Category Archives: INSPIRATIONAL

Harsha's avatar

What Is Meditation? By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

. ADVAITA & YOGA, INSPIRATIONAL, TEACHERS . , ,

Harsha's avatarLuthar.com

The Art Of Doing Nothing

By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

My Dear Friends,

You have heard many things about meditation and perhaps there are questions in your mind about it. Today, there is no shortage of information on any topic having to do with meditation and yoga. There are literally thousands of books on meditation and yoga and self-help techniques. If you go on the Internet and put in a few key words, you will come across many views on meditation.

Some people equate repeating a mantra with meditation. Others say that if you focus on the in-going and out-going breath, that is meditation. There are people who believe that you must be able to sit cross-legged in the lotus position with a straight spine in order to meditate effectively.

Having meditated since early childhood, I can assure you that this is not true. Inviting aches and pains by sitting…

View original post 2,569 more words

Harsha's avatar

Enjoy what comes: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

. Advaita and Yoga, INSPIRATIONAL, LIFESTYLE, PERSONAL, TEACHERS . , , , , ,

20130712_145141

 

Everything is changing and all things are transient.

Holding on to people, things, concepts, and situations is a recipe for suffering.

Enjoy what comes your way.

Let go when needed.

In embracing the love and beauty all around you, remember that everything is a reflection of the great beauty of your own eternal Heart.

Harsha's avatar

Summer 2014 Trip to the NY Arunachala Ashram for Guru Purnima – Part 2

. Advaita and Yoga, COMMUNITY EVENTS, INSPIRATIONAL, LIFESTYLE . , , , , , , , , , ,

c_clo_08

Guru Purnima was celebrated in friendship and joy among Bhagavan Ramana devotees on Sunday, July 13 at the NY Arunachala Ashram. A large gathering of devotees attended the puja. By late afternoon, when the main Pooja was ending, many devotees had arrived for the dinner/prasad.

Here are some pictures of devotees on the day of Guru Purnima conversing joyfully and eating. The times given on the pictures are approximately one hour ahead. The ordering of the pictures is from later in the day with everyone eating prasad at the end of puja to earlier in the day with people having breakfast at the start of Guru Purnima.

Continue reading →

Harsha's avatar

Summer 2014 Trip to the NY Arunachala Ashram for Guru Purnima – Part 1

. Advaita and Yoga, COMMUNITY EVENTS, INSPIRATIONAL, LIFESTYLE, PERSONAL, TEACHERS . , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Seeking Satsang with other Bhagavan Ramana devotees, on July 12, my daughter and I arrived at the Arunachala Ashram in Jamaica, NY, for Guru Purnima scheduled for Sunday, July 13.

Bhagavan Shrine at the NY Arunachala Ashram

We had visited the Arunachala Ashram in Nova Scotia, Canada, in the summer of 2013 and had very fond memories of that. We soon met and were greeted by some of the residents of the Ashram including Margo-ji, Ran-ji, Bandhu-ji, and Dennis-ji.

SRI DENNIS-JI

DENNIS-JI STANDING WITH MIRA-JI

Continue reading →

Harsha's avatar

The Enlightenment Business: Wisdom For Sale

. Advaita and Yoga, INSPIRATIONAL, LIFESTYLE, PERSONAL, TEACHERS . , , , , , , , , , , ,

Harsha's avatarLuthar.com

By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

Dr. Luthar listening to a presentation

Religion and spirituality today are a big business. Generally the spiritual teachers, preachers, and the so called enlightened masters of the day are really motivational speakers and self styled self-help expert who are engaged in entrepreneurial ventures aimed at financial and commercial success.  Every year people spend billions of dollars buying the books, CDs, and self-help programs offered by such teachers.

View original post 945 more words

Harsha's avatar

In Memoriam: Dr. Suryanarayana Raju

. INSPIRATIONAL, LIFESTYLE, PERSONAL, TEACHERS . , ,

Dr. Suryanarayan Raju

Our friend and Bhagavan Ramana devotee Dr. Suryanarayana Raju left the body a few days ago. I never met Dr. Raju face to face, although we had talked about such a meeting happening at Arunachala in India. Our friendship was based on our common spiritual interests and the teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.

