Total Thoughts (November 30, 2009): Mumuksutvam (Tattva Bodha pages 30 - 32)

When is enough, enough? What are we going to do about it? How are we going to take the next step? We can only detach from the lower when we attach to the higher, we can only change when we aware of our bondages. Our discussion this week addresses the intense desire to attain liberation, mumuksutvam…

 

Total Thoughts (November 30, 2009):  Mumuksutvam (Tattva Bodha pages 30 - 32)

• As long as we have limitations, feelings of incompleteness, hopelessness, helplessness, we are bound
• Bondage makes us a slave to the world and to our mind. With courage and the correct knowledge that desire for liberation comes when we address our bondages in a changing world and then desire freedom from it.
• Freedom is not an escape. We cannot escape the world or the mind. Instead, we must confront them by understanding what is real and unreal (viveka), by developing dispassion (vairagya), and by controlling our senses: sama, dama, uparati, titiksa, sraddha, and samadhana
• To get rid of our Arjuna disease, we require knowledge, strength, courage, fortitude, and most importantly, trust in our Guru and/or Scripture
• One with strong mumuksutvam reaches the goal. All other qualities also easily accrue to him/her

 

Foundation for our upcoming discussion:  Tattva Bodha pages 32 - 33

Total Thoughts (November 23, 2009): Shraddha & Samadhanam (Tattva Bodha pages 27 - 30)

If we want to go to Mumbai (Moksa), we approach a travel agent (Guru) to make enquiries as to the best mode of transport (sadhana), book our ticket, board the vehicle on time and reach the destination. We control other expenses (the sense organs and the mind) so as to afford the ticket, have faith in the travel agent and the vehicle that transports us (scriptures) and endure all the travails of the journey (titiksa) in order to reach Mumbai (Moksa). We continue our journey this week with the following thoughts…

 

Total Thoughts (November 23, 2009):  Shraddha & Samadhanam  (Tattva Bodha pages 27 - 30)

• Faith is an intrinsic quality to human life. We are all born with it, but we express and identify with it differently.
• Faith is in the unknown. The known requires no faith. Faith encourages enquiry, reflection and realization of the truth.
• It is strengthened through enquiry and culminates in knowledge. As such, there is no such thing as "blind" faith. Faith exists only in the present.
• Just as we have faith in tomorrow's sunrise, or in our next breath, so we must have faith in our Guru and scriptures.
• Our experience is in the limited (mind), yet we use it to project our belief in the world of objects, emotions, and thoughts. Instead, why not project it in the unseen world usingsraddha upon our scriptures.
• To reach this single-pointedness of the mind, one controls the mind (sama) and the senses (dama), withdraws from worldly pursuits (uparama), endures the pin-pricks of life (titiksa) and faithfully follows the path indicated by the Guru and Scriptures (sraddha). The resultant absorption of the mind in the Self is samadhanam.

 Foundation for our upcoming discussion:  Mumuksutvam (Tattva Bodha pages 30 - 33)

Total Thoughts (November 16, 2009): Titiksha (Tattva Bodha pages 25 - 27)

In Shrimad Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna tells Prince Arjuna, 'The one with titiksha (forbearance) is fit for Immortality'.  We have shown the depth of our seeking by giving this spiritual quality it's due importance - 1 1/2 discussions only on titiksha!  What this quality is, why we need this and how to develop this, is shared with all through our Total Thoughts...
  
Total Thoughts (November 16, 2009):  Titiksha (Tattva Bodha pages 25 - 27)

• Each and every day our lives are peppered with the pairs of opposites - these are pain & pleasure for the body, gain & loss for the mind, and victory & defeat for the intellect
• When we succumb to these ever changing situations we become complacent to sorrow - however, when we absorb ourselves in noble pursuits these pairs become less potent (i.e. when feeding the needy one's own hunger fades away)
• The diseases of the body and mind (vyadhi and aadhi) are neutralized by endurance and patience respectively - the world cannot shake one who has developed endurance and patience
• Chosen discipline or tapas (i.e. taking cold showers, etc.) enables one to practice titiksha during forced hardships (i.e. when there is no hot water, etc.) - the more we sweat in peace the less we bleed in war
• The purpose of forbearance, like all other spiritual qualities, is to ensure that our mind is reflecting on the Spirit and not caught up in the mundane - the purpose of reflecting on the Spirit is to rediscover our Joyous Nature, hence the one with titiksha is fit for Immortality

