri Ramana’s life and actions exemplify his teachings.

The perfect ease and authority with which Ramana Maharshi spoke of the Self was in total harmony with purity, beauty, and love that was reflected in his actions and life.

Everyone, regardless of their path will benefit from the teachings of the Sage of Arunachala. That is my view.

Love to all

Related Articles

• Guru Vachaka Kovai (verses 14-18) on Guru Purnima
• Papaji (H.W.L. Poonja): by Lisa Carneal
• On Death and Dying: Words of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
• Goddess As The Guru In Tripura Rahasya
• HarshaSatsangh: The Largest Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi Group on the Web

It was a horrifying nightmare and I awoke saying aloud ‘They know, they know they are to be cruelly slaughtered’. That day I became a vegetarian. I had always said that if I ever really thought about the morality of eating meat, I would probably stop.

Of course what had happened was that I had started meditation some months before that, and no doubt started to cleanse the kosas after K-prana experiences. So all the above was imprinted into the flesh of the animal that I had eaten. It was taken into my body and caused the dream on the beach.

I was lucky to be sensitive enough to receive the dream. Many years before, the vibrations were just going into my mind forming vasanas and bad karmas, and being an impediment to the purification of my vijnanamayakosa or awareness sheath.

I wonder how much of the horrible violence against animals is translated to violence on a world scale? There must be a huge “thought form” of these animal slaughterings hanging over the planet combined with the resentfulness of the animals whose lives are manipulated and cut short due to human weakness, selfishness, greed, and meat addiction.

According to the Hindu doctrine of karma, all living beings including animals reincarnate. I wonder what happens when these reincarnated animals who were slaughtered in a previous life take birth as humans? Is it possible that they bring their resentment, fear, and anger with them? Perhaps that can explain why the world is in such a mess. I don’t know. What do you think?

Related Articles

• Book Review of _The Blue Zones_: by Dr. Gregg Carter
• Our Daily Calcium (Part II) – Triple Strong Calcium Plan: by Dr Damiana Corca
• Luthar’s Chaimacolate: The Natural Low Carb Super Energy Drink
• Spiritual Nutrition: By Cyndi Dodick
• Vegetarian Lifestyle: By Dr. Shyam Subramanian

Without thinking (which turned out to be a good thing) I put on my snorkel gear and started to head out in their general direction with a friend. Having been previously advised by a few friends experienced in the area of swimming with wild dolphins, I was told to not approach the dolphins, but to swim out and “mind your own business”. Or just hang out in their general vicinity, and maybe, just maybe, they would come over and check you out.

  I was normally pretty terrified of swimming in the ocean, and phobic of sharks, but on this day I felt completely safe, as if the aura of the dolphins were saying “it’s OK we will protect you”. At some point when I was swimming out I could hear the chirps and whistles under the water, and the feeling of safety and calm strengthened. I looked up and could see the fins off in the distance, and decided I was close enough. Not wanting to disturb their personal space, I just floated where I was, waiting. My friend had asked me to stay close by, as he wasn’t a very strong swimmer, so I was keeping my eye on him. At some point we decided to float and meditate, in hopes that the dolphins would get curious and come over to see what we were doing. I started to enter a meditative state, and let my inner heart open, as if sending a message to the dolphins that I was happy to see them, and could almost immediately feel a deep love and joy come back to me.

About ten minutes passed, and I was starting to feel cold, I thought to myself, ‘maybe I will just swim back, I got to hear them, and feel their love, that is enough for me.’ I was secretly wishing for a really close encounter though, hoping to get to see one up close.

  When I looked up, getting ready to swim back, I realized my friend had drifted off somewhere, and I could no longer see him. I had a moment of sudden worry that he was in trouble, and I started to look all around to find him, I had the thought ‘how will I ever find him in this huge ocean?’ Almost as soon as the feeling of distress entered my mind, I heard a loud dolphin whistle; I looked down into the water and saw a dolphin right below me. Immediately my heart opened, and I felt a joy rush through my body like I had never experienced before. As it came up to the surface for a breath the dolphin moved right alongside me, and looked me in the eye. For a moment the entire world stopped, everything became still and calm. It was as if he was telling me, ‘it’s OK, it will be all right, I am here’. Instinctively I followed the dolphin, it was moving very slowly, and I was surprised how I could keep up with it.

