Children Are Our Treasure And Future

In every generation, in every field, from sciences and humanities to business and politics, it is the young people who lead the way. Between the ages of 12 and 17, many children are already close to reaching the height of their creativity and intellectual powers. These gifts and abilities that shine at a young age continue to be developed and refined well into their 20s, 30s, and 40s.

In Chess, sometimes children become International Masters by the age of 11 (see the case of Praggnanandhaa of India). The youngest Grandmaster of Chess (Karjakin of Ukraine) achieved that distinction by the age of 13. The same thing happens in Mathematics, Music, and Sciences and we see prodigies everywhere breaking new ground in their fields and advancing society. Albert Einstein put forward his General Theory of Relativity at the age of 26 and published four major papers that revolutionized the whole field of physics.

In Business also, we clearly see the extraordinary talents of the young people as entrepreneurs and innovators who are founders of some of the biggest companies in tech today. Young people see the world with fresh eyes and have a tremendous capacity to come up with novel approaches to address challenges faced by society. It happens in the spring of youth. Energy, intelligence, sensitivity, and passion come together to ignite a volcano of creative energy.

Children are our treasure and our future. We have a sacred responsibility to protect them from fear and harm and nurture them in every way so they can fulfil their potential. As an educator, I feel deep pride when I see young people in high schools and colleges, and universities, find their voice and become leaders. There is no other choice but for talented young people to come forward and take leadership roles in every field including business and public service. 

Free style interpretation of Ashthavakra Gita verses 3.9 to 3.14

Whether honored or tormented, in laughter or tears
the wise man, who is aware of his Self-Nature
does not see the body and mind as his own
and releases them to their natural ways.
Freedom from duality comes from Self-Knowledge
and reveals the joy that takes one beyond all sorrows.

________________________________

Here are the original verses from the Asthavakra Gita 3.9-3.14

Whether feted or tormented, the wise man is always aware of his supreme self-nature and is neither pleased nor disappointed. 3.9

The great-souled person sees even his own body in action as if it were someone else’s, so how should he be disturbed by praise or blame? 3.10

Seeing this world as pure illusion, and devoid of any interest in it, how should the strong-minded person feel fear, even at the approach of death? 3.11

Who can be compared to the great-souled person whose mind is free from desire even in disappointment, and who has found satisfaction in self-knowledge? 3.12

How should a strong-minded person who knows that what he sees is by its very nature nothing, consider one thing to be grasped and another to be rejected? 3.13

An object of enjoyment that comes of itself is neither painful nor pleasurable for someone who has eliminated attachment, and who is free from dualism and from desire. 3.14

Death and Self-Realization

It is the ancient teaching of sages and scriptures that our mental state at the time of death determines our next birth. If at the time of death, we fully surrender to the Lord, the Universal Being, then we merge in God and are freed from all sorrows.

We usually think of that at the time of death what we have loved and thought about during life. Hence the purest souls who have devoted their whole life to serving the God of Love merge in that Universal Love immediately at the time of death and achieve complete liberation.

Continue reading

The Nature of Now

Without a calm mind, one cannot experience the ultimate reality, the underlying oneness, as one’s own Self.

Spiritual practices (prayer, meditation, deep breathing, yoga) have value because they remove the agitation of the mind.

A peaceful mind, steady in awareness, can understand the purest teaching at the most subtle level.

Therefore the practical advice of the sages is to not bother anyone and not be bothered by others.

To reach the highest state and to know one’s own Heart as the Self, one has to become absolutely indifferent to both external and internal perceptions.

i-am-the-now

Aids To Self Enquiry: By Alan Jacobs

Aids To Self Enquiry: By Alan Jacobs

Luthar.com

“Those who leave the path of Self Enquiry, the way of liberation, and wander off along the myriad forest tracks, will encounter only confusion”. Bhagavan Ramana.

Bhagavan27

Self Enquiry is the Direct Path and Bhagavan’s great contribution for the modern age for all. 

Self Enquiry is the backbone of the main weapon in Bhagavan’s teaching for eliminating the vasanas, tendencies and vrittis, the thought forms which act as a veil and occlude your Real Self.

View original post 676 more words

Paradox Of The Mind: By Alan Jacobs

Paradox of the Mind: By Alan Jacobs

Luthar.com

“Oh Mind, do not waste your life in roaming outside, pursuing wonders and wallowing in enjoyments. To know the Self through grace and to abide in this way firmly in the Heart is alone worthwhile.” [1]

This relevant quotation leads us to consider that what we term ‘mind’ can be conceived as a great paradox. From one standpoint it is a benevolent friend but from another it is a malicious enemy.

View original post 1,111 more words

The Most Powerful Yoga

Image (4) lak_Instructing.jpg for post 104

Meet your own self. Be with your own self, listen to it, obey it, cherish it, keep it in mind ceaselessly.

You need no other guide. As long as your urge for truth affects your daily life, all is well with you.

Live your life without hurting anybody.

Harmlessness is a most powerful form of Yoga and it will take you speedily to your goal.

This is what I call nisarga yoga, the Natural yoga.

It is the art of living in peace and harmony, in friendliness and love.

The fruit of it is happiness, uncaused and endless.

Nisargadatta Maharaj in “I Am That”

Give Up The Sense Of Doership ~ Sri Ramana

Give up the sense of doership

Bhagavan Ramana says in Talk 41 (Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi) that one should give up the sense of doership in order to be free from the bondage of birth and death. Bhagavan is saying that karma pertains to the body/mind. If we give up the sense of doership, the karma will go on or drop away. Either way, it is not our concern.

Continue reading

“Mind Your Own Business”, said Ramana Maharshi

The sun is simply bright


One day, one of the devotees came to Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi and said in an excited whisper, “Look, Bhagavan! Just look at that man! ” Everyone turned to look. We saw a gentleman who was asleep, swaying back and forth. The devotee who had approached Bhagavan complained, “I have been watching him for the past few days. He always sleeps in Bhagavan’s presence.”

Continue reading

Giving to others is really giving to oneself ~ Sri Ramana

10411038_10152864969229631_6807191050676103993_n

Bhagavan says, “Giving to others is really giving to oneself.” Bhagavan continues, “If one knows this truth, would one ever remain without giving?” (See Chapter XIII “Gems from Bhagavan.” Bhagavan here states the fundamental truth of reality at every level.

Continue reading