Foundation for our upcoming discussion:  Shraddha & Samadhanam  (Tattva Bodha pages 27 - 30)

Total Thoughts – Monday, Nov 9, 2009 - Observance of one’s own duty

Observance of one's own duty (Tattva Bodha pages  20-24)

•  It is while performing our dharma we are able to use control our senses and continuously withdraw them, to reach a stage where the mind stops reveling in the field objects
•  Uparama is achieved by focusing on every day and occasional karma, while avoiding thoughts and actions driven by atonement, desire and prohibition
•  Beginning with focusing on an ideal, and then by constantly exerting effort to remove and confront ignorance, the texture of the mind changes to become more calmer and decisive
•  With the removal of ignorance, all that remains is the subject aware of the ignorance in the field of objects. Through this constant awareness, the mind exhibits calmness, decisiveness and fortitude.
•  The constant effort then becomes effortless. This ability lies in all.

Total Thoughts – Monday, Nov 2, 2009 - Control of the Senses

Control of the Senses (Tattva Bodha pages 17 - 18)

• By succumbing to the incessant demands of the senses we grow physically and mentally weak - sense control is important for secular success, is required for spiritual success
• All successful people know their minds to a certain degree - with this awareness of themselves they are better able to execute what they set out to
• We have to renew our aspiration to develop discipline for the sense organs - this is facilitated by shama or discipline of the mind
• Whenever we are in a satsanga we are spiritually brilliant and unambiguously peaceful - when we are not in satsanga our strength falters and the only way to remain stong is to 'carry' satsanga everywhere and 'remember' satsanga all the time
• The mind will remain immortal until Self Knowledge shows us the truth of the mind's mortality - compassion, or the ability to suffer with another, is a potent means to drop the erroneous notion of 'my mind'

Total Thoughts – Monday, Nov 12, 2009 - Control of the Mind

Control of Mind (Tattva Bodha page 16 - 17)

• Boredom is a choice - we never ever have to be afflicted by boredom if we develop an interest in all we do
• We should strive to do what we value and value what we do - do we practice either
• By discovering what we are passionate about all negative afflictions like boredom, lack of concentration, restlessness, etc. fade away - to know what we are passionate about requires us to know who we are first
• The projecting mind which causes us to suffer only exists in the past and future - by focusing on the present, only the perceiving mind remains empowering us to excel in any / all fields
• A disciple is one who is ready for discipline - shama is discipline of the mind

Total Thoughts – Monday, Oct 5, 2009 - The Four-Fold Qualification

This past Monday we began reflection upon the nature of objects by using viveka to define the unreal and introduced dispassion, vairāgya, to understand the temporary joy observed from the unreal. Dispassion is the strength to give up the sorrow-giving, impermanent and joyless objects, mentally or physically.

Total Thoughts – Monday, Oct 5, 2009

The Four-Fold Qualification, Tattva-Bodhah, pg 17-19

• As long as we feel that objects have joy, we cannot prevent likes or dislikes for them
• Through constant reflection on the nature of objects we determine firmly that they have no joy
• By giving up impermanent joy through dispassion, we attach ourselves to the Real through constant reflection and right thinking
• Vairāgya and viveka  are forms of right thinking through constant reflection that help us detach from the lower and attach to the higher
• Ones dharma should be performed through vairāgya and out of love for the higher
• Vairāgya fuels viveka, and viveka fuels vairāgya. By serving the ultimate, we function in society with the greatest joy

Foundation for our Upcoming Discussion:  The Six- Fold Wealth

Total Thoughts – Monday, Sep 28, 2009 - The Four-Fold Qualification

• All expressions of life are impermanent, life itself, is permanent
• Change is the only constant in the world. The moment we understand this, the happier we become as we stop pursuing temporary happiness in objects, people, places, things, and time
• By changing our inner perspective through discrimination of real vs. unreal we shed light upon that which brings us closer to Reality
• Even the desire of desirelessness fades as we become our goal, similarly, right thinking becomes our nature once we overcome wrong thinking
• Only with oneness can there be peace, not with duality
• Although limited, we fail to use our body, mind and intellect effectively. We have the power of discrimination, yet we employ it in meaningless actions and thoughts. Through correct thinking and viveka we are able to use the limiting, and go beyond it to the limitless.

