- On the shore of the ocean of love
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When the divine utterances and advices of Guru are obeyed by the sadhak, who achieves success, Guru or the sadhak? Each utterance of Guru is directed towards the goal of the sadhak. However, if it is thought that only few of the divine statements is enough, then not only “few” but “a great deal” is lost. If the intention of Guru is understood, then the inner sense of I is obllitered.
It is only through the great sacrifice of surrendering oneself, that one will realise that many of the decisions of one’s own mind, persisted to serve as a shade giving tree, to nurture one’s sense of I.
©Love Love Love Bliss
2. On the shore of the ocean of love
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When did I get the thought that I am a sadhak? It was when I started doing sadhana, isn’t it? When did that sadhana reach me? It was when I came into the close proximity of Guru, isn’t it? In that case can I afford to be proud of the fact that I am a sadhak?
If, the sadhana which Guru gave has made me a sadhak, then what was there in me? It is only when the sadhana in me awakens the sadhak in me that I realise, what was there in me and now what is there in me. Thus by discerning, the question arises as to who is Guru and who am I? Guru will show the answer to that question….when I transform into an empty cup, then my guru will be the answer.
©Love Love Love Bliss
3.On the shore of ocean of love
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Just sitting with eyes closed is not meditation ..
Just sitting with eyes opened also is not meditation…
Sitting with the thought of meditating is also not meditation…
When you make an effort to meditate meditation ends…
Upon looking(perceiving) into one’s self, if it is possible to know the perceiver, then one is well into meditation….
©Love Love Love Bliss
4.On the shore of the ocean of love
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If a sadhak has a notion of being happy, that is an experience capable of producing two levels of that experience, simultaneously. The journey of a sadhak is one without rest till goal is reached. If this sadhak, on a.journey, experiences happiness, it means that the journey has stopped somewhere. That happiness is at the mental level. It is not the joy or bliss obtained from the single pointedness of the mind.
How will one realise that? There is no difficulty in distinguishing between the mental happiness and the bliss obtained from the single point attention of the mind. The happiness obtained through, likes and dislikes, is mental happiness. However the joy obtained from the single pointedness of the mind is based on awareness. When the joy of consciousness illuminates the soul, that bliss is experienced.
©Love Love Love Bliss
5. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Upon looking back at our life of sadhana, it will be realised, how much we have subjected our own mind to changes…what all transformations, those changes have brought about in us!… However on thinking, it will be realised that, each changes that occurred in me, was through the advice of guru, imparted at that time, isn’t it?
There is no doubt that during our life of sadhana, at each stage we are subjected to transformation. I do not refute the fact that the advice of sadhana guru was helpful…. I have changed considerably. But one thing that surprises me is that the guru who helps in every change, remains unchanged…but how is it possible for guru to remain unchanged… or is it that I am not capable of knowing that change?
©Love Love Love Bliss
6. On the shore of the ocean of love
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When is it decided that the sense of I has to be decreased? It is when one is an hindrance unto himself. So it means, since there was no other way out, one had to change. When was it realised that sense of I was harmful? When the bliss of one, without aham was noted, it was realised that the sense of I, is harmful.
Sadhana is done to cut off the deep roots of aham. Through sadhana one will himself realise, that the incompleteness experienced by him, is due to the sense of I (aham) which illuminates within.
©Love Love Love Bliss
7. On the shore of the ocean of love
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When I perform an action what happens within me? Have you ever thought about it? It may cause one to think in three ways.
1.The deed is done by me.
2.The urge to convince that I have done it.
3.The false prestige that nobody else can do it so well.
In various manner, the effect of those kind of deeds will go outward from us, as waves.Each wave keeps destroying one’s energy. Just imagine, how many actions we execute, each day. Thus how many waves will arise in me? Like the waves in the ocean…
©Love Love Love Bliss
8. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Without paying attention, we keep pushing forward in life.Upon diligently paying attention to life, it is possible to enjoy life. On being attentive it will be understood that paying attention stands forth as an occurrence or happening in life. The truth is that we often do not pay attention to that attentiveness.
Is it due to lack of attentiveness in me that attention is not paid to that attentiveness?How did that lack of attention arise in me? Is it because I pay attention to various other matters.
©Love Love Love Bliss
9. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Why do I become hopeless? Why do I live forgetting myself? Why do I work hard?
The reason for persistence of hopelessness is due to, not trying to understand that I, who am ensnared in thoughts has no escape from hopelesness.
The reason for forgetting myself is the notion that I have to so many things for myself.
The reason for working hard is the thought that I have to work hard.
©Love Love Love Bliss
10. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Our life of sadhana is the net result of the virtues of previous births. We maybe aware of the virtuous deeds, only of this birth. The sadhak will benefit from the realisation that those are not the only karmaxs in his life…..
Only then will he understand his Guru and also know that the influence of his Guru is continuing from previous births. Guru advises the sadhak of meditation, knowing all the previous births; the advices are given for the benefit of the sadhak, to make him complete. But if a meditation sadhak accepts this advise without knowing this truth, what will be his fate?
However, how will a sadhak realise this truth. Either through rigorous sadhana, awakening should occur or else he should seek refuge, through surrender, in Guru without yielding to or seeking refuge in aham.