After a while of following the dolphin I could hear more chirps and whistles off in the distance, before I knew it the dolphin I was following was joining up with an entire pod. I stopped swimming for a while and just floated in one spot watching them all circle under me. After a few minutes I looked up, and was happy to see my friends head bobbing in the distance. Swimming over to him I noticed that he had made a few friends, and was alright. I was so relived that I hadn’t lost him to the vast expanse of the ocean, that I didn’t even realized that the dolphin had lead me right to him. I had a moment of second guessing the experience, wondering if it was a happy coincidence or if that dolphin had really come to me because of my distress.

After some more time in the water and the wonderful experience of feeling this dolphin joy, I decided that I had had enough, and wanted to head back to shore. My friend reassured me that he was OK now, and so I headed back on my own. After a few moments of swimming back I looked up to the shore and realized just how far out I had gotten. Again a moment of panic entered my inner space, and I thought, ‘how am I ever going to make it back there?’ Again, as if on cue, I heard that now familiar sound of a dolphin whistle in my ears. As I looked down into the water just ahead of me, I saw the single dolphin that had lead me to the pod earlier that day. I felt such deep gratitude and joy to see him, and felt my heart open wide. He was swimming towards me face to face, and as he came close to me I saw his mouth open as he said something to me. This time, instead of hearing the sound with my ears, I felt the sound vibration resonate through my whole body. Almost instantly I had a sense of renewed strength and stamina, and I felt like I could more easily make it back to shore. About thirty seconds later I realized that he had actually turned around and was now swimming right below me. It was as if I had my own personal escort, as he stayed with me for several hundred meters. Once I felt really comfortable with my distance to shore, I silently thanked him, and gave him an inner hug. He turned again and headed back the other way. This was the first of many beautiful dolphin encounters that were yet to come, and many more were also shared by the friends who also got to know the local pod.

   After some time passed I realized just how beautiful and touching the experience was for me, not only to fulfil a life long dream, but to experience first hand the simple and humble presence of such an amazing being. To see and feel the compassion and care of an entirely different species was very inspiring for me. What I took back with me was the realization that this love and compassion is always enough, in every moment. The dolphins own nothing, they are whole and complete just in and of themselves, having no possessions, or sense of ownership, they simply exist in an inner freedom and peace, that very few humans can relate to. I was deeply touched and inspired by this experience to realize the inner freedom of having nothing but the presence that you are. It was as if the dolphins wanted to teach me that in truth there is really nothing to own, and no possessions to acquire. To own something you would need a container to hold it in, and what really matters, what is all encompassing, has no walls, no limits, and no end. The presence that we are can never really be held in one place as it is free flowing like a dolphin, and rests in vast open space like the ocean. In this space of free flowing openness there is an ease and a trust that makes it clear that this moment is enough, just as it is.

* After returning home from my retreat I wanted to make sure I found a way to give back what I was grateful for; 15% of the Hawaii retreat proceeds have been donated to the World Wildlife Federation, as well as the World Society for the Protection of Animals.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to find out more about the writings of Christine click here . For information on Christine’s Yoga Retreats in Magical Hawaii click here.

Christine Wushke is a certified yoga and meditation teacher with over 15 years of experience. Her aim is to create a sacred space for students to effortlessly find the presence of stillness and an inner silence. Christine’s mission is to raise consciousness on the planet by empowering people to realize their own Divinity and to uncover a deep peace within. Christine is committed to assisting you in your journey, and helping you to realize directly for yourself the truth of what you are, and the stillness of truth within. In addition to her yoga and meditation training, Christine is also a registered massage therapist. In the past two years she has studied extensively in the spiritual tradition of Advaita Vedanta. Her teaching style is largely influenced by Iyengar yoga, and the nondual tradition of Advaita.

www.journeytolight.net
www.innerlightyoga.blogspot.com

© Written by Christine Wushke, underwater dolphin Photo’s by Matisha songofhome.com, “dolphin sparkles” photo by Irene Kerr

Related Articles

• Healing Poses for the Abdominal Organs: By Christine Wushke
• Heart Opening Pose: By Christine Wushke
• Cat and Cow Pose: By Christine Wushke
• Cross Leg Twisting Pose: By Christine Wushke
• Gentle Side Bending Pose: By Christine Wushke

The last article I wrote, titled “Depression – Lifting the Cloud with Natural Medicine”, asked for something more. I have decided to interview 8 people of different faiths, cultures and careers. My question to them was: “What makes you happy and what keeps you antidepressant-free?” Let’s get going and explore this wealth of answers!

