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The Guru Came As Ramu – Conclusion: By Michael Bowes

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Michael Bowes is well known to us as an authentic and genuine and a very experienced yogi and a devotee of Sri Bhagavan Ramana. Internationally, he is well travelled and has been to India. He has visited various Ashrams and Gurus and Swamis in both the U.S. and abroad.Michael has an uncanny ability to see to the heart of the matter and his spiritual insights pierce through the veils of sentimentality and conceptual baggage. Michael is a long term member of the HarshaSatsangh community and his presence has been a gift.

Given below is the conclusion of a three part story from Michael about his visit to a Swami in India.

You can see Part I at the following link. https://luthar.com/2006/01/page/2/
Part II is at https://luthar.com/2006/01/

************************************************************************

By Sri Michael Bowes

In the first two parts of this story, I related some events that occurred during my association with a…

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The Enlightenment Business: Wisdom For Sale

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.

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Bhagavan Ramana’s Teachings- A Talk by Sri V. Ganesan

Sri V. Ganesan

The transcript of this talk by Sri V. Ganesan was sent to me by Sri Alan Jacobs who is the President of Ramana Maharshi Foundation in UK.

Harsh K. Luthar Continue reading

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the diamond

consider the diamond:

the tender darkness of a fleshy soul
deep within the heart of the earth,
secure & content in the silence
of its own endless night Continue reading

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What Is Spiritual Enlightenment? By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

Today, the word “Enlightenment” is used quite a bit in spiritual circles. There are “Enlightened teachers”, Enlightened masters”, Enlightened gurus”, etc.  In the world of spirituality, it is part of the marketing of spirituality. It is a business. That is neither good nor bad. Simply an observation.

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In Praise of Shri Bhagavan: By Alan Adams Jacobs

aruna_43

In Praise of Shri Bhagavan
by Alan Adams Jacobs

Let’s give thanks to great Lord Ramana,
For his boundless Grace and Jnana teaching;
He grants silent diksha without vain preaching,
And the precious gift of atma vichara,
His directly liberating, true sadhana.
His eternal presence is close; ever reaching
The hearts of all devotees, so breaching
Mad ego’s fortress of dark avidya.
We feel devotion through our gratitude,
For leading us out of dread samsara;
He bestows full faith, strength and fortitude,
He transmits the power of Arunachala.

Bhagavan27

Ever our loving guardian and guide,
Deep in our hearts his lotus feet abide.

Photos courtesy of Shri Ramanaashram

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I am not this, I am not that; who am I? – Gururaj Ananda Yogi Satsang

-This is an edited and unpublished satsang of Gururaj Ananda Yogi. If you want to watch the video of the whole satsang you can get it in Gururaj’s channel at Vimeo

Question: I am that which causes awareness to flow from the grossness of the lower mind to the un‑differentiated bliss of the superconscious.  I am not mind, but upon me the mind rests.  I do not move, yet through me all things move.  I am neither this nor that.  What am I?

Gururaj Ananda: That you are.

Who am I if I am not the mind?  Who am I if I am not the body?  What makes you presume that you are not the body and not the mind. What point of reference have you to tell you that I am not the mind and neither the body?  Show me that point of reference.

When I say to myself, “I am that I am,” who is this that I am that I am?  Who is this Brahmas mi‑‑I am Brahma?  Who is this that could say, “I and my Father are one?”  Who is this that could say that I, as the mind and body, is non‑existent?

Then what part of you is existent to make you cognize your non‑existence?  You don’t know, that is for sure.

Your mind is a reality, your body is a reality, and the spiritual self within you is a reality, but it is only the mind that could cognize its own realness which is also, at the same time, erroneous.

Gururaj Ananda and Cansita
Gururaj Ananda and Cansita

You say I am this body.  Now this body has been changing so much.  I was an infant, then l grew up into adolescence, became an old man…

So this body is the same body, but over a period of time ‑‑ which you regard to be time ‑‑ has gone through various changes.  Who is that which perceives this particular form of reality?

The spirit that is within you, the Divinity that is within you, is non‑cognizable and neither would it cognize anything besides itself in its own cognition.

