What Has Happened To Spirituality in Europe and America?

Swami Yatiswarananda on what has happened to spirituality in Europe and America. What he says is more relevant today than it was when it was first spoken many decades ago.

"When I see the huge churches and cathedrals in Europe(and America), I ask myself: What happened to the spirituality of the country? Europe was once full of monks and nuns. It  produced great religious movements, monastic orders, great saints.
What happened to the spirituality accumulated through the ages? It has all been converted into brick and paint. The spectacular achievements of science and technology, art and politics, have drawn heavily on the spiritual reserves of Europe. For the last two or three hundred years spiritual life has been neglected.
Material life, physical enjoyment, has become the primary concern of the people.
Nothing more has been contributed to the original fund of spirituality. Other powers have risen in place of spiritual power."

The Swami then goes on to say World Wars and chaos are the fruit of this spiritual departure.
I couldn't agree with him more that material life and the unceasing quest for enjoyment and wanting to be entertained has been detrimental to personal spirituality.
I would also add that in America we have increasingly adopted a kind of feel good "spirituality" that is shallow, hollow and borne from man's ego.

Sanskrit Prayer

O Lord, Thou art my Mother, Thou art my Father,

Thou art my relative and my friend,

Thou art my learning and my wealth,

Thou art indeed my all.

Wisdom From Swami Vivekananda

"When I Asked God for Strength He Gave Me Difficult Situations to Face
When I Asked God for Brain & Brawn He Gave Me Puzzles in Life to Solve
 When I Asked God for Happiness He Showed Me Some Unhappy People
When I Asked God for Wealth He Showed Me How to Work Hard
When I Asked God for Favors He Showed Me Opportunities to Work Hard
When I Asked God for Peace He Showed Me How to Help Others
God Gave Me Nothing I Wanted
He Gave Me Everything I Needed."

Your Spiritual Life and Growth

If I had to choose a few must have books, other than the sacred texts, Meditation and Spiritual Life by Swami Yatiswarananda is the book that would be near the top of my list.
Calling it a primer on how to achieve Self (and God)- Realization does not describe entirely what it is all about. This book covers all aspects of achieving and living a God connected life. Incredibly engrossing and readable, this book is filled with relevant anecdotes and reminisces that make it so interesting.
Swami Yatiswarananda was a member of the Ramakrishna Order.
As an aside, there is plenty of instruction and information that can be beneficial to Christians and those of other faiths.
Here are a few quotes from this great book:


"Unless a person starts regarding himself as the soul, the self separate from body and mind, he has not even begun his spiritual life."


"Our spiritual teachers tell us that divine Grace comes in the form of self-effort, spiritual yearning and striving."


An example of this that Swami gives: "Jesus taught a dynamic spiritual life, a life of intense struggle and effort. This was the life lived by the great Christian mystics."


"People who are highly egotistic will find spiritual life very difficult. They mistake their own lower impulses for something very grand and follow them. They do not pause to listen to the "still small voice" of conscience within them."


"Once you accept the spiritual ideal you must make it shine in all it's attitudes and relationships."


If you are truly serious about a REAL, and I mean real, all encompassing spiritual life, then buy this book. In the past I have been guilty of saying I wanted this in my spiritual life but I wasn't willing to do the WORK. It takes work and commitment, a willingness to let your quest be the focal point of your life. Don't fool yourself by saying you want it and then just go on with life as usual. Again, don't kid yourself. But, here is the reality, your connection with the Divine is more satisfying, substantive and lasting then any momentary pleasure you will find in relationships or activities.


I have read countless books over the decades on, for a lack of a better word, "spirituality," this


is the one to have.

A Prayer(Mantra) For Everything

The poignant prayer in this mantra is for peace everywhere in the universe. The prayer is for every thing in the universe, space, earth, water, vegetation, all learned people, all gods and even peace be free from harm and be conducive for peace. As a final part of the mantra, the person chanting the mantra, requests the Lord to grant him or her that peace also.(taken from The Ramakrishna Math).