  

Foundation for our Upcoming Discussion:  The Four-Fold Qualification, pg17 onward

Total Thoughts – Monday, Sep 21, 2009 - Invocation

Invocation, Chapter 1, Tattva-Bodhah

• Scriptures bring happiness that foster conviction. Conviction leads to knowledge, knowledge leads to discrimination.
• Vedas teach Dharma and Brahman. Dharma is that which we cannot learn by ourselves, Brahman is how to transcend the "I".
• The finite cannot perceive infinity. Therefore, self awareness is not available for direct perception.
• Since Atman is beyond the mind (time, space, causation), it must be infinite. The infinite cannot be 2. Therefore, the Real Man is the omnipresent Spirit. The apparent man is only a limitation of the Real Man.
• Existence and awareness are the same. If there is no awareness, there is no existence. If there is no existence in awareness, awareness doesn't exist.
• Man has the subtle power of discrimination which separates him from other beings. It should be used as a tool to discriminate between that which brings happiness (real) vs that which does not (unreal). It is not restrictive, rather, offers liberation.

  

Foundation for our Upcoming Discussion:  Qualifications required for liberation

Total Thoughts – Monday, Sep 14, 2009 - Tattva Bodha

Tattva-Bodhah (pg 1-5)

• Happiness is within us, outer happiness is fleeting and elusive. It is here and now, and not in the past or the future.
• Anything that is finite is subject to change, anything that changes, cannot bring permanent happiness: time, objects, status, people.
• Sadness is not our natural state, happiness is our true nature.
• We are happiest when asleep. Why? Because there are no thoughts!
• Therefore, happiness is a thoughtless state where there is no "I and my, you and yours…"
• The mind, whose nature is ignorance, cannot lead us to happiness.
• Our query begins with identifying the qualities (tamas, rajas, sattva) of everyday life, and optimizing the sattva in the mind: compassion, love, patience, independence
• "That (Brahman), the Light-of-all lights, is said to be beyond darkness; Knowledge, the Object-of-Knowledge, seated in the hearts of all, to be reached by Knowledge." Srimad Bhagvad Gita, Chapter 13, verse 18.

  

Foundation for our Upcoming Discussion:  Factors required for knowledge

Total Thoughts - May 25, 2009 - The Power of Prayer

• Prayer is the liberation of the mind. Prayer focuses the mind into enabling it to draw upon the equanimity of the universe.
• The irony is that prayer allows us a glimpse into our true state, our natural state, but we instead resort to prayer as an escape.
• Temples are a place of peaceful energy and collective synergy that allows the seeker to benefit from the offerings of those before and around them.
• To a realized master, all their actions are an offering, a prayer, to the world. Likewise, our every action should also be a prayer.
• Real prayer is only possible by being present in the action. We must perform the action without desire and as an offering to God.
• The difference between meditation and prayer is similar to the difference between existence and awareness. In meditation we are existent; in prayer we are aware of our existence.
• "That is whole; this is Whole; from the Whole, the whole becomes manifest. From the Whole, when the whole is negated, what remains is again the Whole." – Our closing prayer

 

Total Thoughts - May 11, 2009 - When to Attach and When to Detach

• Attachments are all the same. It is the nature of the attachment that determines its quality.
• It is the nature of the mind, via ignorance, to seek attachment. The goal is to go beyond the mind to a state of mindlessness. It would then be possible to continue life as an experience, rather than as the experiencer.
• Attachments have a qualitative and quantitative aspect. Qualitative representing the good – bad spectrum, while quantitative reflected in time. Initially, the goal is to shift the qualitative balance to "good" attachments, and eventually the quantitative to less time.
• Attachment to people can be lessened by shifting the thought flow from "worrying" to being "concerned." A worried person is inefficient in the actions and performs out of anger, ignorance and lust. While a concerned person is more effective in their action as they work from single pointedness.
• Since the mind is a thought flow, we should focus our thoughts on nobler attachments.  Japa is the training of the mind in fixing itself to a single line of thinking.
• The more we think, the more we get attached. The attachments can be of a wide spectrum ranging from the tangible (objects) to intangible (knowledge).
• By living in the present we become more aware of our attachments by gauging the direction of our though flow. We begin to understand our obsessions, addictions and disillusionments.