I had interacted and corresponded with Dr. Raju over a number of years. I also edited and published several of Dr. Raju’s articles on luthar.com. I found Dr. Raju to be extremely bright, highly cultured, courteous, and respectful of everyone.  Dr. Raju exuded warmth, love, and was always generous and kind in his words towards me personally. He was most considerate and I felt much love, respect, and affection for Dr. Raju as well. Continue reading →

Harsha's avatar

What Is Witness Consciousness? By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

. Advaita and Yoga, INSPIRATIONAL, LIFESTYLE, PERSONAL, TEACHERS . , , , , , , , ,

Harsha's avatarLuthar.com

Anandmayi Ma with Swami Yoganand

Witness consciousness as a concept and a spiritual practice has become better known now in the West. In the psychology of Advaita and Yoga of thousands of years ago, it has always been a fundamental tool for self development and self understanding on the path to Self-Realization.

View original post 481 more words

Harsha's avatar

Wisdom Eye: The True Guru: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

. Advaita and Yoga, INSPIRATIONAL, LIFESTYLE, PERSONAL, TEACHERS . , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Harsha's avatarLuthar.com

“Who is a master? He is the Self after all.” Ramana Maharshi

The company of peaceful Sages (Satsangha) and living in Ahimsa (harmlessness) is considered the primary influence that leads to Self-Realization. The forced attempts to discard various habits and conditioning and practicing different techniques to calm the mind have built in limitations. However, such methods can be pursued with benefit if one is already inclined towards these practices.

When strong inner motivation is present, one is automatically propelled towards Self-Awareness and Meditation. The fog of confusion then quickly evaporates and leads to Self-Seeing, Self-Being, Self-Realization, and Silence of the Heart.

Meditation and mind calming methods, can be effective at many different levels if practiced in the context of a clear understanding. Such practices, however, cannot by themselves end the fundamental agitation of the mind which continues at more and more subtle levels and causes suffering.

The nature of the…

View original post 1,176 more words

Harsha's avatar

Many Things Are Going On: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

. ART & POETRY, INSPIRATIONAL . , , ,

Quan Yin 0 Avalotiksvara

Harsha's avatarLuthar.com

The usual things are going on in many places.

War, hate, and killing of enemies

in order to love, protect, and nurture ones own.

Inflicting punishment on others

yet remaining free of consequences

is not possible for us

as human beings or nations;

for the revenge that brings joy

also brings grief.

This is the nature of our suffering,

that we believe our sorrows are more precious

than the tears of our enemies.

The story of life is written on the faces

of both the watching and the watched.

Paralysis provides the context

for the breaking news stories on the dinner table.

It does not help that our fingers

cannot touch across the television screens

and the eyes cannot meet to offer consolation.

Guilt serves as a buffer for one

for the other, hope underlies fear.

Closure is never at hand in this sphere of duality.

View original post

Harsha's avatar

Ahimsa – The Antidote to Fear: Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

. Advaita and Yoga, INSPIRATIONAL, LIFESTYLE, PERSONAL, TEACHERS . , , , , , , ,

Harsha's avatarLuthar.com

Bhagavan Sri Ramana used to say, “Ahimsa Param Dharma”. It means that Ahimsa (Nonviolence) is the Supreme Dharma (Duty or Principle). Sri Ramana pointed out to the devotees and yogis that in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Ahimsa is named as the highest virtue above all other virtues. If we are able to understand what Ahimsa means at the deepest level, that clarity itself guides us in discovering the nature of the Self as our own Being.

Ahimsa means to be gentle with others and oneself and all of nature. Ahimsa means to be natural and aware without rushing and pushing and trying to get somewhere quickly. This applies to both the material and the spiritual world.  The mental tendency to grab and consume experiences of various types remains, even as people get on the spiritual path. There is nothing wrong with that. However, we should be aware of the tendencies that…

View original post 697 more words