~~OM~~
July 1 – July 7
- Be like a fish at the bottom of the ocean. It swims in the mud yet never gets dirty. In the world be like a fish. Do your work but keep your mind on God.
– from Gems of Wisdom - Ramakrishna (in a very relaxed way): The heart of a devotee is filled with love for God. God is present in all existence. You can know that presence tangibly in the heart of a devotee. It’s just like a rich landlord whose authority extends throughout his land, but he stays in one particular house which is his personal estate. People will speak like this, that the heart of a devotee is the special residence of the Lord.
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Eternal Bliss - Ramakrishna: Do you know what the devotion of a devotee is like? He says, “Hey, Bhagavan, you are the lord and I am your servant. You are the mother and I am your child. You are both my mother and father. You are the whole and perfect and I am a part.” Devotees don’t like to say “I am God.” They like to experience the Divine Presence and have the vision of the Supreme Soul. Their main objective is the union of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul.
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Etrnal Bliss - Everyone comes to this world for a different purpose. Everyone comes with their own karma, their own samskaras (tendencies). It is very interesting. – Shree Maa
– from Before Becoming This - Many people want to escape from their minds because they don’t like what they are doing. But if you like what you are doing then you don’t want to escape from anything. Only those people who feel themselves bound seek liberation.
– from Gems of Wisdom - Question to Shree Maa: What’s your reason for coming to the United States?
This whole universe is mine. Where God sends me, that is where I go. For you, this is the United States. For me it is not the United States. For me, it is home.
– from Before Becoming This - Every being is a divine incarnation. But caught in the illusion of our own importance, we forget who we really are. And then we search for liberation from our own bondage. This is the illusion of the Lord of Illusions.
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint
July 8 – July 14
- If we are singing from our hearts for the purpose of sincere prayer, and if we know what we are saying and why we are saying it, and others who can hear our prayers can also understand their meanings, and they also become inspired to pray themselves, then we are doing it correctly. Intention, motivation, sincerity, attention, bhava, and understanding, all go together to make a proper presentation.
– from Pronunciation and the Chandi Samputs - Why are we chanting these mantras? Are we professionals who, for a fee, will propitiate the Gods so that our benefactors will not receive the fruit of their karma? In the Chandi Path, Brahma, Vasistha, and Visvamitra, joined others in cursing the recitation of the Chandi performed with selfish motivation. They said the Chandi Path is a very pure and powerful tool of personal growth and transformation. It is a path to self-realization. Whoever will recite the Chandi Path for selfish motivation will have abused their tool and the tool will no longer work for them. Without the tools, the curse is equivalent to a lifetime without God.
– from Pronunciation and the Chandi Samputs - Intention and motivation set the stage for actions we are to perform. They are most important.
– from Pronunciation and the Chandi Samputs - The sincerity of our devotion is what determines its intensity. Intensity is the measurement of the sincerity of devotion. We pay attention in direct relation to the amount of devotion we feel, and feel to express. Sometimes we feel devotion, but cannot express it. Sometimes we want to express devotion that we do not feel. Other times it comes from the heart, and is expressed in the most pure means, according to the capacity of the individual.
– from Pronunciation and the Chandi Samputs - Sadhana teaches us to express that feeling (devotion) in a regular program of spiritual discipline. After practice, when we sit to create the expression, we automatically feel the sincerity.
– from Pronunciation and the Chandi Samputs - Bhava means feeling, emotion, an intensity of reality. How intensely do we feel it? How real is it when we are doing it? Is this our reality? Or is it merely a passing thought? Bhava allows us to grok the feeling, to intuit the feeling, to unite the feeling, to be at oneness with the feeling, to attune to the feeling, until it is ours.
– from Pronunciation and the Chandi Samputs - Understanding means we understand what we are saying. It is not just on a verbal level, but we know verbally and non-verbally. It means something to us. In fact it means a lot to us. And not just to us. But anyone who hears what we are saying will also be able to understand at least on some level the meaning of our prayer. They will know that we are praying, and may feel moved to pray themselves. They will become inspired to enter our prayer, and there is a transfer of energy which invites them into the mystery of worship.
– from Pronunciation and the Chandi Samputs
July 15 – July 21
- Behold! God is giving us everything without any selfish desire. If we are searching for God we must also renounce selfish desire. When we are giving to God, ultimately we find pure love embracing us and we become absorbed in Divine consciousness.
– from Gems of Wisdom - Inefficiency comes from selfish desire.
– from Gems of Wisdom - Words inscribed in stone are never erased, while what is written on water cannot remain for a moment. Do not allow anger or enmity to remain in your mind any longer than words written upon water.
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint - Shree Maa: When I am one with the soul of existence, how will any one or any thing cause me harm?