©Love Love Love Bliss
11. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Even though we say that we have to realise our selves, have you thought about it? Only when, you think about it, will you be aware of the vastness of that idea. Do we consider our reflection in the mirror as different from us? No, its not so. What happens there? We look at ourself.To view ourself we needed an external object.
However to realise our self we have to use an internal object. There I must be able to see me, who persists now. If there is impartiality in that seeing it will be possible for me to see myself clearly.
©Love Love Love Bliss
12. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Thinking of how to remove arrogance itself is being arrogant and foolish. It is foolish arrogance, for can arrogance be done away with, that easily? What is the logic of thinking in that manner? The source of arrogance is ignorance. The primary cause of arrogance is the persistence of ignorance.
The thought that arrogance must be discarded or even discarded immediately, evolves, due to this ignorance. Then what should be the attitude towards arrogance? Even if one is a sadhak who does sadhana , recognising and admitting that one has arrogance, itself will make that person be just to himself.
Only then can one effront his arrogance. Then he will have the experience of being emburdened with his ego. From that realisation he will begin to get the inner call to decrease his arrogance. Otherwise what is happening within him? One loves to be arrogant at the same time he dreams of overcoming arrogance. That will not remove arrogance and he becomes a being in the dream world.
©Love Love Love Bliss
13. On the shore of the ocean of love
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What is this sense of I (aham)? It is a word that has been heard of from the time of entry into the spiritual practice. Before coming into sadhana , it was the word, God, that was heard most. However after coming into sadhana what is heard is only of aham. But what is this aham?
What is this sense of I (aham)? It is a word that has been heard of from the time of entry into the spiritual practice. Before coming into sadhana , it was the word, God, that was heard most. However after coming into sadhana what is heard about, is only of aham. But what is this aham?
Aham is the state of being and thinking, of a being that everything happens because of him, without knowing that it is impossible to even be without the support of the force of Supreme Soul. Consider a mango tree being proud of its yield. It is an expression or state of arrogance of that tree. However if that same mango tree remembers in gratitude the mud, water, farmer, rain that were the cause of the yield, it means that a change has occurred in the manifested state of arrogance, isn’t it?
On the other hand if that tree, without restricting it’s thought only to its yield and factors that helped to produce the yield, but went beyond to remember the primal cause of the Supreme Consciousness will aham be there?
©Love Love Love Bliss
14. On the shore of the ocean of love
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The thought that everything occurs as ordained by the Lord is better than the thought that the Lord will give everything. When the expectation of a mind is that God will give everything, the reality of everything occurring as per God’s desire is accepted by the mind.
After learning the basics of spiritual practice and crossing the higher successive steps of sadhana, these thoughts become irrelevant. This is because of the realisation that these thoughts are dependences of the mind. When we travel forward all preconceived notions and inferences have to be discarded and and move forward.
©Love Love Love Bliss
15. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Imagine a room where objects lie scattered. What would be our state when we are told to retrieve certain items from that lot. While rummaging through that pile to find an object, we would have to further dislodge and scatter all objects.Thus the room would become more chaotic.
This is the same state of the knowledge that lies scattered within us. It is Guru who teaches us all about how to classify and arrange in an orderly manner all these knowledge. Knowledge will not be an obstruction, in the spiritual path of those who follow that correctly.
©Love Love Love Bliss
16. On the shore of the ocean of love
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The mind has enormous ability to influence us tremendously. It is through the basic support of the logic that it comes to stay permanently. But logic will not accept that sprituality persists beyond logic. Then, in that case, how can we be redeemed if the intelligence is under the grip of the mind?
It is not that logical thoughts should be avoided, but the limitation of lone’s ogic will be realised when it is known that his logical thoughts are subjected to constant changes. Only then, can the distance of the mind from the logic.or intelligence be maintained.
©Love Love Love Bliss
17. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Dedication is not a feeling that has to arise from the mind.The mind itself has to be surrendered. If dedication is felt in the mind, it is not dedication, since the mind is the creation of different situations ( time).
Only if the dedicator is realised, will that dedicator be able to surrender the mind. Hence to be convinced.of the awareness that dedication ought to have been, of the sense of I, quick alertness is required.
©Love Love Love Bliss
18. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Different kind of thoughts arise in my mind but on keenly observing, it can be understood that all those thoughts arise behind the cover of some inherent tendency that persists in me, isn’t it?
The mind will create thoughts donned in various new garbs, to nurture the inherent tendencies. If a sadhak is not able to recognise them, he will be troubled by being drawn into the vortex of those tendencies….
When a sadhak is in the proximity of his guru, he will be able to immediately recognise the thoughts and inherent tendencies in him. What is the reaaon, for it to be so? The reason is that at this time, a situation is created where he stands in front of a mirror. He will be able to easily perceive and recognise each thought and actions in him.
©Love Love Love Bliss
19. On the shore of the ocean of love
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There are wings to fly high, and there is sufficient desire to fly, however it is not possible to fly to the limitlessness of the sky. Some bondage is obstructing my flight. I should know wherein is the bondage and moreeover I must recognise that my bondage is within me.
The sky into which one can fly high, lies expanded . To know where that bondage of mine lies, I have to search in that deep ocean. How high can I fly, without breaking free, from that bondage? I want to fly on, high and.higher.