"Unto The Heaven Be Peace,
 Unto The Sky And The Earth Be Peace.
 Peace Be Unto The Water,
 Unto The Herbs And Trees Be Peace.
 Unto All The Gods Be Peace,
Unto Brahma And Unto All Be Peace.
 And May We Realise That Peace.
 Om Peace Peace Peace."

Who Should Read The Bhagavad-Gita?

Vedanta and Holistic Health: Lessons from the Bhagavad Gītā

In an age when we are flooded with health and wellness news, often with an agenda to make money, here is established and timeless wisdom on having physical as well as mental health. This article was written by Basant K. Gupta.

Vedanta and Holistic Health: Lessons from the Bhagavad Gītā

The Sanskrit term for health is swastha which has two roots: sva means “self” or “soul” and sthā means “to stand firmly”. Thus, a healthy person is one who dwells in the Self. Ancient wisdom states that in order to have a healthy body, one’s mind needs to develop soul-consciousness and move away from body consciousness. The concept of soul as an eternal and indestructible entity is beautifully described in Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gītā:
 

Weapons cannot cut it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot make it wet, and the wind cannot make it dry. (Bhagavad Gītā 2.23)

The verse emphasizes the fact that ātman is eternal, indestructible, all-pervading, changeless, immovable, and primeval.

Legend has it that when Alexander the Great came to India he met a yogi sitting underneath a tree in deep meditation. Alexander asked the yogi to accompany him to Greece saying, “I will give you everything you ask for. My people would love to meet you!” The yogi quietly answered, “I need nothing, and I am happy where I am!” This was the first time that anyone had turned down Alexander’s request. Unable to control his rage, he thundered, “I am the great king Alexander. If you will not listen to me, I shall cut you into pieces!” Unperturbed, the yogi answered. “You cannot kill me! You can only kill my body, as I am the soul which dwells within the body!” Alexander realized his mistake and beat a hasty retreat unable to subdue an unarmed mystic.
 
Power of Yoga
Having attained knowledge of the soul, the question naturally arises: how does one attain soul-realization? Indian scriptures tell us that this can be achieved by the regular practice of yoga. According to the Gītā, yoga has four definitions. The first one says that yoga is “equanimity of mind” — samatvam yoga ucyate. According to the second, yoga is “excellence in action” – “yogaḥ karmasu kaushalam.”  The third definition states that yoga is the union of ātman with paramātman. Finally, the fourth definition says that yoga severs a seeker’s union with sorrow. In other words, yoga practice uplifts the seeker to a higher state of joy and happiness. There is a beautiful verse in the Gītā which describes this aptly:
 
Let it be known that the severance of union with sorrow is known by the name of yoga. This yoga should be practiced resolutely with perseverance, without any mental reservation or doubts. (Bhagavad Gītā 6: 23)

In the joyous state of yoga, one is situated in boundless spiritual happiness, and enjoys oneself through transcendental senses. Once in such a position, one is never perturbed, even in the midst of the greatest difficulty. This indeed is true freedom from all the miseries arising from material contact.

Chaitanya Mahāprabhu describes this aptly: “God is like the brilliant light, and māyā is like total darkness. Just as darkness does not have the power to subdue light, similarly māyā can never overcome God”. The Gītā reveals that the nature of God is divine bliss, while the consequence of māyā is misery. Thus, one who attains the divine bliss of God can never be overcome again by the misery of māyā.
 
Life of Moderation
The Gītā further recommends that a life of moderation, discipline and self-control has to be pursued to attain holistic health. The following verse aptly describes this truth:
 
He who is temperate in his habits of eating, sleeping, working, and recreation can mitigate all material pains by practicing the Yoga. (Bhagavad Gītā 6: 17)

Sri Kṛṣṇa declares that those who are moderate, restrained and regulated are eligible to practice yoga, which is the union of the soul with God. The opposite of Yoga is bhoga, which means engagement in sensual pleasures. Pursuit of bhoga eventually results in roga (disease). The same instruction was repeated by Gautama Buddha, when he recommended the golden middle path between severe asceticism and sensual indulgence.
 
Healthy Diet
The Gītā emphasizes the need for a healthy and balanced diet for the well-being of the individual. Three verses relate to Ayurveda—“the science of long life” tell us about the influence of the kind of foods we eat on our overall physical and mental health as well as our happiness.
 