Total Thoughts - May 4, 2009 - Destroying One’s Personality

•  Anger is the key to delusion. By controlling our perceptions we are able to lessen our attachments, and ultimately, we are able to destroy our personality.
• Attachments are developed by constant focus of our thoughts on a particular object. By detaching from that object, i.e. thinking less of it, or better, by giving everything equal importance, we are able to effectively live peacefully.
• By gradually giving up attachments to objects, then to the body, and eventually the mind we are able to rise from the tendencies of the ego.
• Attachments drive and strengthen the ego and veil our true nature and ability to discriminate between right and wrong. We react instead of act. 
• Live in the now! This will culture more patience, knowledge, and wisdom
• The same object can result in different reactions. The goal is to turn our perceptions of the same object from the negative to the positive (peace, harmony, calmness). This begins by being aware of the perception and giving up reaction.
• The perception of control is the stem of route of control. When we loose control, anxiety, regrets and anger develop. Since the nature of the universe is to be in a state of change, control is not possible: Life is 10% what you make it, 90% what you take it
• Anger generates delusion and delusion results in loss of memory. Loss of memory brings about the destruction of discriminative intelligence, and loss of discriminative intelligence spells ruin to a man - Srimad Bhagavad Gita Verse 63, Chapter 2

 

Total Thoughts - April 27, 2009 - How to Mend a Broken Heart

- The less one thinks of an object, being or situation the less one gets attached to the same - the opposite is also true:  the more we think of an entity the more attached we become

 

- Just as Prince Arjuna became impotent on the battlefield due to unintelligent identifications with his relatives so too we often become impotent when we give undue importance to objects, beings and situations - all serve a purpose and we have to appreciate what that purpose is, not more nor less

 

- Objects do not have the characteristic of attachment intrinsic to them - attachment is created entirely by our mind

 

- Our attachment should be uniform rather than selective - this is unconditional Love

 

- How ironic that we continue to cling to objects, beings and situations which are forever changing - other than sorrow what do we expect to arise from such thoughtless living

 

- When we come to appreciate that Joy is within we become independent, empowered - we then go about engaging in our responsibilities in a spirit of service where there are no expectations

 

- By attaching to the more noble, detachment to the mundane becomes effortless - this is the whole premise of our discussions, to think more and more nobly

Total Thoughts - April 20, 2009 - How Real is the World

- The same object, being or situation tends to be experienced differently by different entities - are we all living and interacting with the same world then

- Living is a collection of experiences governed by our limited body, mind and intellect - perception is just proportionate to our state of mind

- The nature of every object, being and situation is finitude and so subject to change - Real is defined as that which is not subject to change (Know That to be indestructible by which all this is pervaded.  None can cause the destruction of That, the Imperishable - Srimad Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Shloka 17)

-Considering we are able to recognize change proves there is a changeless facet to who we are - the only Real aspect to the inner and outer universe is Existence - Awareness (Sat - Chit)

-Sans Existence there would be nothing - we have to slowly begin to appreciate the Existence behind the countless forms and names we experience

-The universal, unchanging aspect of every experience is Awareness - sans Awareness we would know nothing so should our focus be on what we are aware of or Awareness Itself

-Only when we begin to appreciate the Absolute (Existence - Awareness) will we be able to appreciate Oneness - without this appreciation we will always be subject to sorrow

Total Thoughts - April 6, 2009 - Love

-There is a difference between being lonely and being alone - a lonely person is afraid of silence and tries to escape this through objects, beings and situations while a person being alone appreciates silence

-Detachment without reattachment is impotent - our personalities need to evolve by gradually detaching from our self to serve our family, detach from our family to serve our community, and finally detach from our community to serve all

-When our Love is directed towards a lower entity (i.e. an object) this is called sneha and is selfish in nature - when our Love is directed towards a higher entity (i.e. the needy) this is called prema and is selfless in nature