©Love Love Love Bliss
20. On the shore of the ocean of love
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When sadhaks go forward with their sadhana, they are bound to face certain difficulties; at that time the mind is bound to doubt whether his dedication or faith have decreased…. But truly that is not the case. Inspite of doing regular sadhana, why does this happen?
It occurs because in the me to Me journey, we come face to face with our sense of I, in our inward journey; this sense of I has to be trancscended and we have we have to travel further inward, isn’t it? On direct confrontation with the sense of I, disturbances are natural. At that moment, give priority to observing your thoughts rather than becoming emotional…
When that is done, one does not give importance to one’s sorrow, instead he will begin to acquire the internal braveness that his journey is towards the inner core. It is only natural that when the return journey to the heart is undertaken the walls of the aham framework begins to crumble. That is why it is said that courage is required to be resolute and consistent in sadhana.
©Love Love Love Bliss
21. On the shore of the ocean of love
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It is impossible for anybody to do away with karma from life. So karma will follow us like a shadow. When karma persists attachment or bondage also persists. When karma follows bondage also begin to tighten. Hence how will it be possible to loosen the grip of bondage, while doing karmas? It will be possible if we we pay a little attention to the approach towards karma.
Then, it will be possible to continue doing karma without being affected even by karmas which lead to bondage; just recollect, each action executed by us, bears the signature of our aham. This is the cause of bondage.The sense of I always remains as a cover, forming an armour around us, whereupon every karma done by us leads to bondage. For one who is bound to karma, liberation will be like an oasis. If one is moves away from the cover of aham and remains under the armour of knowledge, of the Real, one will be able to view everything with an outlook of detachment.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
22. On the shore of the ocean of love
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When we are are affected by ill-health and visit a surgeon, he makes us unconscious and operates us. At that time we may not feel any pain. When we awaken from the unconscious state, only a mild pain need be experienced. When we recover from the sickness we develop deep gratitude and respect for that surgeon.
But if we are assailed by bybhavroga(affliction or distress of worldliness), if we are sadhaks and approach guru, then also we are subjected to surgery by Guru where we are not made unconscious. So we begin to experience considerable pain. It is due to the commencement of the operation of cutting our aham that the pain occurs.
At that time we may adopt two ways. One is to accept that pain mentally and go forward in total surrender. The other route is a type of absconding. To be more precise one may remain in spirituality and finding another Guru.The amusing part is that the mind finds a Guru who does not touch the aham (sense of I ). Just think over who is more beneficial for realisation..a Guru who cuts the sense of I or the Guru who advises even though the sense of I persists?
©Love LoveLove Bliss
23. On the shores of the ocean of love
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As we walk with an umbrella in the rain we may feel that there is no respite of rain and after walking much in the rain when we enter into a house, shelter or shop, the wet umbrella will be considered to becomes a problem for us. This is the approach of our mind.
We had indebtness to the umbrella which protected us from getting wet in the rain but without remembering that, we only think of the rain that does not stop.Even when we get a safe place to deposit the umbrella, which served us, it will seem to be a burden. In spirituality the outlook or approach to indebtedness varies, yet indebtedness becomes much better than lack of gratitude. Here the rain and the umbrella are only symbolic. Turn them into pointers towards realisation of the mind.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
24. On the shores of the ocean of love
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When a sadhak remains with his sadhana Guru he will be able to grasp that everything happens in accordance to divine perception. However when he remains apart physically from Guru, he understands matters related to him in a different perspective. What would be the reason for not being able to often, accept the fact that everything happens in consonance to divine expressions.
When the sadhak is with sadhana Guru, he is able to understand matters without the sense of I, due to which he is able to persist in universal awareness. But when he is apart from Guru, the sense of I, in him, will distort the reality. Remaining apart from Guru, with permission, and doing sadhana helps to develop detachment. However if distance is maintained through self decision, that will be a ground to nurture the development of aham, for which one will have to pay a heavy price.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
25. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Is there a connection between a sadhak and the four main objects of human life ( purushaartham)? Duty, wealth, desire, salvation are the four main pillars which constitute these goals of human life. Let us see how these affect the sadhaks.Generally speaking, some give importance to the first three, others give importance to wealth and desire.Very few give importance to the four goals of human life.
If excessive importance is given to any one of duty, wealth and desire then the course of his life itself changes.For example the desire of king Dasarathancaused misery; when Rama gave too much importance to duty, it caused mental anxiety.
It is generaĺly stated that if the first three goals are aimed at salvation, then the utter truth is that none of them will perplex the mind.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
www.avadhoothguruji..org
26. On the shore of the ocean of love
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If the focus is only on Rama during the devotional reading and study of the epic, Ramayana, then the essence of Ramayana cannot be fully enjoyed. However if we focus on those who focussed on Rama we will be able to relish fully the Ramarasam or essence of Rama. If one contemplates only on Rama then the valour and pure devotional service of Hanuman, dedication and purity of Sita who follows Rama like a shadow, the unwavering loyalty, love and commitment of Lakshmana who only knows to follow the footsteps of Rama, the devotion and adoration of Bharatha who held Rama’s padukas close to his heart, without being tantalized by acquiring all the wealth and prosperity around him, the devoted and righeousVibhishana who could not view Rama as an enemy when Rama attacked his own country, the devoted Ahalya and Sabari who waited only for Rama and the purity of Sita who was the very breath of Rama…
Ravana, who did not recognise Rama due to the pride of his ability and all those, unaware of the essence of Rama, who pointed their fingers at Rama … all of them persist only to make us enjoy the Ramarasam.