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint - Swamiji and I used to travel throughout India visiting temples. Whenever we went to a temple, it was our custom to perform puja, chant and do as much sadhanna as possible in these holy places. Swamiji would usually perform the puja and the sacred fire ceremony, while I would sit in meditation beside him, or accompany him with the offerings. Often I went into Samadhi. Often he did too. That was our life. We would chant and sing, and then go into the deepest meditation.
– from Sahib Sadhu: The White Sadhu - One time we ran out of flowers for puja, Swamiji told us about times in India when He had no flowers for puja. He would simply use the leaves of trees, offering them in and orderly and artistic patterns with the accompanying mantras. He does the same in the United States when necessary.
– from Sahib Sadhu: The White Sadhu - The objective of all of our sadhana and all our practices is to cultivate the tendency to think without selfishness, to think about God.
– from Before Becoming This
July 22 – July 28
- Everything we are doing is worth doing perfectly or it is not worth doing at all.
– from Gems of Wisdom - In whatever direction are situated the respected Guru’s feet, oh Beloved, everyday one should bow down in that direction.
– from The Guru and the Goddess - Serve everyone as God. See God in everyone.
– from Gems of Wisdom - You cut the bonds yourself. All the guru does is sharpen your knife. Become so strong in your faith that you never swerve from you ideal of perfection.
– from The Guru and the Goddess - Question to Shree Maa: Is praying to you the same as praying to God?
Yes. There is no doubt about that. The love of the Guru is the same as the love of God. Both are free of selfishness. Any time you pray without selfishness, all that is divine will respond.
– from Before Becoming This - Ramakrishna: Certainly there is a means of escape from this world. When you have the opportunity, seek out holy men (and women) and from time to time sit in a quiet place and contemplate God. You must always discriminate between God, who is Real and Eternal, and this world, which is a passing dream. Once you have faith, you have all. There is nothing greater than faith.
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Bliss - Ramakrishna: The Vedas have elucidated seven levels of consciousness. The awareness resides in these seven levels of consciousness. When awareness remains in the world of objects and relationships, it is residing in the three lower chakras: the anus, the genitals, and the navel. Then the contemplations don’t move towards the upper chakras. All the mental faculties are devoted to desires and attachments.
– from Ramakrishna: The Nectar of Bliss
July 29 – August 4
- Liberation does not mean going against the flow of nature. It means accepting the flow of nature without attachment.
– from Gems of Wisdom - Question to Shree Maa: What about someone who reads this book or comes to see you at a program and really wants to know God?
Answer: Most people are just curious. They come see me to enjoy themselves. Of five thousand people, maybe one soul is touched and feels the desire to change.
– from Before Becoming This - Presumably all birth takes place in order to finish karma: the birth of every reaction, the birth of every relationship, the birth of every moment, the birth of everybody. That is our function, our purpose. We are all bound by unfinished karma. With this knowledge it behooves us to perform every action as thoroughly and efficiently as possible, so we don’t have to come back to finish our incomplete work.
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess - Mother Nature is always changing. When we deeply intuit and watch for the changes of nature we cease to feel pain.
– from Gems of Wisdom - When we actually perform our karma with efficiency and become free of debt, we in effect attain the highest aim of birth, which is victory over death. We manifest an ideal in our lives. We conform our behavior to the ideal of perfection so we are not just saying the words, but we are feeling what they mean.
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess - The fire is said to burn karma, to purify the actions of the participants, so they become free of the bonds of negativity. All the bondage of thought, the dross of memories, fears and projections, it is all thrown into the fire, along with an assortment of grains mixed with clarified butter.
– from Shree Maa: The Life of the Saint - The ancient prescription for a peaceful way of life: simplify your life-style, be free from debt, appreciate what you do have, think about God, study the scriptures, be diligent in your spiritual practices, seek divine interpretation in all experience.
– from Shree Maa: The Life of the Saint
August 5 – August 11
- Consciousness is the infinite capacity of recognition. Maa Says, “You are aware of the existence of beautiful state of Consciousness, but you do not know where it is. In reality it is everywhere. Do not be foolish. Be fertile soil in which good seeds may easily take root.”
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and The Goddess - Pure Love is beyond duality. There is no desire. It is the perfection of desire.
– from Gems of Wisdom - The path to success in any endeavor is to follow these 9 steps: inspiration, study, practice, refinement, nourishment of divine qualities, purity, overcoming egotistical thoughts, light of wisdom, perfection.
– from Gems of Wisdom - Instead of arguing over how it is being said, seekers should be contemplating what is being said.
– from Pronunciation and the Chandi Samputs - Consciousness is constantly reflecting so at any one time we may be aware of many levels of consciousness. Traditionally there are seven levels of consciousness: bhuh, bhuvah, svah, mahah, janah, tapah, satya.
