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Hands of Grace By Cathy Ginter

Cathy Ginter — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:35:32 +0000

You have not danced so badly, my dear, trying to hold hands with the Beautiful One. You have waltzed with great style, my sweet, crushed angel, to have ever neared God’s heart at all. ~ Hafiz

There is something so simple and yet so extraordinary about hands, coming together. I find the manner in which fingers interlock and the skin of one warms the other irresistible. Hands of lovers, sweetness sharing; hands of children, joyfully swinging back and forth; hands of healers, radiating rays of light; hands of strangers, meeting in a welcoming hold are all quite exquisite, but I am especially fond of large hands for the firm strength and secure confidence they offer.

Still, no hands are as powerful as God’s hands. These are the hands of love, encircling the world with the blessed sounds of celestial harps, playing on the wind in the middle of the dark of night, bringing a promise of hope when all else seems lost. Within the calm of such quiet comfort, we have the singular chance to leap from the edge of the highest mountaintop, freefalling in midair, knowing full well that we will be caught by the ever waiting hands of Grace. How lucky are we, who recognize the infinite majesty hidden in the jewel of absolute trust.

Hands of Grace © July 2011 ~ Cathy Ginter

Photoart by Cathy Ginter

www.cathyginter.com

In His Grace-Gananjali

Radhe — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 01:38:40 +0000

“I do not reside in Vaikuntha, or in the hearts of ascetics.

I dwell in the hearts of the devotees who sing about me.” Padma Purana

Back in March of 2009, I wrote about the music of Sundar Narayana in http://luthar.com/in-his-grace/ Since then, he has had another stroke, but that has not stopped him or his family from continuing to dedicate themselves to make the music devoted to Sree Guruvayurappa available to others. In addition to more CD’s of the music, a book of his compositions has been published. I was blessed to be able to attend the Sundarana Narayana book release at Bridgewater Temple in New Jersey on July 16, 2011.

The night before the book release, I had gone to check on some plants for my friend who was in India for two months and had left them out on the patio for her neighbor to water. She had been away now for 6 weeks and I wanted to check on the condition of the plants, since some of them had been kind of straggly before she left. I went prepared to prune them so they would look nice when she returned. There were a few jasmine plants there and they were all in profuse bloom, with the fragrant flowers fallen to the ground around them and into the top of the pots they were in. I decided not to just let them wither there, but took a bunch of the newly fallen blooms intending to make a mala but not knowing what it would adorn.

In thinking of it, I knew that they would not last until Monday for Rudrabishekam so I decided I would use them for Gananjali. Not knowing whether there would be any small murthies, it crossed my mind to make them for my hair, as I seen women do at other concerts in the past. In the car on the way, with our driver driving faster than the speed of light, I discussed options with Bhadra, who was sitting next to me. Marvelling at my own ability to stitch in such speedy conditions, I then made one small mala, using all of the blooms. I put it in my purse, still not knowing what it would adorn. The program had not yet started when we arrived and I looked around for Sreedeviji and Sundara Narayana. The room was bustling with activity, microphones still being set up and people coming into the room to be seated, chatting to each other as they waited for the signal that the program was about to start.

Up on the stage, there was a small pujya, a framed murthy of Shri Guruvayurappa and a small Ganesha.

I turned to Bhadra and asked her what she thought I should do with the mala I had made and she told me to do what I thought was right. Here we were at the Bridgewater Temple, where I had never been before and so a part of my mind told me that I should offer the mala to a deity in the temple if we went there later for darshan (we never made it); another part, the part that won, told me that I was here for the Gananjali book release and that the mala was for here.

At the same time this thought ruled the day, I looked up onto the stage and saw the woman who I knew must be Sreedevi auntie standing there with some others near the pujya. I rose from my seat and went up to the front of the stage. Since we only knew each other from the Guruvayur group and had never met, as I looked up and she looked down I asked the silly question…”Do you recognize me?” She laughed and told me that of course she did. I handed her the mala, trusting that it would find its way to where it belonged.

I went back to my seat and began chatting with Bhadra. When I looked up I saw that Sreedeviji had walked across the stage with the mala hanging from her wrist. I wondered what she would do with it!

