Dear readers,
As Summer Solstice approaches in the Northern Hemisphere on June 21st, we experience the longest light filled days.
May all beings be well, peaceful, happy and free.
With the glorious sunshine here in Spain, Isvara gave me the appropriate thoughts to write this piece.
Back in March, inspired by Suus’ chanting class at Mundo Sundaram, hosted so graciously by Sundari and Ramji, I began learning the sanskrit alphabet and how to chant properly. Thank you Suus! “Never stop learning Kate!” She enthusiastically cheered me on.
Blessed with a simple life by God’s grace, I have little incomings and outgoings therefore, rich on time. This affords listening to satsang hours upon end and contemplating life. My preferred method is to listen to an entire seminar. The teaching, including a particular text, has more time to unfold – the momentum builds and the depth and richness of Vedanta really sings through.
Some of my favourite Ramji seminars include Mandukya Upanishad-Bad Meinberg 2019, Atma Bodha Spain 2019 and Yoga of Love at Yoga Vidya 2020 (available on Youtube). I’m sure you have your most memorable ones too and listening to them all if you can is highly recommended!
Recently I have been blessed to find the voice and mouthpiece of Swami Tattvavidananda, his meditations and seminars are wonderful. It was during one of his talks that I came across an unfolding of the Gayatri Mantra that touched my heart deeply and within the context for realizing your divinity and oneness with Isvara. The following is inspired from there. Om and pranams…
You must recognise Isvara in your life as the light of your own being. We get caught in the things of the world and we assume the world is conducting its own cause and effect. It’s easy to get lost in thought of cause and effect and you lose sight of the Higher Power. There is only one cause, Isvara – and you have to understand that.
Suppose you are anxious, getting frustrated, passing through a crisis, this is just how people feel. Old age, sickness, defects of the body, the world, the people – there is some frustration. Worldly people are distressed, even younger people – career not progressing, parents not cooperating, girlfriend or boyfriend not obliging. Everybody is frustrated.
In this world, people who have education and people who don’t, both are frustrated. The rich and the poor, both are frustrated. Employed and unemployed, both are equally unhappy and frustrated. Samsara is a very funny thing. Getting frustrated and becoming anxious – there’s nothing unusual about it, you need not condemn yourself. That is how we are, the world makes us very insecure and unhappy. That is how the world is. We are living in the world and we are getting attached more and more to the world so that makes us anxious. Therefore we are the candidates for this mantra…
oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tat-savitur-vareṇyaṃ
bhargo devasya dhīmahi
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt
~ Stand or sit alone quietly. Chant if you can, if not the English translation will do. The main thing is to feel this prayer in your heart. Address God Isvara in the Solar Orb.
‘O Isvara, you are Shining so magnificently, so brilliantly, so unimaginably in the Solar Orb, thereby illumining this entire world of things. Making life possible on this vast globe called prthvi. You are illumining and animating the entire solar system with Light and energy, with Infinite Power you are Shining in the Solar Orb.
At the same time you are equally Shining in my Heart. Making this intellect shine. Making the intellect functional in the field of the intellectual. Making the mind functional and making the sense organs function – meaning enabling the eyes to see, ears to hear etc. and then enabling the legs to walk, the hands to hold etc., the organ of speech to speak, making the body alive. Thus you are shining equally in my Heart.
I surrender myself unto You. I am devoted to You. You are outside and you are inside. You are All. You are all pervading. I surrender entirely unto You.”
Say this to yourself. Try it. Try to say it with love. Don’t ask questions, just do it. When you do this at least once or twice a day you will overcome all anxieties. This is the true ritual. This is true jnanam. It’s a very powerful mantra, the Gayatri Mantra. This is yoga when karma, bhakti and jnana, all three are brought in contact. When you feel some sorrow, try this and don’t get overwhelmed with the sorrow. Say it with love, with spirit, with feeling, not mechanically.
University education might help you earn a living but it doesn’t teach us how to live. That is the problem. Life is only worth calling life only if the life reflects the Real in action, it should reflect the Real. Real is another name for God. The Real is One without 2nd. It is the same Real in the Solar Orb and also in your Heart, there are not two different reals. This should reflect in life. How?
Treat everybody as one and the same Self, One in All, All in One. That should inspire your interactions with others. Even if the other person is not so polite to you, it doesn’t matter, you still love him. You still interact with him with love and respect. “No no, he’s not polite, therefore I don’t care for him.” That is arrogance, that is the ego’s response. It doesn’t matter who’s younger or older, more or less experienced. From my side, bless him and interact with him with love. That is how the Real reflects in action.
Here’s a video to help with the mantra
Correct Way to Chant Gayatri Mantra Yajur Veda with Pronunciations and Intonation