“Most of us spend our whole lives in veiled search for the only two things we really want. Those are to be loved and happy. We wrap this search into a lifetime of actions, events, things and people. If I could just have a little more free time, I would be happy. If I just had a little more money, I would be happy. If I could get a new car, I would be happy.” These are the first thoughts of Dr. Rodney Dunetz, an Acupuncture Physician and Doctor of Oriental Medicine practicing in Boca Raton, Florida. He continues by explaining how helping others is at the core of true happiness: “I too, did this dance for much of my life. Then I realized, it was not the getting of my “stuff” that made me happy, it was the no longer wanting the “stuff”. I realized at the end of my life, I was going to give all my stuff back. I didn’t even get to keep my body. I give that back too. The stuff only made me a little happy and for a little while. And when I really looked at my life, I realized what truly made me happy was helping others. I embraced the idea of helping others. I made helping others a priority in my life and found my path to happiness. The more happiness I give, the more happiness I get. May you find your happiness, may you find your path. The truth is they’re one in the same.” He beautifully ends his thoughts by quoting Rabindranath Tagore: ”I slept — and dreamed that life was joy. I woke — and saw that life was but service. I served – and understood that service was joy.”

Dr. Martha Lucas holds a PhD in Psychology; she is a practitioner of Chinese Medicine, teacher, and author, and has a practice in Denver, Colorado. She begins by summarizing all that brings her happiness in one single sentence: “My life is so full and, in part, it is gratitude that makes me happy.” She goes on through every major aspect of her life showing us how every day and every moment can be lived at its fullest: “Wonder - I have beautiful, healthy grandsons who fill my heart with joy and whose wonder about the world is so sweet to watch.  There’s a line in one of Neil Young’s song I am a Child that says, “you can’t conceive of the pleasure in my smile”.  That is a perfect description of how I feel when I watch the young ones wonder at the world; their smiles are so sweet and innocent. Service/Career - as a Practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), I see all manner of illness and pain.  This often makes me very grateful for my good health and that of my family.  Having the ability using this wonderful medicine to help someone who has given up on life is very rewarding.  Further, knowing the energetic effects of antidepressants make me want to avoid taking them; for the most part, we can treat emotional distress using acupuncture and herbal prescriptions rather than relying on pharmaceuticals. Nature - I love the outdoors, sunlight, moonlight, the quiet after a deep snowfall … I think that it is important to truly “see” those experiences. Sometimes we take the burst of Spring for granted but it is so rewarding to appreciate all the new growth, sweet smells, warm sun on your skin. Relationships - my children, husband, good friends, and students, all add wealth to my life. Don’t get me wrong; I have stresses and disappointments just like most other people.  The bottom line is though that this moment is in a real sense, the only moment.  Therefore I do my best to enjoy the moment and put worry aside.”

Dr. Cynthia O’Donnell is the CEO of the East West College of Natural Medicine, Sarasota, Florida, and has been in the Natural Medicine field for 25 years; she is a Licensed Massage Therapist and Acupuncture Physician, she has extensive training in Taoist longevity exercises such as Qi Gong and has had full training as a Classical Homeopath. Cynthia answered the following to my question: “I have been lucky in my life in that I had an incredibly happy childhood, and my disposition has always been positive. I have incorporated classical constitutional homeopathic treatment, chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage and herbs and nutrition into my lifestyle as health maintenance therapies and I have exercised regularly my entire life. I also have guided my life with spiritual principles and have been blessed to enter the career of my choice and be successful at it. However, I did once become terribly depressed for a long period of time after having received anesthesia for surgery. For that, I received healing sessions of external qi healing (a hands on healing technique similar to reiki) from a Taoist master and I was cured. After having been depressed for several months, with sluggishness and excessive tiredness, three external qi gong treatments had my friends marveling at the difference.”

Dr. Harsh Luthar, PhD, professor in Providence, Rhode Island, and the founder of HarshaSatsangh based on Ahimsa (the philosophy of nonviolence) and the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, states that “In terms of what happiness means, I am not sure it is a transient stage where some external thing or force can make us happy or unhappy. In Advaita, we use the term the Sahaj state or the natural state of the Self.” He feels that reading his article called “Easy and Natural is the Way” posted on his personal blog site, will describe more of his underlying orientation.