Moving to the back of the stage she disappeared. When she came down to the front on the other side, Bhadra nudged me and said, “Look, she is wearing it in her hair!” I looked over and there, fitting perfectly around the bun in the back of her head, was the mala. I could not think of a better place for it adorn!!! In fact, I felt as if it were indeed a blessing that the mala I made was adorning her hair on this special day. It seems like it was a day of malas…

During the first of the performances, one of the strings of numerous garlands, that which was directly under the poster which decorated the back of the stage, fell to the ground. It seems the Lord had His own ideas as to where the garlands should be!

Swami Siddhanandaji was kind enough to offer the blessings for the book release and Sundara Narayana received those blessings with bowed head and overflowing heart. What he could not say in words, limited now by the effects of his recent strokes, emanated from his eyes, speaking volumes, alive with all the things he could not say. There is a certain look someone has when Grace is flowing and he had this look.

As he came onstage to perform the blessing for the book, Swamiji picked up the fallen garland and placed it at the pujya around the picture of Sree Guruvayurappan and commented that the Lord had wanted it to decorate His image and so made it fall. He also commented later that the Lord does not always manifest in form but in small symbolic events like this, a blessing upon the event for sure, and a blessing upon the composer…

So many people were there who loved him dearly, so many wonderful musicians giving life to his words and his songs, and Narayanakutty himself, a presence of kindness, devotion, and grace under the fire of the Lord’s prasadam. His humility was endearing. The devotion of Sreedevi to her family and her husband was such a joy to see. It is funny how you get a feel for someone by their online presence and this is true of her. She exudes the same kind and gentle energy in person that you can feel in her posts to the Guruvayur forum.

The speakers ranged from family members to patrons and friends for many years, all united in their love for and admiration of Sundar Narayana and his family, and, of course, their devotion to the Lord.

And then there was Sundara Narayana Uncle, who spoke a few words, quite an achievement in light of his recent stroke. As Sreedevi Aunty told me: “These were his own sentences, which Emily, the speech therapist printed out and he read from there.” He said, ” Hari Om. Welcome to you all. Lots of things have happened in the last few months, some of it good, some of it bad. All according to God’s will. All are prasadam to me. My wife and two wonderful kids, I have are given to me by God. I am blessed with wonderful family and friends. I am also blessed to know my wonderful speech therapist, Emily Sweet and her husband Eric.”

To honor his accomplishment and to support his efforts, Emily and her husband came to the event and, although unfamiliar with the traditions and carnatic music, stayed the entire time, surely experiencing the benefit of this exposure to culture and Grace!

The afternoon was filled with devotional music, all written by Sundara Narayana, krithis rendered by local musicians as well as a concert by performing artist Sankaran Namboothiri. The versatility of carnatic music was evidenct in the spontaneity of the performances, accompanied by accomplished violinist Smitha Krishnan and mridangam player Akshay Ananth.

By the end of the program two more garlands had fallen, the Lord’s blessings upon the offering and an expression of His love.

The book itself is a lovely hardcover with the classic image of Guruvayurappa, containing 200 of the works he has written to date, along with an MP3 containing approximately 82 of the recorded versions of some of the works.

Just like when you spend time with family, you leave with a fullness of heart and a sense of peace of belonging, so, too, when we join together in sangha with our spiritual family, the heart is filled with bhakti and I left feeling blessed and happy that I was able to share in this day of the expression of One becoming many in sweet sangha. Krishna!!!! Guruvayurappa!!! OM Namo Narayanaya!!!

For His Highest Good

Radhe — Sat, 07 May 2011 00:28:22 +0000

Good when He gives, supremely good;
Nor less when He denies.
Afflictions, from His sovereign hand,
Are blessings in disguise.

~Brother Lawrence ~

It is the last full day of our summer vacation. Tomorrow we will be returning home. As I begin to walk slowly down the dirt pathway towards the lake area, I think what a relaxing week it has been. The boys are old enough now that I do not have to follow them around for their own safety the way I used to. And they do not follow me around either. In fact, I am now officially the boring old Mom. I smile to myself in satisfaction. I have spent most of the week in my room, playing the harmonium and studying certain bhajans which appeal to me. I have also been delving into the Vishnu Sahasranama, which began calling to me this summer. Not so a few years ago, when I went to the monthly Friday night chanting. It was so many words! I could not imagine myself ever learning it, and I had been put off by this, feeling it was way beyond me, so I had not gone back. But now, for some reason I did not yet understand, it had begun beckoning to me. I do not even remember how…I think I stumbled onto it on Utube as I was searching for videos and found my way to MS Amma’s rendition. I still don’t think I will ever be able to master it, but no matter-it has taken on a new meaning for me and devotion is what drives me.