The mind says this is a handkerchief.  Why does the mind say this is a handkerchief?  Because my mind, or a certain recollection or experiences that has gone through me in this lifetime or even in past lifetimes, perhaps, make me cognize this to be a cloth, a piece of cloth to be used on my nose.

Now, where does this come from?  What tells you that this is a nose and that’s a handkerchief?  So you go further back to realize that my mind is saying that, then you will ask yourself what perpetuates this mind in this mold of having this particular kind of cognition?

And like that you go on and on and on until you reach a point which is zero.  Then only can you say, “I’m not the body.”  Then only can you say, “I’m not the mind.”

Look, I can touch, feel, smell, taste, go to bed and make love, go to the toilet.  Is the body then not functional?  Of course  it is functional.  Then why do I deny the body?

I deny the body because I feel within myself‑‑or rather some force is feeling within myself‑‑that I am far beyond the body and the mind.  Now, the greatest mistake that has been made‑‑or is being made by various theologies‑‑is the denial of the body and mind.  Let’s look at it from a different angle.  Do not deny this body.  Do not deny this mind.  And do not deny that which cognizes the body and the mind.

So how are you dealing with yourself, then?  We’re still going to come to the cognitive factor.  But at this moment how do you stand?  You stand in the position of saying, my body exists, my mind exists, and the cognitive factor also exists, so therefore I am existence and being existing I can deny nothing.  For I am that I am.

There is no differentation between your body and your mind and your cognitive self.  The I that cognizes the very existence of this body and this mind is thought forms which we can call the ego self that is forever trying to preserve itself in the cognitive factors of saying I am this handsome guru [comments and laughs from audience].   Who’s saying that?  That stupid ego self.

Now, what is the ego worth?  The ego is worth nothing, because it is just a formation of patterns which you have superimposed upon yourself through the various experiences that you have gone through, and that has left impressions.  And those impressions is that which we call the ego.

Now, I put my hand on this table and I remove this hand.  But an imprint is there.  The hand is not there anymore, but an impression or an imprint of the hand is existing on this table.  Get out your magnifying glass and you will see it.  What reality is there in this imprint?  Nil!

This very imprint that cognizes me as a body, this very imprint that cognizes me as a mind.  So my body and mind is totally dependent upon that imprint.  And yet, what is the reality of this imprint? Nil.  It’s an impression created through patternings of experiences.

So now if I deny this imprint, or if I do not attach value to this imprint in bringing about the recognitions of the existence of this body and this mind, then I am basing the existence of this body and this mind with something that has no substance but which has just created an impression there, presuming that this mind and this body is real.

So now, what have we done so far?  We are accepting the reality of the mind and the body, and, at the same time, we are denying the mind and the body.  Because both are true. You are not the body, yet the body; you are not the mind, yet the mind.  Then what is your reality?  And how are you going to prove this reality?

You can only prove it by inference.  Or by the very factor that reality requires no proof.  It exists because of its own existence.  The only time you can prove reality is when you have a reference point.  And where can there be any reference point as as far as Divinity is concerned.

There is consciousness and non‑consciousness.  Non‑ consciousness means you are not aware.  And conscious means that you are aware.  Now, what proof is there of awareness.  Does awareness require any proof?  Does the light burning there require any proof that it is burning?  Its very act of giving light is its own proof.

You do not need to prove anything.  Because when it comes to the highest level, you need a point of reference, and the highest level being the one, without a second, cannot have a reference point.

I exist, I exist, because I exist.  That’s all.  And because I, the real me to which I have no reference point exists, I can only refer it back to a grosser level of the mind and the body, which finds its existence in that which I cannot prove is existing.Gururaj Ananda

I’m taking the highest factor in life and bringing it down to the grossest factor and that is what I could compare things with.  But when we reach the point beyond comparison ‑‑ Beautiful word.  You’re pairing up things in comparison.  There have to be two to compare.  But what if I want to exist as I am in my full totality, then will I not lose the idea of comparing myself to anything else?  And the very moment I lose the idea of comparing myself to any subject or object, that is the very moment when I will lose the ego self, that imprint that is existing in my experience.  Or the impression of the experience.  Then where will I be?  I shall be incomparable.