Claire Bangasser from San Juan, Puerto Rico, holds a Masters in Human Resource Development and a Masters in Pastoral Studies, with a focus on Feminist Theology. She is a passionate writer and she is sharing her first contact with depression and antidepressants: “I have friends who have to take anti-anxiety pills for long whiles to help them cope with their daily life. I may never have suffered from a depression because I understand that it is a real illness. On the other hand, when I was a child, I saw my mother taking sleeping pills and tranquilizers to escape a life that she did not like. I saw her groggy and no long remembering where she was. Once, I had to guide her to the bathroom as she was too lost to find it by herself. Having seen what pills did to her, I have never had any desire to follow her path. Strangely enough, it is also my mother who has taught me to look at the small ways Life blesses each of my days: a bird on the window sill, the blueness of the sky, the balminess of the wind. Thus, possibly, the attention I give to the moment helps me enjoy life more than others and prevents me from falling into a funk.  Finally, I remember reading psalms of praise when feeling really down some years back. I praised God despite my deep fear of what was to come. This had a way of lifting me up and place me just a little above the fear itself.”

My dear sister, Mariana Corca, B.Sc, nun at the Valeni Monastery, Romania, for over 10 years, is sharing her view by quoting the devout Paisie of Mount Athos, “Psychiatric clinics would be empty if Christians would confess sincerely, humbly and reverently to an experienced confessor, who may even be a little harsh. No one would then experience anxiety, troubles and great temptation, as you should know they all arise from selfishness, disobedience and bad thoughts…” She continues by showing her gratitude for the simple joys of life, “I praise God for the world he created, for the snowdrops and violets already into bloom these first days of March, and for the snowflakes which seem to have forgotten winter is gone and are joyfully dancing in the air.”

Iuliana Olteanu from Brasov, Romania, B.A. and Certified Translator in 3 languages, is my cousin and best female friend. Iuliana truly lets love shine through her words. “When it comes to happiness, I have come to realize that we pursue it so eagerly in the wrong places, being blissfully unaware that in trying to cope with our daily routine, we have become blind to wonderful things right under our nose. As soon as things do not turn out as we wish, we tend to jump to conclusions, dramatize things and whine about being unhappy, and even envy others who SEEM to have a happier lot. Experience has taught me that situations having a quite black picture often result in the happiest outcome. I am truly blessed and thankful to have learned lately the most wonderful lesson, which is seeing life again through the innocent eyes of a child. Since my own eyes have started to betray me, I will from now on rely more on the apple of my eye, Sara-Marie.”

Finally, Dr. Catalin Buiu, PhD and professor in Bucharest, Romania, has practiced Integral Yoga since 1992. Here is his answer to my question: “there are a lot of reasons for me to be happy, and none to be unhappy. I’d even go so far as to say that the mere fact that I can answer this quite inspired question and share a bit of my innermost feelings makes me happy. As I was thinking about all these reasons, I’ve come to realize that behind them there must be an ultimate reason. It has to do with the fact that I am intuitively aware and many times I happen to directly feel the divine presence inside my being, that eternal spark bestowed upon me by God the Father, the individual Supreme Self. It is to me an inexhaustible source of beauty, harmony, hope and love. How could I ever be unhappy or unsure of my spiritual destiny and myself now that I feel I am Everything?”

The truth is, WE ALL HAVE A CHOICE. This being said, I have nothing more to add and I’d better leave you to meditate upon all these thoughts! Maybe you too would care to share your experience with the quest for happiness?

Click on each person’s name to learn more about them and read part I of this article “Depression – Lifting the Cloud with Natural Medicine”.

Related Articles

• Sayings of Sri RaJ Mata-Ji: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

This is of particular interest to me as a teacher of Eastern knowledge in the West, having spent a number of years living in India, doing hard sadhana and studying the ancient Vedic knowledge closely, especially from the angle of healing. Coming back to America was a shock — especially when I began to listen to people talk about spirituality.

What I’ve observed is that there are hundreds of differing ideas and viewpoints about what constitutes enlightenment — it seems that no two people are using the same definition for the term, and yet they’re conversing with one another as though the meaning is identical. This creates interesting conversations and misunderstandings often ensue.

I’ve also learned that there appears to be an idea in popular spiritual culture that either enlightenment is a pretty easy thing to achieve, or that it’s not even something to strive for because everything’s perfect the way it is and we’re all already enlightened as we are. (To which my response is: “Really? If we’re all already enlightened, why aren’t we acting like it?”)