Suddenly, my reverie is interrupted by the ringing of my cell phone. “So who is calling me?”, I wonder as I run to it to see. I never carry it except for emergencies when I am in the car and when I travel. I look at the caller ID screen and recognize the phone number of my brother-in-law in Arizona. Why would he be calling me? “Hi Joyce. I am sorry to bother you on vacation. I know you are not married to him anymore but I thought you should know because of the boys. Carl is in the hospital. He was admitted earlier this week. He has had a heart catheterization performed and things do not look good.” As he continues to talk, I quickly move away from the cabin so the boys do not come out to the porch and hear what he is telling me, since the speaker phone is on and I do not know how to turn it off. I absorb what he is saying.

“His heart is functioning at about 11-12% of capacity. Joyce, I have patients in hospice who have better heart function than this.” I hear the anguish in his voice. Carl is his younger brother and they are very close. Daniel is the achiever, the one who did well academically and finished medical school, holding an MD degree from Hahnemann in Philadelphia. Carl is the young artistically talented younger brother who went to Berklee School of Music and is a bit on the flighty side. Daniel sort of protects and takes care of him from time to time. This will be one of those times. He continues…”The tests revealed that he has muscle damage in the heart chambers. They believe it may be coming from a virus which is attacking his heart. They really do not know what is wrong. It does not look good at all. He may die, Joyce. It is that bad, and I want you to know so that you can be there for the boys.”

We return from vacation not knowing what we will find. He had not been well before we left, but I figured he just was not taking care of himself, because he generally does not take good care of himself. He was actually looking like he had gained quite a bit of weight. Because of his problem, he had been holding water weight and had actually lost 55 pounds of it while in the hospital. I try not to show my shock when his friend brings him to the house because he could not even drive, to see the boys, and he now looks emaciated.

One evening, months later, after my evening kirtan, I am sitting near my harmonium taking a break and start to think about his condition. He looks like he has aged 20 years, moving slowly and deliberately, deep shadows under his eyes. It has been a real strain for the boys as they watch their father in such bad condition. They do not say much, but I know that it is playing on them. It is playing on me. While we have been separated for over five years, we were together for nearly 20 years. As a couple, we went through a number of trials and tribulations. Although my feelings for him are not what they were, I still care for him as a person, and the boys love him deeply. It pains me to think that they will lose their father. The thought of him passing and their pain brings me to tears.

For me surrender means to accept and embrace whatever the Lord sends my way. I extend this to my sons when I am feeling protective of them realizing that they do not belong to me…they belong to Him. I also know that whatever happens to us is for our highest good, including the suffering which we sometimes endure in our lives. And so, it is not my habit to question why. But this moment I am crying and asking, “I know that everything is for our highest good and that this is for his highest good, but my boys have been through so much.” (they have already “lost” their biological father, and to a certain extent, their adoptive father as a result of our divorce). “I am really trying to see how this is for his highest good. I am really trying to see how this is for their highest good.” The tears stream down my face as I shake with the emotion which has gripped me. Suddenly, in the middle of my tears, the phone rings. I see that it is Daniel calling from Arizona and quickly take a deep breath, control myself the best I can, and pick up the phone, saying hello as if nothing is happening on my end and all is well.

My eyes open wide at the wonder of it all as he explains to me how he was not satisfied with the answer givens to him by the doctors at the hospital, so he got all of Carl’s medical records and sent them to a cardiologist friend in California who he respected deeply. He studied the records and is of the opinion that his problems stem from uncontrolled high blood pressure. He believes that if he cleans up his act and is compliant with his BP medications, there is a good chance that the heart muscle damage can reverse itself. I can tell that Daniel is excited at what he tells me. This is the first glimmer of hope I have heard for months now. And it has not gone unnoticed by me how the phone rang with this glimmer of hope at the very moment I was crying to Him for some understanding of this situation.

Months pass and he slowly improves. He is able to return to work and begins to regain some weight. The deep dark circles under his eyes disappear. He changes his diet and, most importantly, takes his BP medication. As fall arrives, it is now time for him to undergo an echocardiogram to take a look to see if his heart has improved any from the damage which was found in July. He goes for the test. I keep to myself and say nothing, waiting to hear so that I can be there for the boys. A few days later he comes to the house to pick them up for his time with them. He stands in the hallway, and with a smile on his face, both in happiness and wonderment, he tells me that the doctors told him his heart is completely normal. All of the damage which was there in July is gone and he is totally healed. He declares…”It’s a miracle.” Indeed it is.