Persons of sattvic nature prefer foods that promote long life, vitality, strength, good health, happiness and contentment; foods which are juicy, succulent, nourishing and pleasing to the heart. (Bhagavad Gītā 17: 8)

For a healthy mind, it is essential to have a healthy body. It is important for a seeker to consume the right kind of foods to have inner and outer vitality. These foods are described in this verse with the words “āyuh sattva”, meaning “which promote longevity”. They provide good health, strength, joy, and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, smooth in texture, tasteful, and beneficial. These include milk, yogurt, cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables, and other vegetarian foods.

Hence, a vegetarian diet is considered conducive to the spiritual life. This view has been shared by a number of well-known philosophers in history, including Albert Einstein who wrote: “Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”

Foods that are very bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and spicy are dear to those in the rajasic mode”. Such foods cause grief, misery and disease. (Bhagavad Gītā 17: 9)

Rajasic foods are highly bitter, sour, spicy, hot, pungent, acidic, etc. Such foods cause pain, indigestion, ill health and disease. Persons in the mode of passion find such foods palatable, but those in the mode of goodness avoid them.
 
Foods that are stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten and impure are dear to those in the mode of ignorance. (Bhagavad Gītā 17: 10)

Cooked foods that have remained for more than one yam (three hours) are classified as tamasic. Foods that are impure, have bad taste, or possess foul smells come in the same category. Impure foods also include all kinds of meat products. Foods that are stale, insipid, tasteless, and intoxicating such as meat, fish, eggs, wine, alcohol, tobacco, opium, etc. are the foods of choice for those situated in tamas gūṇ.
 
Power of Truth
The Gītā further tells us that what we speak is vitally important for our well-being and holistic health. The following verse is very significant:
 
Speech that is truthful, pleasing, inoffensive, and beneficial, and which does not cause distress; and regular recitation of the Vedic scriptures- these are declared as austerity of speech. (Bhagavad Gītā 17:15)

The ancient text Manu Smṛti says: “Speak the truth in such a way that it is pleasing to others. Do not speak the truth in a manner harmful to others. Never speak untruth, though it may be pleasant. This is the eternal path of morality and dharma.”
 
Purity of Thoughts
Apart from the importance of spoken words for our well–being, the purity of our thoughts is also linked to our holistic health. In fact, the Gītā says that regular practice of yoga leads to internal purity. The following verse appropriately describes the same:

Serenity of thought, gentleness, silence, self-restraint, and purity of purpose- all these are declared as austerity of the mind. (Bhagavad Gītā 17: 16)

The austerities of the mind mentioned in this verse are serenity of the mind, goodness to other, external and internal silence, restraining one’s mind to stay focused on Self-realization, and purity of purpose. These austerities of mind are in sattva gūṇa, or the mode of goodness.

In Chapter Six, the Gītā says, “Elevate yourself through the power of your mind, and do not degrade yourself; for the mind can be the friend but also the enemy of the Self.” It is a matter of fact that one’s state of mind determines the state of one’s consciousness. Each thought we dwell upon has consequences. Thought by thought, we forge our destiny. It is important to realize that we harm ourselves with every negative thought that we harbour in our mind. At the same time, we uplift ourselves with every positive thought that we dwell upon. So, we must cultivate our mind with rich and noble thoughts, while weeding out the negative and debilitating ones. If we allow resentful, hateful, unforgiving, and critical thoughts to reside in our mind, they will have a debilitating effect on our personality. Love brings love, and hate brings hate. For this reason, switching the mind from negative emotions and making it dwell upon positive sentiments is considered a vital requirement for our holistic health and spiritual well-being.

Who Is Krishna?

The following is from Krishna.com and it does a great job explaining who Krishna is. To many Westerners, Krishna is some kind of "Hindu deity" or other such foreign thing.
As you will read, Krishna is universal, he is for all of us.


Krishna is a name of the original, unique Supreme Person, the source of all that exists. God has many names, and each describes a different aspect of His personality. Allah, Vishnu, Jehovah, and God refer to His greatness and His role as creator, maintainer of the universe, and Lord of all. The name Krishna—"the all-attractive one"—indicates the unequaled charm and beauty of the Supreme Person, as He appears to His most dear devotees.