-Love is the reward of Love - to desire Love is to be a beggar of Love

-As long as there is fear in one's heart, there cannot be Love - Self Knowledge dispels fear and so instills Love

-The key to Enlightenment is Love - the more we immerse ourselves in prema the more we discover our Divine Nature

-A Master Loves His friend and foe equally - we learn the most from those who need our Love the most so loving difficult people is best for our growth

-To be able to give Love one first has to have Love - just as we need to have faith in our self to have faith in others, in the same way we need to Love our self to be able to Love others

-Real Love is when two entities join not to become 2, rather to become 3 - Love transforms work into inspiration with efficiency as its result

Total Thoughts - March 30, 2009 - Wealth and Spirituality

-Spirituality is life - the more we reflect on our experiences the more we come to appreciate this fundamental and profound truth

-Karma is a product of ignorance - as soon as we rediscover our Infinite Nature there is no entity to incur and exhaust karma, only an instrument for the Divine to act through

-Society is not concerned about our needs and wants, rather only capitalizes on our weaknesses (i.e. if you are not wealthy and beautiful you are inferior) - we have to be concerned with our needs and wants and not succumb to the fear which society tends to educate and instill in us

-When we live with a yajna bhava (spirit of sacrifice and service) every moment becomes spiritual - with such a vision one comes to Love all and no thing, being or situation can touch such a personality

-The mind can only function when it is attached to something - it cannot function and be detached concurrently (As the 'ignorant' men act from attachment to action, O Bharata, so should the 'wise' men act without attachment, wishing welfare for the world --- Srimad Bhagavad Gita Verse 25, Chapter 3)

-Desire is that threat which prevents knowledge from transforming into wisdom - when we want, we stop being aware

-The Infinite must be sought in that alone which is Infinite, our Spirit - the body, mind, intellect and ego, where we tend to seek answers, will always keep us in realm of limitations

-The difference between materialism and spirituality is not physical (have or have not), rather mental (want or want not) - all we have to do is recognize that Joy comes from within and not without, then detachment becomes simple and seductive

Total Thoughts - March 16, 2009 - The Man of God Realization

• A realized master can be anyone amongst us - we cannot assess their knowledge based on how they look, act, etc.
• Finite rules cannot apply to the Infinite - the Infinite is the universe but is not limited by it
• The relationship between Spirit and matter is not in terms of cause and effect, rather is only a superimposition of names and forms - as such we should not judge anyone and treat everyone as the Spirit
• The Self is impartial - the Self is the essence of Lord Krishna, Bhagavan Buddha, Jesus Christ, a saint, a sinner, a lunatic, a child, you, i and all equally (I am the same towards all beings.  None is hateful, and none is dear to Me.  But those who worship Me with devotion dwell in Me, and I too dwell in them. --- Verse 29 of Chapter 9 of Srimad Bhagavad Gita)
• An Enlightened Personality is no longer identified with the finite and so is not subject to the limitations of the body, mind, ego, etc. - we in our ignorance identify with the finite equipments and so have chosen to be limited
• A modern portrayal of what a Realized Master can do is, the freed Neo within the Matrix - Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda is a dynamite account of the same capabilities
• How to know if one is merged in God Consciousness - is there an extra glow; are they equanimous in all conditions; have they unbroken love, endless tolerance, limitless cheerfulness, patience and education; are they kind and benign; do they radiate warmth of the soul; do they command silently the agitations in your hearts, do you feel divinized, enlightened, encouraged and comforted in their presence, etc.

Total Thoughts - March 9, 2009 - The Logic of Incarnations

• Every effect has a cause and if the cause is taken away there can be no effect - similarly, multiple effects can have a single cause
• Time is the measurement of change - time does not exist where an entity does not change (i.e. Brahman)
• Creation is beginning-less for time only came into effect after creation changed - we cannot say 'when' creation began for 'when' relates to time which only came afterwards
• God is not the cause for creation God is creation - this creation is simply God with different names and forms similar to the idea that all is energy which cannot be created nor destroyed but only takes different manifestations
• God is Infinite and there is nothing which is exclusive of Infinity - this means us, all objects, beings and situations are all God
• We assume our differences are real / important due to spiritual ignorance - when we begin to live spiritually we come to appreciate that our differences are only functional (i.e. to an Enlightened personality a clod of clay and a brick of gold have different utility but the same value / importance)
• If we live with the notion that tomorrow we will be happy, happiness today will never come - if we live with the notion that we will be happy today, unhappiness tomorrow will never come

