The most important thing we can give our children is the knowledge pertaining to the true Self — that It is birthless and deathless — along with the methods that clear the veils that conceal this inherent knowledge from our minds.  As Swami Vivekananda declares in his lecture, “Freedom of the Soul”, nothing makes us so moral as this knowledge that the Self and God are one, and that we, ourselves, are responsible for our destiny and never bound by matter, Nature [paraphrased].

SRV’s mission – setting the feet of humanity on the path of universal Truth – takes two intrinsically related approaches.  First, the householder, the working person, the family person, the grandparent, aunts and uncles, must be taught the Vedanta and other darshanas for the removal of ignorance* so they cannot only free themselves, but be examples for the younger generation.  Second, children and youth must be given deep and comprehensive teachings so that those who are to raise families will be natural teachers of their children from birth; so that those who remain single will serve a high ideal in all their activities; so that those who are called to a dedicated spiritual life will have the opportunity to recognize this and find support for it.  

In this issue’s offering, a student residing in Oregon’s only women’s correctional facility writes to one of her Vedanta mentors.  As spiritual aspirants, we all struggle with seeing God in others.  For most of us this struggle takes place in our family and work place.  For others, this struggle takes place in the prison community, sometimes under dire circumstances. 

I live with someone who is….well…a bit different?  It is crazy.  Six years ago there would not be anyone who could force me to share a cell with this person. A lot of times I get frustrated with where I “think” I am spiritually, and where I actually am at.  I feel as though I have not grown.  I want a spiritual breakthrough.  I get irritated with sitting for meditation as I struggle to get 45 minutes in, let alone an hour.  Or eight!  I experience much chitta (restless thoughts).  I have wanted to know what it is like to “see” through the eyes of the Divine.

Living with this person has brought me some subtle confirmation.  I found in my own experience that spiritual breakthroughs are not one-time occurrences, and will come in many different forms.  But all are “my own.”  No one else can tell me about them.  Only my Self knows.  It is such a freeing feeling to “know.”  I know these are all “just” an inkling or a taste, but I have come a ways from where I was some ten years ago.

One word I remember you told me once in one of your letters – “perseverance.”  In all honesty, it is a practice I do not always care for.  I do, however, work at it.  I’ll tell you a story.  True story.

Children’s Class in San Francisco
Saturday, April 21
According to the tradition that we have now established over several years, the children first practiced their meditation posture and a few cycles of basic pranayam to calm body and mind.  We then offered a simple arati at the altar, the children joining in with bells, and everyone, parents too, offering flowers.  When we were all settled in this peaceful mood, Babaji came in to give us instructions on meditation.