Now if a sadhakrecognises and discovers the traits of these characters in him, then the flow of the nectar of Ramarasam will occur in him which is actually the the flow of njaana or real knowledge..
©Love LoveLove Bliss
27. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Without being associated with discrimination, a sadhak cannot move a step forward. Without the ability of discrimination, his mind will become a ground for indulging in activitties of vasanas. So in that celebration there wii be elephant, howdah, fireworks. But what is the purpose of all this?
If we had discrimination we would ask this question to ourself and allow ourself to remain in the zone of protection. Only if the power of discrimination always remains in us, will the mind persist in the present state. When the mind is in the present state, it will lead us towards the doorway of peace.
If we do not get any spiritual experience, then observe whether the above mentioned state persists in us, then we will be able to understand what is happening in us.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
28. On the shore of the ocean of love
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What is meant by…on the shore of the ocean of love? How should a sadhak understand it? After entering into sadhana, a sadhak must be aware of every moment itself, because for him after an intimate association with his sense of aham, over a vlong period of time, the moments when sense of aham is discarded, it gives him great joy in the beginning. Due to the desire for that joy to continue the mind is ready to dismantle itself….This is a state of virtuous detachment of the sadhak….
The continous observation of the mind is possible for a sadhak through his effortless effort and insincere sincerity… This effortless effort by a sadhak is possible only when the relation with guru becomes very strong. When Guru takes the place where aham persisted, this process becomes easy. That is why scriptures ordain that sadhak should often practice sadhana in the proximity of Guru. On remaining slightly away from Guru and doing sadhana, the thought that I am doing sadhana, will be a state of rajasic detachment.
What flows outward from Guru is the ocean of love; to experience that, the sadhak must be present on the shore. Only by standing on that shore can the sense of I dissolve, to render possible the entry into the field of the universal sense of I… Only then can Guru make you reach the shoreless ocean of Supreme Bliss.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
29. On the shore of the ocean of love
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The absence of reaction of the senses does not point to spiritual progress; the experience of not being arrogant and the lack of feeling of hatred or love to others, none of these experiences should be considered as spiritual development. The state of fullness is reached only when we merge with the natural state of the self.
Why are some of the above experiences mentoned not considered to be spiritual development? The reason maybe that either they are based on the mind or they may perceived momentarily during stillness of mind.
It should be remembered that as long as the roots of our vasanas persist, the experiences of stillness of the mind are not permanent. Any moment the floodgate of aham can burst open and poduce the opposite effect of the above mentioned experiences…
Hence the aim of the sadhak should be to merge with the formless form of the self. The experiences of the five states should not be misunderstood as the real.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
30. On the shore of the ocean of love
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What would be the reason for the soceity not being able to understand the relatioship between guru and sadhak? The soceity has certain definite views regarding relations in the materialistic world; for example the relation between friends, between husband and wife, between parents and children, between us and the soceity and so on….however an individual who has not entered the world of sadhana will not understand the relation between Guru and sadhak.
It is only because they have not achieved that kind of blissful experience, that they can never grasp, what is the basis of this Guru-sishya relation and that is the limitation of materialism.
Even sadhaks are not able to understand why this relation with Guru occurs, then how would the ordinary man understand it? The relation between the soul of the sadhak and the essence of Guru is holy. To understand spirituality, the language of spirituality has to be understood. Similarly to understand spiritual relation, it is inevitable that one has to enter into spirituality.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
31. On the shore of the ocean of love
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The limitation of the intelligence can be understood well, upon entering into spirituality. Nobody can rise in spirituality by using the intelligence. Those who manage to adhere to spirituality with the help of their intelligence, for sure get always involved in a fight with their sense of I. If those who use intelligence, do not get closely associated with discrimination, then they will go down.
A sadak who undertakes witnessing should understand that he does not use intelligence or power of discrimination because the state of witnessing which witnesses all these is superior to discrimination and intelligence. In the beginning we may practise witnessing by taking the help of discrimination and intelligence but that should never be made into a habit.
The journey of a sadhak is similar that of an upward bound rocket. The form it has in the initial stage, as it s rising is not of the same form as it reaches the destination. As it rises it discards various parts, to be propelled forward.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
32. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Paathaeyum means packed food carried by a traveller. We consider the packed food, a provision, to be used in future, to satiate hunger. When you pack this packet or carry this packet while travelling, you may not know, that hunger of the future. Now if you want to appreciate and enjoy the taste and value of that packed food, that hunger of future is unavoidable.
Gurus messages are also like patheyam. Just as patheyam becomes beneficial during our journey, in the same manner, guru’s messages also become useful. The messages that are given to be used in the course of sadahana may not seem to bo valuable to us. But in future when hunger sets in, it will be realised that those messages were like nectar. For that what has to be done is to keep carefully the packed food given by Guru to examine those messages.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
33. On the shore of.the ocean of love
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Just turn back to see how our sadhana life has affected all the changes that occured in us. On noting carefully, it can be understood that the changes which occured in me, is through my realisation.
When I, who focused on understanding, began to try and be aware of all that was understood, many changes occured in me.
