Remembering Bhagavan Ramana: By Krishna Bhikshu

I went to Arunachala for the first time with Sri Rami Reddi. We had our food in the town and then went to the Ashrama. In those days there was very little there – a hut for Bhagavan and another over his mother’s samadhi (place of burial). Bhagavan had just finished his food and was washing his hands. He looked at us intently. “Did you have your food?” He asked. “Yes, we had it in town.” “You could have had it here,” he replied.

I stayed with him for three days. He made a great impression on me. I considered him to be a real Mahatma, although his ways were very simple. Most of the cooking was done by him in those days. The Ashrama lived from hand to mouth and usually only rice and vegetable soup were prepared.

When I was about to leave, I asked Bhagavan: “Bhagavan, kindly show me a good path.” “What are you doing now?” he asked. “When I am in the right mood, I sing the songs of Tyagaraja and I recite the holy Gayatri. I was also doing some pranayama but these breathing exercises have upset my health.”

Bhagavan said, “You had better stop them. But never give up the Advaita Dristhi (non dual vision).” At that time I could not understand his words. Continue reading “Remembering Bhagavan Ramana: By Krishna Bhikshu” →

Embracing Spiritual Diversity: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

Sage remains still.001We often have the idea that our spiritual and religious beliefs and truths are absolute. However, psychologists tell us that where we are born, how we are brought up, the values of our parents and friends, and systems of education we are exposed to have an enormous influence on our thinking and how we perceive reality. Continue reading “Embracing Spiritual Diversity: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar” →

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.

Continue reading “What Is Spiritual Enlightenment? By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar” →

The Professor and the Sage – Part 1

Professor N.R. Krishnamurthy Aiyer Speaks:

I am now ninety-two years old and I first met Sri Ramana Maharshi in the summer of 1914, when I was just a boy of sixteen. We were then on a pilgrimage to Tirupati and had halted in Tiruvannamalai, from where my grandmother hailed. We were not strangers to this town.

In the pilgrim party there were half a dozen boys, all of whom were about my age. We all decided to go up to Virupaksha cave. The Maharshi was then residing there and was attentive to all the activities of us youngsters. I noticed his gaze particularly focused on me.

Bhagvan Ramana in his youth

We were all playing with the conch shell. The sadhus used to blow this shell like a horn when they went into town to beg for alms. Continue reading “The Professor and the Sage – Part 1” →

Face of Fullness: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar

There are no free thoughts;
the gate to freedom exists
within the eye of the I.

It may be known
when you are alone
and completely empty.

Or when lovers meet
to spend their passions
and rest in the heart. Continue reading “Face of Fullness: By Dr. Harsh K. Luthar” →

Sita Sings The Blues — A phenomenal retelling of the epic Ramayana through animation, 1920s jazz songs, contemporary commentary and one woman’s inspiration

A few months ago, a friend of mine suggested I see an animated movie called Sita Sings The Blues — he even went so far as to bring a Netflix DVD over and leave it in the temple where I live.  “Just send it back once you’ve seen it,” he told me.

To be honest, I didn’t feel very attracted to watch the movie.  My friend had mumbled something about, “It’s really great, it’s the Ramayana with 1920s blues songs… and all the characters from the epic tale are there..!”  and somehow the description sounded lame, over all, so I passed on it.

I think we sent the DVD back to Netflix, unseen.

Sita, Rama, and Hanuman
A scene from Sita Sings The Blues

Continue reading “Sita Sings The Blues — A phenomenal retelling of the epic Ramayana through animation, 1920s jazz songs, contemporary commentary and one woman’s inspiration” →

Essential Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi

In the following extract from Gems from Bhagavan, we are reminded of the essence of Bhagavan Ramana’s teaching and inspired to realize the True Self. Continue reading “Essential Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi” →

The Quest_To Love Or To Be Loved: By Alx Uttermann

Giving Love To Get Love, Oh Dear!

In my early years, in life and in spiritual searching, my primary motivation in life was to be loved; there seemed to be such a lack of love, cumulatively, in my own experience, everywhere I turned. (Extreme heartbreak, depression, loss, family trauma and other factors had all contributed to this perception.) Continue reading “The Quest_To Love Or To Be Loved: By Alx Uttermann” →

Mother Kali: By Alx Uttermann

AMMA

I have walked the ground where they made you, Mother
whirling with dust & wind
my mouth dry & pacing
the sound of your eternal hum in my ears
whipping my mind into you
whipping all minds into you
melting all Mind. Continue reading “Mother Kali: By Alx Uttermann” →

Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi: by Alan Adams Jacobs

Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi
by Alan Adams Jacobs

Boundless Bliss flooded the Heart of Beauteous Mother Earth,
A  Sage came as Ramana to save us, he took a human birth. Continue reading “Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi: by Alan Adams Jacobs” →