Total Thoughts - March 2, 2009 - When Did Creation Start

• Every effect has a cause and if the cause is taken away there can be no effect - similarly, multiple effects can have a single cause
• Time is the measurement of change - time does not exist where an entity does not change (i.e. Brahman)
• Creation is beginning-less for time only came into effect after creation changed - we cannot say 'when' creation began for 'when' relates to time which only came afterwards
• God is not the cause for creation God is creation - this creation is simply God with different names and forms similar to the idea that all is energy which cannot be created nor destroyed but only takes different manifestations
• God is Infinite and there is nothing which is exclusive of Infinity - this means us, all objects, beings and situations are all God
• We assume our differences are real / important due to spiritual ignorance - when we begin to live spiritually we come to appreciate that our differences are only functional (i.e. to an Enlightened personality a clod of clay and a brick of gold have different utility but the same value / importance)
• If we live with the notion that tomorrow we will be happy, happiness today will never come - if we live with the notion that we will be happy today, unhappiness tomorrow will never come

Reincarnation - Total Thoughts (February 9, 2009)

Reincarnation

-When taken as a fact, reincarnation allows a greater understanding of "Why some are born kings and other beggars" - in turn we become more cognisant of our decisions, choices and tendencies

-Reincarnation is of the mind wherein it takes up a different body - the mind can live sans a body but the body cannot live sans a mind

-Every action of ours directly impacts those around us - our past has scripted our present associations i.e. why we were born in a particular family and have particular friends, etc.

-All of our karmas are tied together - there are no random relations

-Conviction of reincarnation allows for a more peaceful life because we begin to live for ALL of our lives

-Reincarnation is a motivation for change - since our vasanas (tendencies) are carried from one life to another, we should strive to cultivate more spiritual vasanas

-Evasion of responsibility is a sin - so committing suicide is the greatest sin

-Reincarnation demystifies death - if we appreciated this truth we would stop living in fear of death and change

The Law of Karma - Total Thoughts (February 2, 2009)

The Law of Karma

-The Law of Karma only applies to the ego - when we Realize the Self there is no cause and effect

-Our present life (prarabdha) has been fashioned from our past karmas (sanchita) and our future life will be fashioned from our past and present karmas (agami) - the Law of Karma has everything to do with who we were, are, and will be

-Even the opportunity to think about the Law of Karma is enough to be thankful for let alone being guided on understanding this Law - our discussions create and emanate peace and joy

-We tend to relate good and bad with what others are doing and the reasons why they are doing - when we remove the idea that we are the 'doers' this painful dichotomy crumbles

-We need to curtail the activities of the subjective mind (mind) and encourage the functioning of the objective mind (intellect) - by doing so we overcome our likes and dislikes and begin to focus on what our duty is

-Cause and effect, the Law of Karma, as you sow so you reap, what goes around comes around, etc. are all different expressions of the same principle

-Any choice that causes us anxiety and sorrow tends to be wrong - any choice which creates peace and joy tends to be right

-There is only Life - there is nobody who lives a life

President Obama's Inaugural Address - Total Thoughts (January 26, 2009)

President Obama's Inaugural Address
The Making of a Spiritual Student

-Can a spiritual leader be a political leader as well (i.e. Mahatma Gandhi) - can a political leader be a spiritual leader as well (i.e. President Obama)

-President Obama has offered more guidance than action - is he any different than a spiritual leader

-The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan Buddhists and the political leader of the Tibetan people - He is proving one can function in both the spiritual and political realms

-Is governance more effective in guiding society (i.e. being policed not to do something) or is education more effective in guiding society (i.e being taught not to do something)

-Does America suffer from the Arjuna disease - is knowledge essential for progress

-By acknowledging the Scriptures and past leaders, President Obama is seeking to empower everyone by showing everyone true possibility

-President Obama is inclusive in his message - his inaugural address was to the world's citizens rather than democrats or Americans alone

-President Obama has understood there will be disagreements in how to guide the country, while at the same time promises to listen - this simple practice has increased the awareness of spirituality worldwide

-"History will judge you not by what you destroy, but by what you build." - in our daily lives, how often do we strive to have constructive comments / ideas

-In his speech, President Obama makes several references to Scriptures and history to draw inspiration in trying to resolve our present problems - how often do we read our Scriptures

-President Obama's address is more spiritual than religious - the universal nature of this message is what has moved so many

-Religious ignorance is best countered with spiritual study - and spirituality can be a part of every moment if we choose so

-To experience Absolute Liberation (i.e. transcending ignorance) we have to experience relative Liberation (i.e. transcending laziness, anger, doership, etc.)