When viewed from that perspective what is it that is continouslyoccuring me? Isn’t it the development of my awareness? What is occuring in me, at present, is experienced as development.of awareness. Even when I believe that is true, the answers which I myself have to find, in future, creates some doubt in me. The question is whether the awareness, through developmment, will become the pure Awareness?
©Love LoveLove Bliss
34 .On the shore of the ocean of love
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Before starting sadhana what was the outlook in life? On starting sadhana what was the outlook in life? By focusing on these aspects one great fact will be realised. What is that great fact?
Before starting sadhana my outlook was to acheive everything thing in life through my ability. It was a life which went forward, based only on the sense of I. That it was a ham was realised only after coming into sadhana. That is to say, those were the days when I was arrogant, without knowing what arrogance was. Once sadhana started, attempts were made to live without arrogance arising and getting activated. Thus the days of performing actions in full focus and awareness. What is it that occurs in me for being able to do sadhana and live simultaneausly? What has occurred are the days when I live arroganty, knowing fully well what arrogance is..?
Why does this happen?Is it because of lack of awareness? Or is it due to the attachment towards the sense of I? What will the fate of a traveller who travels in two boats, at a time?
©Love LoveLove Bliss
35. On the shore of the ocean of love
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How am I to accept spirituality?Has it to be accepted mentally or logically? Or has it to be accepted through the heart. If the sense of I, mind or intelligence persists the heart of spirituality will not function because the realm of bliss persists in the heart.
If I persists there will be spirituality as well as the the sense of duality. What if there is I, a sense of I, and spirituality? If I and spirituality become two, it is due to sense of I. Only if the state of sense of I is stopped, will it be possible to learn about spirituality….however if the heart expands, will it be possible to persist in spirituality.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
36. On the shore of the ocean of love
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How should a sadhak be with his sadhana Guru? A sadhak should have love towards Guru, just as lovers are towards each other. However, there is a selfishness in the lover. What should not be there in love, is there in the love between lovers. That selfishness will not be there in the love between sadhak and guru.
The love towards Guru must be just like the pure love of parents to their children. However the love of parents arises from a sense of mine; what ought not to be there in love, is there in the love of parents towards children. But in the sadhak guru relation, it is not there.
The sadhaks must have the same respect which a student shows towards the teacher. But in the teacher- student relation there is an expression of gratitude. However in the sadhak-guru relation it is not there.
When the sadhak persists in duality, the guru teaches that there is no duality. As long as duality persists, it will not be possible to realisewhat.has been taught. Guru is one who looks after or serves, one who has taken birth to serve the sadhaks. When our duality disappears there is neither server nor serving.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
37. On the shore of the ocean of love
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If I feel love towards anything is it not for my satisfaction? If I fear anything is it not for my protection? If I hate anything is it not to satisfy my likes and dislikes? If I feel pain is it not for my aham?
By loving, hating, feeling pain, being hopeful, hopeless, fearful like this, what did I gain? Could I make the aham in me satisfied? How many days more will I fool myself, believing that by satisfying the aham in me, I will be happy?
When the feelings that arise as waves from the sense of I are identified, I wiil begin to recognise the aham in me. Only then the aham within, will recognize Me. Such an aham which recognizes Me, will realise that all the waves that arise from it merge into Me….in this manner when emotional feelings get subdued, the sense of I within also gets subdued……
©Love LoveLove Bliss
38. On the shore of the ocean of love
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When the scriptures are available, which contain the manner of doing sadhana what is the need for a Guru? The matter dealt with in the scriptures will only be dealt with by Guru, as well, isn’t it? Then why is a Guru needed ? Is it not a matter of fact? This is a doubt that has occured to many before starting sadhana with a sadhana Guru.
If you think about it, you will be able to understand. Why is it that I do not like the nearness to a Guru? Inspite of telling to oneself that what is in the scriptures only is expressed by Guru also, why is it that Guru is forsaken in full awareness? It should be immediately understood that matters cannot be viewed unitedly with Guru.
It is the sense of I which obstructs closeness to Guru; to a mind fond of freedom, the fear that the closeness to Guru will thwart his freedom, denies him the chance for that great fortune. If there is aham how can the grace of Guru be obtained? Finally through satisfaction, by declaring a false justification that I do not get Guru, the sense of I in him increases….
©Love LoveLove Bliss
39. On the shore of the ocean of love
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There are various types of sadhana Gurus. Sadhaks also identify Guru in different ways. After advising about sadhana and related matter, those who do not enquire about the sadhak’s progress or do not give more relevant advices are Gurus of base standards.
‘Those who repeatedly inspire sadhaks to do sadhana and with love and endearment repeatedly diverts the focus of the sadhaks towards sadhana, are mediocre Gurus.
Gurus who use force on sadhaks who are not in the habit of obeying, are ideal Gurus. Depending on the severity of the sense of I, the relation of the sadhak with Guru, will become close or distant.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
40. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Sadhana should be in sincerity, because if we cheat ourselves, then what will be our state? If we reduce the quality or purity of sadhana, based on the state of our mind what will be our fate? If sadhana is done when we are in a good mood and it is stopped when the mind is agitated, then will not the mind turn out to be the one which controls our sadhana?
