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God is Love

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Attendees: Nandini-didi, Chandra, Neelam, Laxmi, Sneha, Tara    Why does the title of this chapter (in the book The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda   Vol III ) begin with the words "The God of Love ...."? It is easy to get it mixed up with " Love of God "!    The preceding chapter ( The Triangle of Love ) is about love , and the essence of this chapter is built on the understanding of the nature of the Para-Bhakta. These are the three angles of the triangle of love.     The Para-Bhakta is not an ordinary man. He/She is one who has " passed beyond the idea of selfishness, of bartering and bargaining, and who knows no fear ". What is the ideal of the Para-Bhakta?    In the previous chapter, Swamiji says, "That ideal which men and women commonly worship is what is in themselves; every person projects his or her own ideal on the outside world and kneels before it." Swamiji explains this by taking the relationship of husband ...

Samaskara

Samaskara that is our karmaphala is one of the key elements that differeniates ones  idealism from another that was my answer But what Tara said was ... we are progressively growing from the stage  where we have come  from actually our minds are closed and clouded but we are potentially divine that was Nandini's reply. It means life is continuing process and in each life birth we are continuing to evolve and also not competing with one another until we get liberated. Nilaam asked a vital question which makes all of us think of putting on our thinking cap and that is  if one gets liberated amongst us then the the  scenario of liberation shifts little bit another soul will continue then who is going to replace the one who had already attained Mukti. I haven't added  Leelamoye (M)/ Leelabati (F) leelakhertra part yet.  Neelam also asked after liberation, does the liberated soul look upon this world as maya or leela. Nandini added Some other sou...

First step in SPIRITUAL EXPEDITION

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Human life is best among all living forms, as our soul can attain MUKTHI or MOKSHA in this life. To reach pinnacle, we need to identify our GURU, who can guide us from MAYA(existing world) and lead us to salvation. Spiritual journey is divine, we should start it with our own interest, so we can find reason for our existence and find ways to unify in GOD Now questions may arise, am i ready, how long do i need to do it, what if i get distracted, who can help me, will i be able to do it and many more The answer is absolutely YES, have faith in GURU, believe in yourself, we can definitely attain SACHIDANANDA First and foremost thing to start with: Remove ‘I’ from your mind. ( I is the root cause of all negative emotions) Now our mind becomes purer and lighter and helps to gain more Gynana Start following below points.. 1. Identify your ISHTA.(whom you feel epitome) you can express all your feelings with ISHTA. 2. Make sure you spend some quality time daily in ideal pl...

Universal Love and How It Leads to Self-Surrender

Aprâtikulya 3.30.2020 ATTENDEES: Nandini-didi, Tara, Neelam and Lakshmi Today's topic was around understanding what is the nature of the universal love of a Bhakta. Here are my notes. Please add to it or improve it: "Apratikulya" is when I no longer perceive that something, anything, bad is happening to me. In fact, it does not even occur to me, that the nature of what is going on, is "bad". This is because my thoughts are so deeply immersed in love, a universal love, that I no longer look at anything as something other  or separate, from me. The Bhakta no longer looks at anything, with any emotion, other than love. Also, being full of this universal love, the Bhakta would only put the body to good use, the best use being in service of people. Not having body consciousness is the very foundation for the above state of mind. Without body consciousness, isn't it going to be difficult to distinguish between what is me & mine, and what is no...

Vol III - Bhakti Yoga

KY - Ch 7 - Non attachment - Dec 17 2018

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/kyog/kyog07.htm "...But it is a most difficult thing to give up the clinging to this universe; few ever attain to that...." Here are my notes. Please add to it. People say "I do", not knowing that it is God who is the doer. Non attachment is giving up the fruits of work. Swamiji is always speaking from a higher point of view. Karma Yoga gives up the idea of duty and doership. Swami D says we do good only because it is good for us. We are only indebted to five things: Sages Ancestors Gods Other kind and forgiving human beings All non-living things (clouds, Sun, etc) Until we realize non-attachment, indebtedness keeps us grounded. According to Swami Vivekananda, any action that makes us move forward is duty. That Karma which sets us free is the definition of duty. I am just an instrument and I don't even exist. Ramana Maharshi example (unfortunately my notes are incomplete) in mountain caves. The greatest gif...

KY - Ch 8 - p 113 - Jan 28 2019

Attendees: Nandini didi, Tara, Chandra, Bhama, Priti https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/kyog/kyog08.htm "The world's wheel within wheel....." Here are my notes. Please add to it: Why do we create? Why do we feel this urge to create? Our nature is looking for perfect balance and what we see is the unfulfilled part of it. So we create to fulfill. From our samskara , we look at things the way our mind is conduced to think and then we say "but if only this could be added to it, then it would be so perfectly balanced!" Our mind is in a state of imbalance and our nature propels us to fulfill a desire and get back into our own individual equilibrium. Desire comes from non-fulfillment (past samskara); and once fulfilled, it takes us back to equilibrium. Find your peace (right now) and hold it tight (never let go), and then everything else will fall into place. Two options are: Give up everything (desire) and stand back (path of a yogi) Plunge into th...