-Giving up the idea of mine and me is difficult - we still have to try

-Realization is achievable right here, right now - if we do not believe this truth, Realization will always be somewhere else at some other time

-Only the present is available to us - having regrets about the past or anxieties about the future is inefficient living

-Enlightenment is permanent Joy whereas all you and i know is fleeting happiness - for an Enlightened personality no Joy can be added or taken away

-When thinking about Liberation, we are closer to this goal than when we began - so we should never stop thinking about Liberation.

Ancient Scriptures for Modern Attitudes - Total Thoughts (January 19, 2009)

Ancient Scriptures for Modern Attitudes

-Scriptures are based on philosophical thought that has remained constant through time - though we know the interpretation of scriptures has changed depending on prevailing perception

-Scriptures are a representation of the Truth - hence they were applicable, are applicable and will be applicable

-Faith is essential in learning from scriptures - we should persevere and not let confusion hinder our striving

-Confusion can be a indication of progress - confusion may be that first step away from ignorance and towards knowledge

-We should take the time to understand our scriptures - if we do we will begin to understand how relevant their message is to our present life i.e how Prince Arjuna is really you and i

-We should allow ourselves to understand multiple perspectives - by reinventing our perception we encourage self growth

-Living in the present alone can give true happiness - we should practice being proactive and do our best at all times without worrying about the results

-With right thinking formidable tasks can be made less formidable i.e. by reading 2 shlokas per day we can read the entire Srimad Bhagavad Gita in a year - the same is true for all challenges i.e. losing weight, waking up earlier, cleaning your room, etc.

What is Morality - Total Thoughts (January 11, 2009)

What is Morality?
Is Morality Inborn or Cultivated?

-By being more aware or paying attention we are better able to align our thoughts (within) and actions (without) - when there is no conflict between our thoughts and actions there is peace of mind

-Finding the root of alignment or misalignment is important to being happy - we should ask ourselves what influences these possibilities

-We need not conform to society's views with the assumption that society is right - we need to ask ourselves what is right for us

-Morals and ethics gauge / affect all that we do - appreciating this fact helps us to cultivate appropriate morals and ethics

-We should accept that alignment between our morals and ethics is not easy - the next step would be to understand why we compromise on either

-We tend to be unsure whether morals are instilled (nature) or developed (nurture) - we should continue to reflect on this to better understand ourselves

-Confusion is not necessarily negative - confusion can be that step away from ignorance and towards knowledge

-The more sincere we question, the more sincere an answer will be revealed

The Vedantic Method - Total Thoughts (November 10, 2008)

The Vedantic Method

-What is learning - in the spiritual realm, how can we use finite perceptions to conceptualize the Infinite

-The difficulty begins with our conditioning of using finite words to define finite experiences relating to finite concepts

-The key is to realize there is more than meets the eye and to look beyond the words

-This is the nature of our Upanishadic mantras, Zen koans, etc., that challenge the mind/intellect to its limit - with deeper reflection the limits disappear leaving not awareness of any 'thing' rather only Awareness

-Focusing on the silence between two thoughts guides us in the unlearning process - what is the nature of this Silence

-Amazing that we think we are able to have complete experiences without even having understood the nature of experience, i.e. the experiencer (man), the experienced (object) and the experiencing (event joining the experiencer and experienced)
BUT who is actually experiencing - do we really know ourselves

-No experience is complete unless all three factors of an experience are known

-Can someone attain enlightenment independent of the Scriptures/Guru - why can't i start my own religion

-Someone trying to understand a baseball game ('Infinite') has to understand the rules, the sequence and the purpose of each strategy and play, before actually knowing/experiencing baseball - similarly, we need to need to follow the Scriptures/Guru to actually know what Awareness is thereby enabling us to actually seek Awareness

-To reach a finite goal trial and error is possible - to reach an Infinite goal, trial and error will only keep us in the finite

-To define the Truth is to defile the Truth - the Truth will always be the Truth only regardless of whether it is called black, white, brown, etc.