Only if the sadhak always considers this fact seriously will sadhana, in the sadhak, be firmly established. Only if sadhana is firmly rooted in the sadhak will it grow to develop further…. the mind is associated with time and space. Hence it has to always yield to changes.
Hence the fickleness of the mind has to be viewed with discernment, so as not to get involved in the vaccilatlion of the mind. Only when the level of awareness rises can space and time not touch the mind… thus finally stability sets in the sadhak.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
41. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Vasanas give joy, such joy yielding vasanas are very much liked by the mind. The mind tries hard to make those vasanas persist. The mind considers the fulfillment of the likings of the mind as achievement of life. How can a mind which loves vasanas so much, be dealt with? How can these two be separated?
The one who tries to separate these two, must know that the self has no connection whatsoever with either the vasanas or the mind. Has the mind which likes vasanas, ever achieved contentment? On thinking, the answer would be no; why does the mind hold on to the vasanas which do not give complete satisfaction?
If the awareness, that vasanas do not give happiness but are harmful arises and the costant remembrance of this fact will cause changes in the mind; only those, whose mind are calm can heed the words of awareness. As long as the vasanas persists, the mind will not be calm; however if there is belief it will make the mind calm…
©Love LoveLove Bliss
42. On the shore of the ocean of love
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When I began to just pay attention to myself I began to understand many matters.. the fact is that till now I had not focussed on myself. So, what was I doing all these days? All the time I was bearing the dirty linens of the mind, isn’t it? By focusing on myself what did I understand? Is it to wash the dirty linen? Or that there is no dirty linen?
The truth is that there is no dirty linen but since the existing mind has no maturity to accept that truth, the present mind decides to stop bearing the dirty clothes and instead launder them. But how is it to be done?
Until now I paid attention to myself with a slight fear but now I focus on myself in a peaceful state of mind. When we focus on ourselves, based on the changes in the state of our mind, the experiences which we are aware of also changes….
©Love LoveLove Bliss
43. On the shore of the ocean of love
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It is an undisputed fact that internal transformationn occurs through sadhana. During the period of commencement of sadhana, the sadhaks would have acquired several experiences. However after sometime all experiences stop; a sadhak will have to undertake a journey without any experiences. In that period the mind will compel the sadhak to maintain a distance from Guru. This is a peiod of great testing of a sadhak. A sadhak who who in full awareness does sadhana by distancing himself thus, will lead a dull and mechanical sadhana life. However an ideal sadhak should at that time share it with Guru and ask for other sadhanas, practice them and overcome these states.
Why does this happen? When the formless form of self is bliss, why cannot a truth seeker experience it? The reason is the fact that from a Guru one can get only knowledge of the self but only through grace of Guru, will bliss be obtained. In the beginning if bliss was obtained it was because he started treading in the realm of heart and love.
One who has experienced the truth is always in bliss. While he eats, sleeps, walks and sits he will be in that blissful comfort. That will will persist and manifest always as a facial smile of placidity. If that is not possible for a sadhak, it is not necessary to have the awareness that the mind is a hindrancbe to knowing bliss; the bare truth is that without love a step forward towards that bliss cannot be taken….
©Love LoveLove Bliss
44. On the shore of the ocean of love
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What is meant by arrogance? A mind which is arrogant will be unable to understand what is meant by arrogance. A mind which is not arrogant also need not know arrogance. Yet for those who wish to discard arrogance, it is essential to know what arrogance is. Being haughty without being aware of the Eternal Truth is not arrogance; it is a reflection of ignorance. But being haughty inspite of awareness of the Eternal truth, that is extreme, rank arrogance.
Why does one become haughty, inspite of knowing the Eternal truth? In other wodswhy is it made to persist within? Have we ever thought of it? On thinking, it will be realized that we have believed some of the justification and inferences of the mind, isn’t it?
Then what is the way out? For that, one has to acquire knowledge of scriptures. Only then the slavery to the hollow mind can be avoided. If a sadhak is enslaved to the mental justifications, he has to encounter a state,insadhana, which is akin to rowing a tethered boat. If mind persists duality exists. The Eternal Truth transcends duality. If arrogance is allowed to reside in the mind, by inculcating the mental state contrary to it, the sense of I can be decreased. What other feeling can it be , other than the ever existing state of love.
Is arrogance which obstructs the state of love, beneficial to a sadhak?
©Love LoveLove Bliss
45. On the shore of the ocean of love
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What is the aim of life? Does it involve only completing the performances of karmas. No… Life is realization of what is the karma filled life…because even if karmas end, there is life. When viewed so, it would be immature to behold life only in terms of attachment to karmas.
The ideal being is he who practice karma yoga, by which, actions are rendered unbinding…he can lead a life, from which karmas have ended..the base being views karmas as a difficulty…the ideal one will consider karmas as paths towards yoga ( union with soul).. that is why beholders of truth view karmas with joy….
Know that nothing binds us, when the false notion that we are bound disappears, we will experience the bliss of liberation. The problem is not withe views but it is with the the viewpoints or outlooks. . ..
©Love LoveLove Bliss
46. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Renunciation is done by many which is great indeed, however renunciation of fruit of action is very great. Let us think about it. Ordinary karma is done for selfishness which leads to karma bondage and impurity of the mind.