Gatirbhartaa prabhuh saakshee nivaasah sharanam suhrit;
Prabhavah pralayah sthaanam nidhaanam beejamavyayam.
I am the goal, the support, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the shelter, the friend, the
origin, the dissolution, the foundation, the treasure-house and the imperishable seed

Bhagavad Gita 9.18

An Authentic Day for Resetting: by Dr. Damiana Corca, DOM, L.Ac., Dipl. OM & CH

Dr Damiana — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:29:14 +0000

Days grow shorter and shorter. Time has shrunk, so our tempers. More things to do than we possibly can think about and never enough time to even count the days anymore. There was an age when never growing up was a real possibility. Days were stretching from working the land and school – and nothing in between. Then, it all vanished in the blink of an eye. The more achievements, the busiest one becomes and the more probable is to wash away in every day duties.

Perhaps we can change this. Ideally we would devote Monday through Friday to LIVE – and take care of our responsibilities the rest of the week. Is that what it takes? That might please us for a period of time but it would not achieve long-term progress. What’s more important is prioritizing. Some things need to be done, others we might as well let go before they kill us. How do you prioritize? That might be in itself a hard process. What I suggest that you do before is to devote a day just for yourself. Don’t have time for that? Then you might as well stop reading this right now and keep on going with your rushed life. If taking a day off from everything sounds appealing then I welcome you to hop in and keep on reading.

This is not a fits all approach, however, it may work for each one of you, if you allow it to be your start point or an inspiration.

1. This is number one for a good reason – it is the most important one. Set a day that you can be alone. That is, no family, friends, TV, blackberry, laptop. No, not even your iPad. If you need to be in the same house with your family, just take a vow of silence, for let’s say 12 hours.

2. Start the day by eating something healthier. If you wonder what healthy means, try foods that are as unprocessed as possible such as grains, nuts, and fruits. If you choose some dairy products such as milk or yogurt, have it plain, the fruits will provide enough sweetness. Keep this in mind throughout the day with your other food choices as well, Goethe wisely said, “Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded.”

3. Meditate. If you have never meditated before then today is the perfect day to start. Sit with your legs folded and hands resting on the lap or in a chair, with your spine straight. Your eyes may be open or closed. You want to be open to all your senses but not let your mind jog around. Let thoughts pass by, do not engage too much. Set a word – the word is not important, it may be God, love, compassion, silence, etc. – and repeat it every time you find yourself dwelling on your problems, to bring your mind back to the present. Keep your jaw and eyes soft and do not focus on anything in particular. Do this for 20 minutes. If that seems like an impossible task, break every 5 minutes for 1 minute.

4. Passion. Working on something that you truly and deeply love transforms the dirty word “work” into mere pleasure. What is it that you haven’t done in while, or never, that would melt your heart in happiness? If it is something that others would benefit, the better, but it is not crucial. Being a happier person, in itself, will make things fall into place and lead a productive life for you and others. Take a good part of the day and think about that. Better, take action towards that.

5. Take a walk in the neighborhood. Pay attention to people, trees, birds, stones, whatever comes your way. See how it is to actually be out without the phone ringing, ear buds stuck into your ear and constant worries in your mind. Yes, I know, an exotic place would help. But you don’t really need that, if we listen, the voice of the nature is right here. You don’t need to be advanced in some spiritual practice to live in the moment. You have your chance here, right now, right this very moment.

6. Take a long bath. Get into a shower with a loofah sponge and scrub your body from head to toe. Wash away dead skin and thoughts that have been bothering you. Let it all drain out. Then take a long bath while getting back to your meditation practice where worries are not a part of your life.

7. But worries are indeed part of your life. Devote a part of the day to actively think about the things that bother you the most. Actively means writing down, speaking aloud, or truly thinking about it, not just your everyday dwelling. This part may be painful, it should. Otherwise you are not doing it right.

8. Prioritizing. We have finally got to the priorities. How do you do that? Well, if you have done the first steps with all your heart, your should be able by now to put away some of the stuff and concentrate on what is really important. Take your time and think about this!

Taking a day off from the world, as we perceive it everyday, might actually change your life. For the better. This article is inspired by the people around me – family, friends, acquaintances, and patients. We all seem to need a break and reset. And take that renewed jolt of energy to let go and move forward.

Be Healthy and Happy!

More articles at Elite HealthPlex Clinic.