It seems obvious that enlightenment isn’t so easy to attain (or else millions of people would already have done so!) and it’s a little painful to encounter people who’ve been sold a bill of goods otherwise. A general sense of disillusionment after a few months or a year of doing a spiritual practice, thinking that it would give a person instant enlightenment, is something I come into contact with, a lot, as a spiritual teacher and healer. Worse, some people think they are enlightened (because they did such a practice, surely it yielded the results) and are walking around acting as if they are — when it’s clear that the enlightenment is perhaps a bit more elusive than they’d have hoped.

What I learned in India — and no, I wouldn’t consider myself enlightened, but I’ve had the great good fortune to encounter a number of souls who are — is that enlightenment doesn’t come over night. It requires hard work, dedication, sadhana, surrender, faith, patience and an open heart. It takes a surprising amount of stamina to stand strongly in one place while a great deal of one’s life is dissolving and dis-integrating around one!

Attachments, desires, resentments, negative emotions — so many things have to go, to be let go of, in the process of doing spiritual practices. Being willing to endure the purification of the body, heart, and mind (especially the mind!) — all of which are sometimes quite uncomfortable — isn’t something that comes naturally to most people. Or at least, it didn’t come naturally to me!

Even our dearly held and cherished belief systems about what constitutes spirituality, or enlightenment, have to dissolve as well. The reality is beyond any ideas or constructs of the mind — at a certain point we start thinking more with the soul than with the mind.

But finally, I think one key question needs to be considered by everyone who is undertaking a spiritual practice, or feels drawn to this subject of enlightenment… and it’s a simple question but not necessarily an easy one to answer: “What do you really want?”

When I was first asked this question by a sadguru, I was stunned by both the simplicity and the weight of the question itself and could barely stammer any coherent response. No one, I think, in my whole life, had ever asked me such a bald, clear question — especially in terms of spirituality! — and in answering it, I felt that a great deal of gravitas was being demanded of me, to be super-clear and sharp and serious about my ideas, aspirations, and inspiration for my life.

Each one of us will have a different response to that question, depending on our level of awareness, a sense of our dharma (mission in life), ideas about enlightenment, spiritual knowledge we’ve acquired, and so on.

But it’s really vital to ask ourselves, and frequently, “What do I really want?”

What I discovered was that it wasn’t enlightenment per se that I was after — it was more about wanting to know the truth of this creation, the underlying reality of life and death and beyond those states, and somehow I had a notion that this tied into healing other people effectively.

Some people really want to know the truth. Others want to experience peace of mind, or a blissful state of awareness. Still others want enlightenment — and really need to define, for themselves, and to the divine, what they mean by that term. Is it a blissful state of feeling connected with all beings? Is it a state of unconditional love? Is it a place from which manifestations happen? Does it mean unlimited gyan, tapping into the cosmic knowledge? Does it mean that the individual “I” self melts into something larger, or dissolves altogether?

What do we mean by ‘enlightenment’, really?

What do you mean by it? And if it’s enlightenment that you want, deeply — then, why do you want it? What do you imagine yourself doing, once you’ve gained enlightenment?

If I’ve learned anything over years of spiritual work, it’s that being vague with the divine matters doesn’t really answer. Having clarity and being able to articulate something succinctly, in ourselves, creates a kind of sankalpam, a divine intention, and sets it into motion, in nature. Speaking our true desire for our lives into nature starts activating Nature itself to create a response to that desire. And then the adventure really begins to show itself!

It’s a beautiful place to start, when considering our true nature, as human beings, and what we really came here on earth to do. It’s so simple, but not easy to do — but why not start now, and ask yourself, deeply, “What do I really want?”

You might be amazed at the truthful answer that wells up from the inner depths of your being. And what’s more, you may end up delighted, as your own journey starts to unfold in powerful and unexpected ways…!

Related Articles

• the diamond
• Papaji (H.W.L. Poonja): by Lisa Carneal
• Heart Opening Pose: By Christine Wushke
• Cat and Cow Pose: By Christine Wushke
• The Quest_To Love Or To Be Loved: By Alx Uttermann

Have you heard of Chaimacolate? It is pronounced Chai-Ma-Co-Late

Of course, you have not! I just made this term up to describe the Super Rich Energy drink that I have been taking off and on for the last year.

Before writing this article for the exotic recipe of Chaimacolate, I did a Google search on it. There is no such word that I could find. Until now, that is.