However deeds of non bondage are indeed a reflection of a high evolved mind. But if that expansion of mind should be beneficial for a sadhak, the renunciation of fruit of action should be practiced. Otherwise even renunciation will turn out to be a karma.
When the sense of I is highly developed renunciation does not occur. But as the severity ofaham decreases, renunciation occurs. Only where aham has been vanquished will renunciation of the fruit of action occur.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
47. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Happiness is not obtained from sadhana, since happiness and sorrow are only creations of the mind. Belief in that may change the course of karma which will be thrown out of harmony….
It is not answers that are obtained from sadhana because chiefly it is due to the fact that there are not many answers. All questions comes from the mind and the one who needs answers to those questions, is the mind…
There is nothing to achieve from sadhana because sadhana is not a deed…. all deeds that are to be achieved are plays of the mind, isn’t it?
Then what is sadhana? What do we achieve from sadhana? If sadhana is done with the mind persisting, nothing will be understood; in the brilliance of the Real knowledge, where does the mind that is the darkness, feature ……?
©Love LoveLove Bliss
48. On the shore of the ocean of love
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To remain in stillness, first we have to know what it is to be in motion; to remain silent first we have to know what it is to be noisy….. if one focuses on the fact whether he is silent, is there silence in him? If it is so, who am I trying to convince, within me. It is indeed very good if a sadhak tries to maintain silence, however it is always there and is not to be created.
What is to be done for us to reach that state of silence. Decreasing conversation in prior to reaching that state, has no connection with silence. Isn’t a sadhak who observes his mind essentially on the path towards silence?
The Truth within one is always in silence. It can set everything in motion. Thus, what is it in me that moves? What in me makes noise? What in me does not make noise? Who in me does observation? All these are matters are experienced by sadhak who moves towards silence.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
49. On the shore of the ocean of love*
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Do you remember how you became like this? I let my mind be free, however when I came into sadhana, some control and other observation of the mind was done. Two kinds of answers can be obtained to the above question….
To make myself rise, I have to develop myself by destroying various tendencies in me and affecting changes. For that magical effort to happen in me, I must let go of the hold of my mind…Then where do I hold on to ?
Where should I hold onto? You may not have an idea at all, isn’t it? When we make an effort, we cannot hold onto God because that is an experience which is very distant from our reach… then the only hold is Guru. The one who tightens his hold only on Guru, will not cling onto his mind and he alone will transcend heights. Do you remember how you became like this?
©Love LoveLove Bliss
50. On the shore of the ocean of love*
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Oh… PremSagaraTheerae (Triangles of spirituality)…Hum…Repeating the same things again….what is new in this? What is there so much to read in this?… Oh Premsagarathereae indeed…
Just observe our mind here… It did not like many things…The world of the mind is comprised of likes and dislikes. It will make us leap here and there. Just note one of the things we like. For example consider tea. Why is it that the mind does not get disinterested towards that tea which we consume daily twice? Why is disinterest felt towards Premsagarathereae?
The plain fact is that the mind assumes greater value to tea rather than the Absolute. The truth is that our mind is not anxious at being separated from the Eternal Truth. We are content with our present state…Due to that reason we can react only in this manner, isn’t it?… When the Eternal Truth is understood through intelligence alone, then naturally only disinterest will occur. Consider a lover who loves his beloved, how will it be when the loving is through the heart? If loving is done with the intelligence how will that experience of the lover be?…
Spirituality requires the heart and not the intelligence. Why does not this intelligence not understand that it has to be used towards the crafty mind? As the sense of I is decreased, the heart begins to function….
©Love LoveLove Bliss
51. On the shore of the ocean of love
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It is not possible to act in spirituality. Where there is acting there is no spirituality. When one is acting he is destroying precious time that he has acquired. If there is delay in realizing this fact and then if he thinks of living in spirituality he may no get time.
Use the time which has been obtained. Do not trust the mind excessively .When awareness of the fact that life was lived by believing the mind that does not exist, the value of the wasted times will be realized.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
52. On the shore of the ocean of love*
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Happiness, love, co-operation, compassion are all divine qualities, indeed. These are truly the signs of greatness of the heart of a sadhak. It hints at the high level of spirituality…just as the blooming of flower hints at the presence of honey…
However these qualities can be manifested in the sense of I of a being ( microcosmic sense of I). If not cautious, it will make the mind misunderstand and hence get tied down. In the microcosmic sense of I, these qualities are indeed the bondage in maya…In universal I ( macrocosmic sense of I), these are manifested as satwic qualities…..
If a sadhak’s discriminatory power has not developed to know these differences, he can get tied down. Generally the sadhak’s, being unable to discriminate between these two will be compelled to control oneself…but it is not control that is needed, the practice of discrimination is required. What is required, is understanding by observation through discrimination.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
53. On the shore of the ocean of love
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In each soul, that Supreme soul glows like a full flame. It is chiefly due to this flame that we exist. When there is awareness regarding this flame that itself is the state of celebration of deepavali…..When one is conscious of that flame always glowing in him, indeed every day will be deepavali for him.
That flame will never be put off… yet, even as it glows fully, the experience of darkness are experienced by some souls ; it is the duty of each sadhak to liberate such souls from this experience.
