The Yoga Way of Life - Swami Satchidananada.

“The people who want acquire the yogic ideals have already experienced the misery of the world, the worry and anxiety of the world, and they feel that they cannot continue in that way. So, they try to adapt themselves to the yogic way of life. As long as a person is interested in the worldly life and fulfilling desires, he or she won’t even turn toward Yoga. Yoga asks you to be more content, without anxieties and worries, and to not be selfish. You just do everything for the sake of others. Even your own office, your daily work, is a part of the whole.

“God bless you. Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi.”

See Yourself

“How do you know that you are the image of God? Only by seeing your Self. The mind is ready to show you your true nature, when the mind is stilled and peaceful. But you are trying to keep the mind quiet by talking about it. Are you quiet, if you say, ‘I want to be quiet?’ It’s almost like talking while trying to fall asleep: ‘I want to sleep.’ When would you sleep? Even the wanting to sleep slips away from your mind, when you are quietly preparing to sleep. That means, don’t do anything to disturb your mind. Is it possible not to do anything? Your stomach will cry for food. Your eyes will want to see things. So what can you do? Become the witness.

“God bless you. Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi.”

Understand the World - Satchithananda Swami.

“When we understand the ups and downs of the world in the proper way, we will see that it’s up to us to understand this and raise above it all. Then, you can ride over the waves and enjoy them. You will say, ‘Oh, these waves are the nature of the world; they will not attack me.’ That is the knowledge we want. Then, you won’t get upset over anything. Otherwise, what is the purpose of all this Yoga to balance the mind? When everything is balanced already, why should you balance yourself? When you understand that pain and pleasure are two sides of one coin, then you understand them in the right light and no longer suffer. So it is up to us to raise ourselves above the ups and downs.” 

“God bless you. Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi.”

Know Your Self - Swami Satchithananada.

“Imagine, you say, ‘My mind is totally upset today. Yesterday I was all peaceful, happy. Today, I am disturbed.’ What is the common thing behind these statements? The common factor is that you know. You know that you are disturbed; you know you are not disturbed. The true you is that which knows everything, while the superficial you, is the mind. Although your mind is disturbed in some way today, the knower of your mind is not disturbed. Your mind was happy yesterday, and now, today, your mind is not happy. When you say your mind, then who are you? You might say, ‘I am my body, my mind, my intelligence, my ego.’ Of course you seem to have those things. But, who are you in reality? Find out the answer. That is what you call, ‘knowing your Self.’

“God bless you. Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi.”

Have You Seen God?

“One Hindu scripture goes to the extent of saying that if, by any chance, a person says, ‘I have seen God,’ you can be sure that he or she has not seen God. The idea is that it is the intelligence, or the mind, that says, ‘I have seen God.’ In reality, the mind can never see God. It is only when the mind ceases to be that God is experienced. So if the mind says, ‘I have seen God,’ this is an utter falsehood. In fact, in everybody there is a divine element, or the godly personality within. It is the mind that, more or less, hides it from understanding its own self. So when the mind ceases to function, one realizes himself or herself to be that.

“God bless you. Om Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi.”