___________________

Disclaimer

The information on this blog is provided for educational or reference purposes only and it is NOT a substitute for professional health care. No information obtained on this blog should be relied on as the basis for treating or diagnosing conditions, symptoms, or illness and all queries should be directed to your health care provider. No warranty or guarantee of a cure is expressed or implied with any information at this blog, nor does Elite HealthPlex Blog make any representations regarding the use or the results obtained with the information. In no event shall Elite HealthPlex Blog, its employees or associates be liable to any person or individual for any loss or damage whatsoever which may arise from the use of this blog or any of the information available on this blog.

Gururaj Ananda Yogi’s Satsang: By Ramon Leonato

gururajananda — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:30:49 +0000

Written by Ramon Leonato based on a satsang from Gururaj Ananda Yogi

There is nothing that is really apart from another thing. That is the greatest delusion man suffers, finding separation in this world. You have never been apart from Divinity, never ever. You are eternal, immortal, as Divinity is, and you have never been separate from that.

This is something we can easily understand intelectually, as we can see that the physical reality in which takes place our cognition of our own existence is just a vacuum in which different particles interact with each other in miraculous ways, and that It which brings together this manifestation is the Real Self we speak about. Because the manifestor and the manifestation cannot happen separately, if there is a manifestor, there is a manifestation, like with fire and heat. One does not happen without the other, and they are not separate.

Now realising this in daily living is a complete different ball game. Most of us are householders in the sense that we are not sadhus, or renunciates that are fed by the charity of others and that dedicate themselves to mull over The Divine or Self. We are householders and require of the actions of the so called ego in a way a sadhu will probably never understand.

Our little ego self has assumed a separation, although the ego self exists only on borrowed light of the real Self within. The ego self assumes that it is the thing that does everything. You would say even now, “I will get up from this chair and walk to that door.” What “I” are you talking about? Who is doing the walking? You mean I, John or James or Jack or Jean or Jane, is getting up from the chair and walking through the door.

But for such to happen everything else happens now.

Has it ever occurred to you that I am not the doer; it is not I that am walking to the door from this chair? There is an infinite power that permeates this little small I of mine that makes me walk to the door.

At every moment of our waking state or sleeping state, we are adding importance to the little ego self, which is manufactured by the various thoughts in our minds. What is thought? Just a combination of various factors surrounding you or within you that have formed themselves into a certain pattern.When we were born, to that particular family, a mother took us between her arms and smiled at us with such love. Thus, imprints started to be created in a machinery (mind) we have no control whatsoever. That bag of imprints create patterns. And we believe to be the patterns, while what is being while we walk, is something else, yet not separate.

We have a family to look after, children, husband and others things and we have to dedicate most of the day to actions in which the ego gets so involved, yet our life happens in one day, just that one day. The life of this day is were I am cognizing the existence of my particular energy pattern and this manifestation in which it takes place.

And this very energy, thinking itself to be the real self, finds itself separate from that which is divine. Even the ego self is divine, for illusion would not be there if there was not the factor of non- illusion. Illusions are superimposed upon reality, actuality. Everything is real to you because your senses can perceive them. Your eyes see, your hands feel, your tongue tastes, your ears hear, your nose smells. So many things around us seem totally real, but if you go down to the essence of them, are they really real? Is it not like a mirage in the desert that a thirsty man sees, and the more he chases after the mirage, the water, the more tired and weary he becomes until he collapses? That is exactly what man is doing in this desert of life. He is chasing mirages. And by chasing mirages, he distorts his thinking abilities and creates greater and greater confusion in his mind.

Like lifetime after lifetime, one day after another have created the memories, impressions or samskaras with which you cognize your existence this very moment. Which is were existence, the manifestor within its manifestation, eternally abides.

In this day we live in, we meditate and lead ourselves towards the universality, and then we start acting, which is our main part of the day, then as the day starts coming to an end, we meditate again, and perhaps dedicate some time to words of wisdom reading the scriptures or good books, or listening to a recorded satsang. Then we have dinner and as in a lifetime, we retire, we dedicate some time to our little ego before he is just about to dissappear in the deep sleep of the death of that day, to be born again the following day.

The history of a life happens in the life of one day

Action and meditation are not different, because meditation will bring the purity in action that will make action into a meditation (i.e. non-action in action).

Now, what do we do to integrate self and Self in actuality?