The thought that why is it that one has to persist in darkness despite the inner radiance and the continuous introspection of what in me obstructs the experience of that radiance, will enable me to to move towards that effulgence…
©Love LoveLove Bliss
54. On the shore of the ocean of love
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I am fond of Bhakth Hanuman but I am not capable of the state of servitude. I am fond of Arjuna’s state of friendship but I am not capable of that also. Radha is dear to me … I exult at the state of love of Radha…but I lack that level of love. Why is it that I am not capable of any of these divine states? Oh, all those are old characters of the past, in the scriptures.
However the devotion of Shri RamkrishnaParamahamsa melts my heart. Yet I do not possess that extent or kind of bhakti. I am a worshipper of BhakthMeera, however I have not that state of devotion. Shankaracharya is a light to me yet I do not have that kind of detachment. The love of Jesus Christ causes awakening in us.
What is the use of liking like this without willing to subject yourself to change?
©Love LoveLove Bliss
55. On the shore of the ocean of love
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Is it possible to discard the sense of I (arrogance)? How can we discard this aham which clings to us. Inspite of doing away with it several times, when aham persists, spirituality cannot be enjoyed. What is this state of mine, where aham and spirituality is desired?
The mind cannot understand the language of spirituality. Only when spiritual knowledge is obtained, can the mind understand that language. It will be possible to know the sadhak who know that language, by noting them. They are those who have taken refuge in the Supreme. One who has understood what is obtained by adhering to sense of I and what is obtained by discarding it, cannot for a moment abide in the sense of I.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
56. On the shore of the ocean of love
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A sadhak should always be joyous. Is there a sadhak without a slight smile on his face? How can a sadhak who travels into the inner realms, smile always? When his heart becomes undisturbed, the bliss of the self is bestowed on him; then how can he not smile?
When there is an internal fight with the inherent tendencies, is it possible to remain placid and to smile? This is a doubt that occurs in sadhaks. If the tendencies are allowed to develop it would be like adding oil to fire, which would flare up and not be extinguished.
Even when inherent tendencies are active we do smile and forget our surroundings. If, after the inherent tendencies have worked on us, it is the constitent nature of a sadhak to be guilty and self-accusiing, then he cannot transcend beyond. If self- confidence and effort are not forsaken, a sadhak can rise. Keeping trying patiently …..with ever- smiling lips.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
57. On the shore of the ocean of love
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The wayside along our path are enchanting. The passages along which we tread are also very pleasant. Then why is it not possible for us to see the beauty of those corridors?
The reason is that we walk through the passages of our mind. Those are paths cluttered with stones and thorns. We view our surroundings not with eyes but with the mind, hence only the imaginations of our minds will materialize in our life experiences
Our worldly experience will be whatever our mind is. Through spiritual practices ( sadhana), when mental transformation occurs, our mundane experiences also change. If there is beauty within, beauty will be there outside, as well. If there is peace within, there is peace without, as well. If there is stillness within there is stillness outside, as well.
©Love LoveLove Bliss
58. On the shore of the ocean of love*
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After having stealthily eaten sweets, without telling the mother, the child snuggles upto the mother. Bits of the sweet remain on the face near the lips. Even though the mother knows the fact, she does not scold him.
He thinks that the mother is unaware of his deeds. At this time the mother will be engaged in preparing the medicine as well because when the excess sweet intake causes stomach ache, he only will come calling out to his mother in pain; at that time the maternal heart cannot withstand the agony of the child.
In the same manner does a sadhana guru intervene and train his sadhaks. Since the sadhaks are of various anthakarna and inherent tendencies, they will show reluctance to follow the advice of sadhana guru. The sadhak gives importance to his own likes and dislikes and acts accordingly. The sadhana guru may have given him advice, with a view to decrease the karmas of the sadhaks; however since he did not fulfill that advice to the extent required, he becomes distressed due to tension while in the strong arms of karma. Ultimately when he comes to guru in weariness, sadhana guru will receive him like a baby.
This is the sadhana world, wherin the guru has pure, sacred love that can be experienced by one who has surrendered. The one who goes apart and distances himself from guru, on his own, will cause the density of the sense of I to increase; there are no other benefits due to this distancing…. If we only increase the density of aham which has to be broken….???
©Love LoveLove Bliss
59. On the shore of the ocean of love
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We believe in our sense of rightness, sadhana guru makes us ponder over how much correctness is there in our belief. If one hangs on to his thought of correctness, naturally some anger against guru will arise….however if one thinks of his own accord, dispassionately, he will be able to understand that his rightness is not at all correct in the path of aathmavichara .
We maintain the sense of correctness to those thoughts which give importance to the comfort of our mind. However a sadhana guru tries to save his sadhak’s from his sense of rightness of his mind. To understand the words of guru we should do sadhana….because Guru speaks the language of sadhana.
Those who do athmavichara, will never feel anger towards Guru; on the contrary will such a person feel anger or kindness to the guru who made him realize how much he adhered to his mind, thus rendering his spiritual journey happy?
One fact is that a true guru will never tell anything which makes the mind happy. Guru speaks only of those matters which conforms to the realization of the soul. Those who cannot discard the mind may feel displeased. However the sadhaks who do athmavichara, will quickly understand the mercy of Guru. Then, if guru gives us mental joy then Guru, it is only the preparing of a fine bridge to go towards guru..
©Love LoveLove Bliss
Avadhooth Guruji 