I shall be the source of existence itself, which I am.  Not in reality, but in actuality.  For reality changes from day to day.  What is real to you today might be unreal to you tomorrow. You see.  But when I become actual, when I become the source and recognize that source within me, or the source recognizes itself, then I will say, let me enjoy this body.  Let me enjoy this mind, for it is a product of a collection of impressions.  And if they are there, let me make the best use of it.

Here we are fusing two factors.  The fusion lies in the fact that that which is created by impressions‑‑or maya or illusion‑‑, is brought into reality, and reality is converted into illusion.  So I make the best of both worlds.

For example, let’s see what example we can use.  Say I loved a woman very much, I was deeply involved with that woman.  Fine. And she has left me.  She has jilted me or died or whatever or jumped in the lake.  Now, is she there or is she not there?  She’s dead, we know.  But is she there or is she not there?  She is there because you think she is there.  What makes you think she is there is because those impressions, those experiences, and you are reliving something so far in the past which has no reality today, which has become an illusion.  Because she is not there.  I have developed a dependency upon her when she was there.  So what am I living on now?  On dependencies.

I am existing with a reality, which is my body and my mind.  Though in essence it is unreal, but for the moment of three score years and ten, let me do the best with it I can.  Why not. Who would deny me that right?  And why should it be denied to me? You think all these organs we have are there just for the fun of it or for the show of it?  You think I have ears and I must not hear?  Or I have eyes and I must not see?  Or a nose and not smell?  Or any other organ of my body that has been there created through an evolutionary process and not to be used.  Why should I not use every organ in this body of mine to its fullest value? Honestly and sincerely.

So these monks  say become celibate, become this and that, become this and I don’t know what all.  I say, “become yourself!”  Be yourself!

Be yourself.  How can I make myself be myself?  Ahh!  How can I make myself be myself?  And the answer to that riddle is so simple.  Do you know that beautiful hymn which I like very much, lead thou me on, kindly light, one step at a time is enough for me.  Don’t you know that beautiful hymn?

Firstly, I must admit to myself that  I’m living a fragmented life.  Part of my mind is pulling that way, part of my mind is pulling that way, part of my mind is floating up there in Chicago and another part somewhere in some heaven or some hell which has no existence in reality.

Admit to oneself that I’m fragmented.  Lead thou me on, kindly light to integration away from fragmentation.  Let me be whole.  Let me function in this life holistically.  Let me not find any more the discriminatory factors between body, mind, and spirit.  Let me regard it to be one continuum.  And this continuum, after finding through spiritual practices and meditation, when you find this continuum of yourself, mind, body, and spirit, this continuum will extend and extend and develop so much that the entire universe becomes you and you become the universe.

Existence and non‑existence, what am I going to do about it?  I’m both.  I am existing, and at the same time, the impressions which I’m existing upon is non‑existent.

So let me tell you this, that 99.999% of your problems in your mind are self‑created without any damn substance.  So that which you have created without substance… very easy way out of it‑‑pull the chain!

That is the secret of life.  Forget the past.  It is gone. Do not project yourself into the future, it might not be there. But live for this moment.  Live for this moment.  And then you’ll preserve your physical health, you’ll preserve your mental health, you’ll become integrated in mind, body and spirit, and you’ll enjoy life.  For life is joy.  So, as I always say, enjoy the joy.  Why deny yourself of that beautiful joy of this so‑ called existence when you can have fun.

What’s wrong with fun. Enjoy it.  But be honest and sincere, that’s important.

MEDITACION BARCELONA

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Sri Ramana and Modern Day Gurus: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

I am very often asked by Sri Bhagavan’s devotees what I feel about modern day teachers and gurus.

I don’t know how to answer that question well. I do not personally know most of these teachers.

For sincere devotees of Bhagavan, I recommend that they seek company of other devotees. Sri Ramana exemplified all that is best in a living Self-Realized sage in his actions. The Sage of Arunachala was liberal, tolerant, compassionate, and for him all faiths and religions had a place and were welcomed with an open heart.