-There are examples of enlightened people who reached Awareness without the Scriptures/Guru, how is this explained - it is understood that the impressions of our previous lives influence our tendencies; therefore, logically the Scriptures/Guru-shishya Parampara must have been observed in their previous lives

-Our Scriptures/Guru state that the following are the means to realization: shravanam (listening), mananam (reflection) and nidhidhyasanam (meditation) - by engaging in these means repeatedly we will eventually reach Awareness

-It should be noted that meditation is not a verb, but a noun - meditation is our True Nature

-In sleep, intoxication, etc, there is absorption of mind ('samadhi'), however on emerging from such a state we are the same sad entities - only when we achieve absorption of mind (samadhi) through reflection on Self Knowledge do we emerge as glorious personalities.

Drowned - Coated, Suited, Booted! - Total Thoughts (November 3, 2008)

Drowned - Coated, Suited, Booted!

-Since 1/3rd of our lives is passed in the dream/sleep state we truly need to reevaluate our attachments in the waking state - this begins with questioning what we believe and understand to be a dream (unreal) versus waking (real)

-We need to reanalyze our Needs vs.Wants - a catalyst to this self study is reflecting on the temporary and changing nature of our wants

-In order to identify our most 'basic' wants, we need to keep on removing our potentially 'excess' wants to the point where our happiness is unaffected (critical point) - the remaining wants are 'necessary' for our happiness at that point

-Why do we call it the pursuit of happiness - the pursuit itself implies/concludes being unhappy

-When Absolutely Happy (Liberated) there is no perception of happiness, there is only BEING which is Happiness - similar to how Existence just IS

-What we determine to be important is based on what is real i.e. casually dismissing the happenings of a dream - if we begin to challenge our assumption of what is real, challenging what is important must follow suit and so our whole life must change

-The mind makes us believe what is real and unreal - without the mind what would happen

-The mind is the creator of time and space and therefore the entire universe is a creation of the mind

-If we start observing ourselves as in a dream we will begin to reassess the value we give to objects, people and situations - at the end of the day then none could cause us sadness

-What proof is there that we are not in a spiritual hallucination where we have come to think we are separate from each other

Total Thoughts (October 6, 2008)

The Goal

-We need goals to reach our purpose - goals provide us with a journey

-Having a goal brings focus into our life

-How we achieve the goal is more important than the goal - it is not what we achieve, but how we achieve it - attitude makes all the difference.

-A goal must be our own and not what someone else has placed in front of us - this will make us dedicate ourselves

-Are we playing for the game or for money - do we need money to create future happiness

-If we surrender to our goal we will achieve the best results

-The highest goals are the ones that make those around us happy and so brings us peace

-If we choose monetary or self fulfilling goals we may be left with the thought of...what next

-The goals that are above our own needs and those of our family can prove to be the most rewarding

Total Thoughts (September 29, 2008)

The Need for a Guru

-More than us seeking the Guru, the Guru seeks us

-The Guru takes us beyond the facts and knowledge of a book - the Guru teaches through his experiences and interactions with a shishya (disciple)

-The Guru seeks us once we have reached a certain level of mental purity and spiritual readiness - we must strive to purify our minds

-The more sincerely we seek, the stronger our answers and responses will be

-Being open to everyone, being open to what everyone has to teach and being open to having a Guru is important

-There can be many Gurus but only one Satguru - the Satguru teaches/shows us the Truth

-'Chin-Mudra' is that posture where the index finger touches the thumb while all other fingers are straight - this symbolizes the ego (index) becoming one with the Self (thumb) - on the spiritual path unlike the secular path, the ego points inwards and the spiritual seeker does not blame the world for anything

-Our intellect is our Guru but we are not ready to follow the intellect's guidance - hence we rely on external Gurus

-A Tree falls in a forest but no one hears it - does it make a sound?