What we do is renounce. Renunciation does not mean renouncing the actions and responsibilities of life, like looking after one’s children or one’s husband. But the selfishness attached to the actions is to be renounced. Then meditation goes deep, where everything, all action and all thought, is nothing else but meditation.

There is a misconception that you sit down for half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening, and you say that you are a meditator. That is just to charge up your batteries. But that must last through the 23 hours of the day during your sleep and during your waking hours filled with activity. Therein you will find the secret of inactivity in activity, as the Gita says, and activity in inactivity. The selfishness attached to the actions is to be renounced. Then meditation goes deep, where everything, all action and all thought, is nothing else but meditation.

You want to meditate so as to find that oneness within yourself where the mind, body and spirit can become integrated. That is good, that must be done; but it must also find its expression in your daily action. What is the use of a seed of a beautiful flower if it is not planted and is rotting away? Just as within the ground the seed explodes, within you the very explosion or renunciation of selfishness makes the tree grow. That seed has to be exploded. It means you are getting rid of that little ego self, attaching no importance to it whatsoever, and then you experience the now of life. You experience what is.

We live life in the seemingly real, but not in the actual. In daily life one has to go through so many activities. But if it could just be remembered at the back of the mind, and with practice it comes, that “I am not the doer.” The little ego self is not the doer: the doer is He. When you have that idea, you become non- attached to your actions, and therefore any action you perform will not add any more samskaras to your mind. You gradually become samskara-free, free of impressions which imprison you.

Your actions and your thoughts become non-binding, and then you enter the realm of freedom. That is the meaning of liberation, self-realization–or, in other terms, unity consciousness, where the act, actor, and the action become one.

Even washing dishes, or sitting behind a desk with a pen, is a form of meditation. Thought forces are working away, and yet inside you are still. You feel that unity expressing itself in whatever work you are doing, and that work becomes effortless, restful. You do not develop stress. You do not develop tension. You are relaxed, and that is how we can go on and on and on. Even all kinds of sicknesses or diseases or incapacities of the body do not bother us.

It is a new world to be awakened to, and that new world is the nowness of life. Have you ever watched yourself performing any action? Have you watched yourself from the higher level of your mind? Then you will find that the action just goes on automatically. You are the observer. And even as you sit here now, look at the amount of activity that is going on within you without your being aware of it. You are breathing and you are not aware of it; your heart is beating, and you are not aware of it. Your motor nerves are functioning, and you are not aware of it. The various cellular systems in your body, the glandular systems, all the systems, are functioning, and you are not aware of it. Do you see? Why can this not be extended to the awareness of the grosser actions we perform in life? If this awareness is developed, then you will know the meaning of peace. And peace can only come with ease.

The body might be wracked with pain. The body will feel it; but if you become the observer, the pain is so so much lessened. For the real self within you is without pain or suffering. It is only the ego self, which is nothing but a patterning of thought forms, that knows of pain and suffering. So what is here in the mind? Nothing but confusion. I have to pick up this glass. Now I have to think, “Shall I pick up this glass or not?” Why must I think that? Pick it up. Do you see? Most of the energy we expend in life is by thinking useless thoughts.

So we trouble ourselves, and nothing else in the world can ever trouble us. Nothing. If you can find that freedom by non-attachment, then let the problems come and go. Why must I let the boat of this life be tossed around on those waves? I’m going to sit on the seashore and watch those waves. And what will I find? I will find beauty in that movement of the waves, and I will hear the sound of those waves which will have a great calming effect upon me, so harmonious. If you want the waves, you make waves. If you want calm, you find calm. Act! And if the action is unselfish it will not produce a reaction.

This is a revolutionary, philosophical truth. You won’t find it in any of the Vedas or Upanishads, because they maintain that for every action there is a reaction. Whatever you sow you reap.

If the action is unselfish there will be no reaction, because the unselfish action will not cause an impression in the mind to erupt again as an effect upon you. That is the secret of existence.

Everything is true–all opposites are true–but you got to go to the full cycle to understand that. Where there is the manifestor there must be a manifestation. But what to do with the manifestation is entirely left to us. Everything is joyful and beautiful if only we can cognize it, not with the mind but with the heart. With the core of one’s personality which is the heart.

Once you touch the live wires of the heart, you are touching the unmanifest. You cannot reach the core of your personality by touching the senses that compose you–all the indriyas (hearing, tasting, smelling, and all the organs) and the subtler ones which in Sanskrit are called jnanindriyas. Therefore meditation is important to dive deeper within ourselves and to touch the core of the personality, the core of yourself. Then you will find that life and Divinity are not separate because in the first place there has never been any separation.