Sri Ramana lived as a recluse first but when a community formed around him, his life became public. He was in the spotlight 24 hours a day, seven days a week for over 50 years. During all this time, he lived as an ascetic and served all those who came to him and answered their questions.

The devotees know that Sri Bhagavan was so alert to everyone’s welfare and that included not just people but also animals and plants and trees in his vicinity. He refused to eat unless enough was available for everyone. I recall that when the plague came to that area of India, one of the devotees came down with it. Others wanted to leave that devotee and for Bhagavan to come with them. They assured Bhagavan that food would be periodically sent to the afflicted individual. Sri Ramana told them that they could go but he would stay with the devotee who had come down with the dreaded disease and continue to serve him.

How many modern day teachers and gurus can do that?

Like many saints, Bhagavan led a pure and spotless life.

Sometimes, people write me very moving letters detailing how they have had experiences with certain gurus thought to be enlightened who actually were very abusive. Given below is an answer I recently gave to someone after hearing their heart breaking account.

Thank you for your sharing. I am so glad to know that you came through OK what must have been some very difficult experiences and trying times in your spiritual journey. Surely Bhagavan was with you all the way.

I have known of many gurus not treating their students well and have written about it in the following article.

I know that many teachers use Sri Ramana to bolster themselves but are not able to live up to the teaching. Once someone asked Sri Ramana the fate of a false guru and those who followed that guru. Sri Ramana said, “each according to their merit.”

People should be very alert to gurus who are on power trips and abusive of others. If someone asked me for advice about any guru, I would counsel them to be patient and cautious before deciding to follow someone. Those of us who have Bhagavan as our Sat Guru have nothing to gain by following anyone else.

My teacher Chitrabhanu-ji used to visit Sri Ramana in his teenage years. Chitrabhanu-ji told me, when I was very young, to follow Sri Ramana and study the teachings of the Sage of Arunachala.

It was like magic for me. That was back in 1978 when I rediscovered my connection with Bhagavan. I have never felt the need to follow any other guru.

But each to their own. This is the way of the life and we can only wish the best for others. If someone asks me about gurus, Sri Ramana is the only one I can point to.

Yours in Bhagavan

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Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

You are the Self

Sri Ramana used to say that just like an elephant wakes up upon seeing a lion in the dream, in the same way the devotee wakes up to his own True Reality, upon seeing the Guru in this world dream.

Once someone asked Sri Ramana how could one’s own True Guru be found. The Sage replied, “By intense meditation”. Another time Sri Ramana said that the disciple is more important than the Guru. If the disciple has faith, even a stone can serve as the Guru.

This morning, I am being visited by Dr. Lakshyan Schanzer, a well known Master Yoga Teacher and a Psychologist. Lakshyan has studied with a number of famous Gurus over the last 30 years including Swami Satchitananda, who found the community of Yogaville near Charlottesville, VA, here in the U.S. Lakshyan lived in that community for a while and also visited India to study with other teachers as well.

After Lakshyan and I talk this morning, we will go to an Indian Restaurant called “Rasoi” in Providence, RI for an “all you can eat” vegetarian lunch Buffet. I skipped breakfast in preparation for that anticipated big meal.

I should mention that Lakshyan has studied not only with the traditional Gurus but also spent time with Nisargadatta Maharaj. His account of the visit to Maharaj is on the following url.

https://luthar.com/2007/02/10/meeting-nisargadatta-maharaj-by-dr-lakshyan-schanzer/

Of course, I respect all Gurus and traditions. But my mind has naturally been inclined to Sri Ramana since I was very young. It just does not go in any other direction at all. Ammachi used to come here and many people lined up on their knees to get a hug from her. I respected these devotees but for me such things have absolutely no meaning. I accept that for others, it may be a lifetime experience. No matter how well known or famous or charismatic a Guru, I never feel any attraction other than for the person as a human being.

Sri Ramana is truly like the bright afternoon Sun at the height of the summer for the devotees. When the Sun itself is shining, one does not need candle lights to see the way.