I am the discoverer and founder of the modern Super Chaimacolate! That is why I call it Luthar’s Chaimacolate. I give myself complete and full credit for discovery, creativity, and finally the synthesis of key ingredients to come with this incredible concoction.

According to me, Chaimacolate is a special and smooth drink which might have only been suitable for the gods in ancient Greece,  India, China, or other places in the world wherever they lived.

If we still had Kings and Czars, I am positive that a drink like Chaimacolate would have been reserved for Royalty only. Laws would have been passed by monarchs and rulers that the ingredients for Chaimacolate be hoarded in well guarded warehouses under the full protection of the Royal Knights.

I created Chaimacolate after many trials and errors with a variety of ingredients and have tried it on myself for the last year. Only after having assured myself that Chaimacolate is something truly and totally special, am I sharing this with the world at large.

What are the general ingredients of Luthar’s Chaimacolate and how is it made?

In this article, I will share the basic ingredients needed for this sacred and divine drink. Here they are.

1. Loose leaf tea (not tea bags)

2. Spices needed to turn tea into Chai (such as dry Ginger, Black Pepper, Pepper Root, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves and others in the right proportion). you can usually get a combination of most of the Chai spices from an Indian grocery store.

3. Pure Organic Raw Cacao Powder (very low in fat, carbohydrates, and calories, and in its natural state unmixed with anything else). I use a small portion only.

4. Organic Maca Powder (low in calories but adds to the flavor, richness, and vitality of the drink). I use a small portion only.

5. Stevia (I use one of the better brands). Stevia is derived from plants and is sold in many places including health food stores. In its pure form, it has virtually no calories and carbohydrates. I find it to be an absolutely wonderful and an amazing  natural zero calorie sugar substitute. I have been adding stevia to my drinks and my personal experience is very positive.

6.  Either one of the following types of  organic milks (Soy milk, Almond milk, Goat milk, Hemp milk, Cow milk ) are fine. These are commonly available in the supermarket or health food stores.

My preference is unsweetened Soymilk because it is very low in carbohydrates and  adding it to the recipe makes the drink rich.

Those are the basic ingredients. I usually make Chaimacolate on the weekends in the morning, when I have more time to savor this drink and sip it slowly. It goes down so smoothly and brings little piece of heaven to this earth.

Even if I am very tired and drowsy when I get up in the morning, after drinking Chaimacolate, my body is all warmed up and feels very fluid in its movements. It is a lot easier for me to exercise and stretch after I have had a few cups of strong Chaimacolate.

I also feel uplifted and in a positive state of mind after the drink. I attribute that to the combination of strong Chai and also the raw organic cacao powder.

What I really like about Chaimacolate is that even though it is super smooth and dark rich drink which goes down like nectar, it is very low in carbohydrates and calories.

More on Chaimacolate in future articles with different variations on the recipes.

Please keep in mind that I am a professor and an amateur vegan cook and not a health care practitioner. Check with your doctor to see if this super rich and exceptionally fantastic drink, fit only for the gods and royalty, is right for you.

Related Articles

• Book Review of _The Blue Zones_: by Dr. Gregg Carter
• How And Why I became a Vegetarian: By Tony O’Clery.
• Our Daily Calcium (Part II) – Triple Strong Calcium Plan: by Dr Damiana Corca
• Sri Ramana on Book Knowledge with comments from Dr. Harsh K. Luthar
• The True Heart: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

I joined Twitter just to see what all the fuss is. I knew my colleague Michael Roberto is on Twitter already and he posts interesting stuff about Business. Mike has become the first person that I have started to follow.

I don’t have any followers yet on Twitter. However, if you decide to follow me, I will do my best to have excellent and exceptional thoughts once or twice a day! I will be happy to pass these on.

You can find me on Twitter at

http://twitter.com/harshluthar

More interesting articles

• Spring Renewal by Rita Steinmetz-Minassian
• The River of Yoga: By Nina Murrell-Kisner
• As I Saw Him: By Sadhu Arunachala
• 83-year-old granny Yoga master – 2
• Avadhut – The Avadhut Gita

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/haiti-earthquake-relief-effort-avoid-scams/story?id=9555419

The American Red Cross site is given below.

http://www.redcross.org/

Related Articles

• The Haiti Earthquake
• Is Learning Sanskrit Required for Self-Realization?
• What Is Sadhana? By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar
• What is the meaning of Supreme?
• Book Review of _The Blue Zones_: by Dr. Gregg Carter