And the recognition of that eternity comes through what? Through the ego self. The ego is not even to be thrown away, but to be used for the purposes of cognition.

And why is this stupid little ego of mine playing the fool with me now like the thirsty man in the desert? You could never eradicate the little ego self, the individuality, while you are still in the body. That will remain. Do you think a drop of water dropped into an ocean loses its individuality? No. It does not. It merges away, but that drop is still there in that ocean, so here individuality merges with universality. One can live as an individual and simultaneously as the universal force, that which is real. And then you accept all the fun that life gives. For all is fun and nothing else but fun; all is joy and nothing else.

Why do we find a situation painful? Because we dive into the mind and go through the cubbyholes in the subconscious and find another experience that in turn triggers some other experience, and another experience, and those all combine there. And then the subconscious mind translates itself into the conscious mind and says, “This is pain,” or “This is ugly.” So where does the ugliness come from? Not from the object. The ugliness comes from the impressions or samskaras that are already there in the subconscious mind. And the only way to get rid of this is through meditation, where we burn the seeds of karma so they don’t grow. We use that universal force that gets rid of all the karma. This is the message for this century and the next six centuries to come: Do not feel guilty of the things that you have done, or the things that you have caused to have been done, for you can go beyond it all. It can all be discarded like a dirty garment. It can all be washed away under the shower of that light that is deep down within us. We must never say, “Oh, my baby is crying so I cannot sit down to meditate.” True, you must look after the baby. But let the baby’s cry become a meditation to you instead of disturbing you. And you comfort the child with love, and is meditation not something that generates that love?

You have been given an opportunity there to generate love. Vivekananda tells a nice story. He says you sit down to meditate and the door bell rings. You get up from your meditation, you answer the door and do whatever is required, come back and sit down again to meditate. But remember one thing: regard yourself getting up and answering the door and coming back to be also a part of your meditation.

The separation we find between life and God is just a creation of our own minds, like a projection on a cinema screen. Here on the screen you will have thousands of people killed in a war or whatever. Many times people go to a cinema and they see a sad scene and they start crying. Handkerchiefs come out and yet they know that it is not real; it is just a picture being projected. But you get yourself involved in it. It affects your emotions, triggers off something in your mind, below the conscious level, and then tears come rolling down. But what would happen if you never had such an impression in the mind? Then you will not cry, for you are still aware that this is just a picture there.

So what do we have to do to rub away these impressions is to draw out that powerful light, that beam that will banish the darkness. The little flame which is the ego self has no force or power next to the bright sun. And if the action you do is performed unselfishly, then you are a karma yogi. And when you perform this action unselfishly, naturally there will be devotion to those actions and you will automatically become a bhakti yogi. Now when you combine bhakti and karma, naturally some understanding dawns within you, and you are jnana yogi. Thus, all these different yogas combine. They interpenetrate within each other and that leads you on and spurs you on to do spiritual practices, which are raja yoga.

We suffer with life’s challenges, yet we will not overcome the hurdles without going through them. The pot can only be cleaned up by a thorough scraping with steel wool so that the next meal that I cook in this same pot will not have the smell or the taste of the previous meal. So, so simple.

The purpose of existence is to exist. That’s the purpose. The purpose of existence is not to find God; He is already there. He has always been there in your life. And when you find the purpose of existence is to exist and know the meaning of existence, you know God, because God is existence. Let the mind just be centered in the heart, in meditation and spiritual practices. We say spiritual practices because they are practices to be made practical in daily living. Then spiritual practices really and truly and very quickly find their fruition.

I teach meditation in Barcelona and Asturias (Spain), if anyone is interested is very welcome. Every Wednesday at 19.30 hours. Free entrance.

Chinese Herbs Formulas – a story of a legacy that became history: by Dr Damiana Corca

Dr Damiana — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:17:19 +0000

Chinese Medicine is still relatively new for some people in US and sometimes I come up against the skeptic’s question: does Chinese Medicine work? I don’t quite understand those energy pathways and then those Chinese Herbs, and how would I know that this kind of medicine is trustworthy. My husband always says that he loves skeptical people, just because he can see how people’s reticent attitude is revolutionized after sampling the benefits of Chinese medicine – there is no need for explanation, as the results speak for themselves. However, before getting to the treatment proper, I like to tell a story to the patients that pose such questions.