Well, no words can be adequate. Sri Ramana’s devotees from the early 1900s to 1950 were some of the greatest saints and yogis of the day. But they were content to stay in Bhagavan’s shadow. Having found the Heart, one remains in the Heart as the Heart. No other place to go or be except where one already is and what one already is.

Namaste and love to all

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Easy And Natural Is The Way: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

Dear Friends,

Sahaj in Sanskrit means easy and natural.

There is saying in Hindi, “Sahaj pake so meetha hoy.”

It means that easy and natural cooking of food leads it to taste sweet.

It is something like the English saying that soup that simmers slowly or the cake that is baked slowly tastes best in the end.

These are metaphors for life. When we do something with care and love, the results are better. Sometimes we even say that, “this is a labor of love.” When we love what we do, it does not feel like work.

Everything has its nature. When we are true to our own nature, an easy authenticity takes over. Then we are not concerned about impressing others nor worried about how others are judging us.

Nature is showing us the way. Seasons are coming and going. Flowers bloom and then wither. We are breathing in and breathing out.

Easy and natural is the way. Anything else makes it appear that somewhere other than where you already are, is more attractive.

All of these teachings of self-improvement, yoga, meditation methods, breathing techniques might have some meaning to someone at some point in time. Truly these are concepts only for the mind to struggle with. The whole premise of these teachings is that you are not OK just the way you are. Ultimately, it is the most splendid nonsense.

To be easy and natural is the way.

How does one become easy and natural? How does one follow the natural path?

To be easy and natural is, well, it is to be easy and natural; and it is best because it is easy and natural.

It is so simple is it not?

What is not easy and natural will produce inner and outer conflicts. We already have enough of those. Of course, for some people making more conflicts may be easy and natural. In that case, go for it (and you can’t help it anyway).

Being easy and natural in awareness allows for the recognition of the Self, which by its very nature is easy being, natural, and wholeness of awareness aware of itself as its own bliss. There is no good way to express it.

My teacher Chitrabhanu-ji (who was a monk for 29 years) once told me that as a young monk he was very very strict with himself. “Sometimes, too much judgment and discipline can be a form of violence with oneself”, he told me.

Another time when we were talking about gurus, I mentioned many names to him and asked his views of them.

Chitrabhanu-ji knew most of the gurus personally. These included J. Krishnamurti, Swami Muktananda, Sri Chinmoy, Rajneesh (Osho), Swami Chidananda, Swami Rama, Swami Satchitananda, etc.

Those gurus whom he liked, Chitrabhanu-ji would only say, “He is a good man.”

One day Chitrabhanu-ji said to me, “You should never follow a guru.” I looked at him puzzled (because he was my guru, you see).

He smiled and said in his thick Bombay accent, “What if the guru goes crazy and tells you to do strange and crazy and weird things…” I had a good hearty laugh! He added, “that does happen you know….”.  I laughed even harder.

Well, it does happen you know.

As Sri Ramana never tired of saying,… the only true guru is your Heart, your own Self.

So wise sages tell the advanced aspirants to be perfectly natural. Make the effort, if natural. Follow a teaching if it is easy and makes sense.

If something makes no sense, there is no point in following it. So what if it is considered the supreme teaching and so on by someone well known. For all you know, what the supreme and well known people say could all be manure.

Think about it. What do they really know? How can they really know? What can anyone really and truly know?

So rest, if it feels natural to rest. Watch the spiritual parade pass by and not be moved by any teaching. Or join the parade and sing your song.

Your nature will make you act in a certain way. That is why you can be at perfect ease.

Self-remembrance, Awareness aware of itself, Self-abidance, all of these mean the same.

Easy and natural is simply being aware of one’s innate wakefulness through the winds of emotions, colors of life, and changes in scenery.

To the extent one can grasp it, simply remain aware and if you become conscious of some intangible cloud of unknowing which you cannot go through, become comfortable with it, stay with it, and breathe it in and out.

If you meditate on this and become aware, it will dawn on you with clarity. You will see.

Easy and natural is the way.

Namaste

Reality is simply loss of ego - Ramana