GAUDAPADA RETREATAt night, one shuts out the outer senses and takes on the inner senses. Therefore we have subtle elements and subtle senses too. Turn your senses off; then the objects will go away.Turn off your mind, and the senses and objects will both go away. Then search for origins. The soul creates the rays of the mind, which are …
Thank You – Almost There!
Many of you received our Fundraising Update and appeal on August 31. Immediately, we received over $1,000 in donations and end of year pledges! We still need $8,000 to finish our financial obligations for the year. [missed that email? click here.] Speaking plainly, we sent the appeal out to 250 people, but only 4 people have responded. We need everyone’s …
Spring / Summer 2014
Class notes from April 20 – July, 2014 Seeding Future LivesQ: Vedanta says that the waking state seeds the dream state. But we also hear that the realm of the waking state is projected by the mind as it moves from the deep sleep state to the dream state. This sounds like a chicken and egg situation. Can you explain …
Reflection: Seattle Sivaratri Retreat
March 2014 Babaji’s teachings at the Seattle retreat opened up my mind to the wisdom teachings of the ancient sages and seers. His book, “Reclaiming Kundailini Yoga.” helped me understand the chakras and their true purpose. I then read his new book, “Dissolving the Mindstream.” Babaji’s books are filled with visual charts that aid our minds in following the spiritual …
And Mother Claps Her Hands…
When the teachings of Vedanta are encountered by a soul that is ripe and ready to hear these Eternal Truths, an irresistible attraction ensues which draws the devotee ever deeper into this sublime philosophy. By way of illustration, Sri Ramakrishna once narrated an amusing and interesting story: “One day a farmer was working in his garden. When he stopped to …
A Radiant Regimen
Namaste SRV students, devotees, and blessed readers of Munda Mala: We find ourselves at the beginning of another Spring season, brooking an auspicious Gaudapada Karika Retreat on the Columbia River Gorge in late May. The transmigrating collective mind of humanity floats in such teachings of Nonduality, and in other precious ethers of dharmic consistency; it is all a matter of …
Winter/Spring 2014
Class Notes January – April 15, 2014 MeditationFormless meditation, maintaining one-pointedness for a long time (tailadhara dhyan), neither negates nor destroys God with form or the meaningfulness of Avatar’s Lila; it simply brings those two eternal principles inward and gives them consummate meaning. Knowledge is now vast, infinite, and when one returns to form one has this infinite wealth to …
Children’s Easter Puja
SRV Kid’s Focus in Hawaii
Over the Easter Weekend a Children’s puja for Jesus Christ was held with our one little student. Together we prepared the garland (lei), polished the vessels, and made cookies. These activities are fun and interesting for children and provide a perfect opportunity to practice concentration on the Deity in the midst of action. It also provides experience in making one’s actions an offering to God. One of the ways we maintained our focus was by chanting the name of Christ in Sanskrit in a traditional kirtan melody. Om namah Ishaya Chaitanya (Om, Salutations to Jesus the Christ).
A few of Jesus’ teachings were selected for study over the next few weeks (and for all of one’s life!)
Teachings of Love & Wisdom from Jesus Christ
Wisdom Teachings
Wisdom Teachings show us the difference between what is Eternal and what is always changing. They teach us about God, about the birthless, deathless Soul, and the oneness of God and our Soul. People suffer and are unhappy because their attention is on changing things instead of our oneness with God, who never changes. The Incarnations of God (like Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Ramakrishna, and more) and other illumined beings want us to realize God within us so that we will be free from fear, full of peace and bliss, and able to see and serve God in everyone and everything.
Jesus Taught:
❖ The Kingdom of God is within.
To know God, we must “tuck” our senses back into the mind, then train our mind to look inside very quietly and patiently. The Kingdom of God is not matter, energy, or thought. It is Existence, Awareness, and Bliss.
Antaranga – Swami Yogananda
Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi has stated that with the advent of Sri Ramakrishna, a new golden age has commenced. In this incarnation He came accompanied by extraordinary souls. This inner circle is commonly known as the sixteen direct disciples. Among these sixteen, Sri Ramakrishna declared that six of his disciples were ishvarakotis – souls that are eternally free and …
Clay Connections
Children’s Class in Winter 2014
The most recent visit to our SRV San Francisco center commenced the first in a series of classes intent on cultivating the children’s awareness on the connection between consciousness, mind, senses, and elements. This establishes a solid foundation for teachings concerning discrimination between the Self and the nonSelf, the real nature of objects, and eventually the knowledge that the universe is a manifestation of mind at individual, collective and cosmic levels. This sounds like a tremendously high goal, yet it can all start in a children’s class with a block of clay and creative conversations.
We began with our tradition of practicing the meditation posture:
• seated on the floor in “tripod” position, cross-legged with hips level
• small of the back flat, not arched, and the pelvis straight, not tilted forward
• comfortably straight backs balanced over pelvis, not leaning forward or back
• chin slightly tucked to straighten and lengthen the neck.