The story goes like this: Born in a wealthy family some 2000 years ago, Zhang Ji knew nothing of the common worries up to the point where many of his 200 family members died during an epidemic. At that time towards the end of the Han Dynasty, China was greatly affected by disease, civil war, and poverty. Who would have thought that such a burden on thousands of people was to be the seed of a great doctor who left behind a tremendous legacy? The pain and loss that Zhang Ji has witnessed all around him lead him to fully dedicate his life to medicine.

His books are still required as textbooks in Chinese Medicine schools and many of his herbal formulas are being commonly prescribed nowadays. How could anybody ever top that? We live in a society where scientific studies are the way of demonstrating that something really works and there is a whole science behind all these studies, and debates, as nothing can really be tested in a few years of trials. This is were I need to emphasize that 2000 years of continuous trials of herbal formulas leave no place for error provided that such formulas are properly prescribed. Time is the only judge and you must agree that nothing can survive for 2000 years if there is nothing to it.

Zhang Ji left us the inspiration and the wonder about how one single person can truly and deeply change the world. People have been remembering him as the “Sage of Medicine” for the indelible mark he has left on Chinese Medicine.

To be honest, Zhang Ji has also made me gasp with surprise. While studying herbal medicine in college it seemed like his name was everywhere. So, one evening I just took a book of over 1000 pages on herbal medicine and searched for formulas made by him that are still in use today. To my surprise, I have found 28 herbal formulas, of which over 10 are very commonly used today.

The formulas made by him could be used for many diseases but this is not the point – many of the names that we call a “disease” today did not even exist 2000 years ago. What stays the same are our discomforts and pains as human beings. And this is why herbal formulas successfully used two millennia ago are as good as they have ever been.

I am sure you would even better understand the beautiful power of plants if I were to take an herbal formula and explain to you how it works, but I don’t want to bore you with a lengthy article. Enjoy this starter and I promise there is more to come!

More on my blog: www.elitehealthplex.blogspot.com

Damiana Corca, DOM, AP, Dipl. O.M., Dipl. C.H.

Doctor of Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture Physician

Board Certified in Oriental Medicine

Board Certified in Chinese Herbology

Western Family and Consultant Herbalist

Candidate, Board Certified Classical Homeopath

Belly Breathing

Christine Wushke — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:09:52 +0000

The yogic word for breathing practice is “Pranayama”. The word “prana” means life force energy, and the word “yama” means to expand. Pranayama is a practice for increasing energy, and aliveness in the body.

One of the favorite practices of pranayama at Journey to light yoga studio, is called “Belly breathing”. Belly breathing is a great way to slow down the breathing and deepen your connection to the prana in the breath. It is very relaxing, deeply nourishing, and often therapeutic for stress and anxiety. Set aside 10 – 15 min for this practice, in a place where you can be free from all distractions. I hope you return to your day relaxed, refreshed, and nourished.

1. Take 2 folded blankets, and stagger them, so one is on top of the other, and the top blanket is pulled about 2 inches back. Fold the top blanket under at the other end, to make a pillow.

2. Lay on your back with the base of the spine touching the bottom blanket. Let your shoulders roll under and open the front of the chest.

3. Start by relaxing into the pose, and allowing the body to completely sink into the blankets.

Notice your breath. Imagine that your breath is like a drop of Prana (energy) and all around you there is an infinite ocean of Prana, and nourishment. Allow your inhalations to be a drinking in of this nourishment.

Allow your exhalations to be dissolving breaths, as if drops of water are diffusing into the infinite ocean of Prana, and nourishment all around you. Inhale nourishing, exhale dissolving. Imagine that the supply of nourishment all around you is limitless.

4. Begin to focus your attention on your lower abdomen. Breathe in and allow the lower abdomen to lightly inflate, as if you were blowing up a balloon of energy just below the belly button. Stay with the belly breathing for at least 10 min, focusing on breathing deep into the lower belly.

Benefits ~ Strengthens the parasympathetic nervous system. increases relaxation, increases oxygenation of blood, improved mental clarity, and emotionally uplifting. Therapeutic for anxiety and stress.

Christine Wushke is a 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.

Christine’s meditations, and yoga articles will guide you to deepen your understanding of the wisdom within this ancient practice and experience the spiritual elements of yoga.

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

If you enjoyed this meditation you can purchase Christine’s meditation CD in stores, by download, or by clicking here. Listen to sample .

Luthar.Com: HarshaSatsangh » Luthar.com

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