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess - From the story of Sukdeva, as told by Shree Maa
“Even if you go into the forest with one stick, one asana and one begging bowl, if you maintain attachment, you will constantly be thinking about your possessions. Whereas if you are free from attachment you can rule a country as vast as Mithila and your mind will never be disturbed.”
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess - If you can change those around you yourself, your wife, your children, if you make them divine, isn’t that beautiful? If every individual did that, it would be wonderful.
– from Before Becoming This
August 12 – August 18
- Be true. Say what you mean and do what you say. If you are true you will be without fear. If your conscious is clear your heart will be silent. That is peace, no matter what the result.
– from Gems of Wisdom - Shree Maa: Once we were doing puja in a well known temple in Benares when a group of Brahmin pandits came to me and asked, “Why are you letting a foreigner perform the worship in your festivals? Shouldn’t you honor our traditions and let an Indian Brahmin pandit do your pujas?”I replied without hesitation, When you can do puja as perfectly as Swamiji, I will be pleased to take you with me.
– from Sahib Sadhu: The White Sadhu - Once we had just rented a house in the back hills of Moraga, behind Saint Mary’s College in the San Francisco Bay Area. A few devotees were assisting in building our havan kund, a pit for containing the sacred fire. I took off work early one day to help with the construction. As I came up the drive way, I looked over at the structure and saw Swamiji on his knees in the wet soil, forming the beginnings of our sacrificial fire pit. He was so engrossed in placing the bricks and covering them with mud and cow dung, that he did not notice me. I walked up with wonder, grateful for the privilege being in his company, as he smeared muddy plaster over the bricks with his hands. I thought, “Here indeed is a man who is in love with God.”
– from Sahib Sadhu: The White Sadhu - Maa says that if you can renounce all attachment to your actions you are acting in accordance with dharma.
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess - Ultimately, when we become one with God, we become one with all dharma. All join in the realization of divinity.
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess - Sharing in satsanga your devotion grows.
– from Shree Maa: The Guru and the Goddess - Weapons cannot cut It, fire cannot burn It; water cannot wet It; wind cannot dry It.
– from Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2:23
August 19 – August 25
- Marriage is a contract to serve each other as a constant reminder that we are divine beings manifesting divinity in the world.
– from Gems of Wisdom - The purpose of marriage is to become the divine couple, Shiva and Shakti, who are bound together in inherent and essential character, mutually and reciprocally. If a man puts down his shakti, he destroys his own energy. In order to be raised, he must raise others. What better place to begin than in our own divine partnership.
– from Gems of Wisdom - Question to Shree Maa: “Before coming into this life time, do we decide who we are going to have as a partner?”
Shree Maa: “I believe we do, but it looks like they don’t believe that in this country. They think they choose their partners. But ultimately God does.”
– from Before Becoming This - Shree Maa: All relationships are created by previous karma.
– from Before Becoming This - Shree Maa: When we have an experience of a relationship from a past life, it is not necessarily a romantic attraction. It is not because a deficiency is being fulfilled. When we come together out of past life samskaras, it feels like a partnership between two people working towards a common goal.
– from Before Becoming This - “All my life Ramakrishna has been my Guru, says Shree Maa. I never go anywhere without Thakur’s order. He has ordered me to share unselfish divine love, and so I am doing. The most important accomplishment of human life is self realization. It doesn’t matter what we become, it doesn’t matter what we attain, it doesn’t matter what we possess. All of that is so temporary. It will all be left behind after only a moment’s enjoyment. A well-lived life is one that is full of love and joy and peace and compassion.
– from Shree Maa: The Life of a Saint - Practice discrimination. Ask yourself which desires will bring you closer to God and which ones will take you closer to God and which ones will take you further away from the goal.
– from Gems of Wisdom
August 26 – September 1
- The power of pure love extends equally to all. The knowledge that is gathered from books, the practices of Yoga and Meditation are merely paths to the goal of love. Pure Love is Devotion, Pure Love is our life, Pure Love is Liberation.
– from Gems of Wisdom - By working for the benefit of others, energy increases within us. If you have feelings for others in your heart you will attain the energy of a lion.
– from Gems of Wisdom - Gods make no distinction as to our birth. Everyone is equal in the eyes of God. That is why the family of this universal existence should strive to maintain universal Love for all and to offer wisdom and devotion to all. Then this world can have peace.
– from Gems of Wisdom - In the Kali Yuga charity is supreme. Among all types of giving, the offering of Dharma is the highest.
– from Gems of Wisdom - So much as we search within, so much we find the inner light. That inner light is the delight of our soul and that delight is our Dharma.
– from Gems of Wisdom - By remembering God the confusions of the heart are removed. That is the greatest medicine.
– from Gems of Wisdom - One who observes his or her own faults is a sadhu. Respect is the ornament of a sadhu. A sadhu always seeks to assist others.
– from Gems of Wisdom