Thought for the Day : 4th March 2014

We often say, “I am performing all actions in this world for the sake of God”. Is it real? Are you doing all the tasks to please God, or is it for your own self? Contemplate on this. Every devotee (Sadhaka) does many different activities, for their own sake and not for the sake of God. Listening, singing the glory of the Lord, chanting His name, serving the divine feet, salutation, worship, servitude, friendship and Self-surrender – all these nine forms of devotion, are for your own good, and not for God’s benefit. Consider this example. You are eating an apple. Is it for the benefit of the apple, that you are eating it? No, it is for your own health! Similarly your actions, worship or meditation is only for your own happiness and satisfaction. The only thing God cares for is purity and steadfastness. Purity in thought, word and actions is all that matters to God. - Divine Discourse, Vol 2, Ch 5, Apr 10, 2000.

Purity alone attracts Divinity. If the iron filings are rusted, even the most powerful magnet cannot attract them. - Baba

Thought for the Day : 3rd March 2014

Meditation is not merging the form in your mind. It is merging your mind with the Form, so that the mind doesn’t exist. There are three stages in this process – The Ooha (imagining the Form), Bhava(experiencing the Divine) and finally Sakshatkara (Realization). In the initial stages, the devotee imagines one’s favourite Divine Form, as they have seen before. Over time, the image vanishes in the mind and they begin experiencing the Form. This process takes longer and slowly, the devotee starts experiencing the Lord from the toe to the head. The impressions last longer and grow deeper and gradually, the image of the Lord that is firmly implanted becomes an inner reality. While the imagining stage gives only momentary joy, the experiencing stage results in complete identification of the seeker with the Lord. Thus, over time, awareness of the Divine results in oneness with the Divine (Brahmavid Brahmaiva Bhavathi). - Divine Discourse, Vol 2, Ch 5, Mar 11, 1984.

Meditation is nothing else but rising above desires. - Baba

Thought for the Day : 2nd March 2014

If you throw a pebble in a pond, a small ripple originates and spreads until the end of the river. You may or may not be able to see, but the ripple starts right at the point where the stone meets the water. Similarly, in the lake of your mind, when you throw a stone of thought, ripples of thought waves start spreading throughout your body. The same ripple reflects in your eyes, brain, ears, heart and also in your hands and legs. Hence you must be very careful with the kind of thoughts that you permit to pervade your personality. When you get pure thoughts, all your senses will be purified by it. However, if you get bad thoughts, your senses will be perverted and this will quickly spread to your eyes, heart, hand and brain. Always have pure thoughts. If you do so, your body, senses and actions will be purified. - Divine Discourse, 'My Dear Students', Vol 2, Apr 10, 2000.

Bury bad thoughts under good ones. The bad ones will automatically fade away and be forgotten. - Baba

Thought for the Day : 1st March 2014

During meditation, care must be taken to keep the back straight and steady without bending forward or backward or sideward. If you bend or move, misdirection of highly potent energy (Kundalini) can occur resulting in mental derangement. Also wear loose clothes. Your eyes must concentrate on the tip of the nose. They must be half-open, so you are neither distracted nor falling asleep. Free your mind from bad thoughts and fill it with sacred ones. To achieve this, you must control your senses. Your ears must be trained to listen only to noble and elevating ideas, and to eschew evil speech and gossip. Your eyes must be tuned to see the Divine. The restless mind must be restrained by making it concentrate on inhalation and exhalation while incessantly repeating the Mantra, ‘So-Ham’ (I am He). Through these postures and activities, your life-breath is controlled and this will ensure that the great power of Yoga is revealed unto you. - Divine Discourse, 'My Dear Students', Vol 2, Ch 5, Mar 11 1984.

Bhajan, Satsang and meditation done with the mind soaked in love confers peace, joy and wisdom. - Baba