Krishna appears as other forms of God—avatars—to create and maintain the universe, while He simultaneously enjoys loving relationships with His countless associates in the spiritual world. He visits this material world from time to time to free His devotees from material existence and to vanquish the wicked. He performs superhuman pastimes—lifting mountains, swallowing forest fires, and killing numerous extraordinarily powerful demons—as easily as a child playing with toys.

Krishna talks about Himself in the Bhagavad-gita, explaining how anyone can know Him through Krishna consciousness, bhakti-yoga. The Srimad-Bhagavatam further describes Krishna's uncommon and fascinating personality and activities in its Tenth Canto.


Krishna is the source of brahman, the all-pervading spiritual energy which includes everything and everyone. We are all one with Krishna, in the sense that we are all parts of the supreme whole. He is also present in every atom, as well as in the hearts of all living things as Paramatma, the Supersoul. But ultimately, Krishna is Bhagavan, the Supreme Person who possesses all opulences—wealth, strength, fame, knowledge, beauty, and detachment—to the fullest degree.
Realization of Krishna progresses in three stages; first comes an understanding of His all-pervading brahman feature, then one realizes His presence within one's self and others as Paramatma, and finally one comes to appreciate Krishna as He is, as Bhagavan, the all-attractive Supreme Person, the ultimate cause of all causes, the source of all of us and of being itself.


The greatest personalities of ancient times, such as Narada, Asita, Devala, Vyasadeva—who compiled the Vedas—and Arjuna, to whom Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita, all accept Krishna to be the Supreme Person, the Absolute Truth, the ultimate source of all energies, and the One ultimately responsible for the creation, maintenance, and annihilation of everything in the material world.

Sayamarani dasi and Her Bhakti Artwork

For decades Sayamarani dasi has been creating incredibly beautiful artwork as it pertains to Krishna and everything related.
Go to her site below and read her biography and view these masterpieces. They are truly otherworldly as well as devotional and inspiring.
http://bhaktiart.net/

Why Study The Bhagavad Gita, pt.1

An interesting article from ISKCON Desire Tree about why we should study The Bhagavad Gita:

"The Bhagavad Gita enlightens and lightens our life-journey:

Suppose we are struggling to walk on a dark road while carrying a heavy burden. If the streetlights turn on, we won’t stumble or go off-track. And if we see that most of our baggage is unnecessary, we will put it aside and walk much easier.

The Bhagavad-gita can similarly ease our life-journey. When things go wrong, our path ahead may appear dark. No path may seem to lead to anything good, as happened to Arjuna at the Gita’s start (1.30). Though he had been standing heroically, bow aloft, ready to fight, distress so burdened him that he put aside his bow and sat down, unable to fight. Such a blinded and burdened Arjuna sought solace in the Gita. And its enlightening and lightening potency is evident in its conclusion (18.73): Arjuna’s illusion was destroyed and his composure, restored.

What is this knowledge that so dramatically transformed Arjuna?

The Gita explains that we all are souls, parts of Krishna(God). Whatever happens in life, our eternal function is to serve him. When we strive to live this knowledge, our service attitude acts like a flashlight that illumines our next step. And if we keep taking one step at a time, eventually things become clearer. Thus, understanding our identity and purpose enlightens us – it lights our inner world, removing the darkness of confusion.

"The Gita" wisdom further explains that we just have to play the part of the part, and the whole will take care of the whole. We don’t have to worry about things that are not in our control; Krishna(God) will take care of them. Being freed from the crippling burden of trying to take care of things beyond our control, we can focus energetically on the things in our control.

Thus, we all can enlighten and lighten our life-journey by studying The Bhagavad Gita."

On God,the Real Purpose of This Life and Yoga

The following is an introduction George Harrison wrote for the book Krsna by Swami Prabhupada. What he writes of below are ancient and universal truths as revealed in the Vedic scriptures (The Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bagavatam).
When you begin to read and study these texts you will find answers and direction to your life that are obtainable nowhere else.
Sorry for the small print on this post.


"Everybody is looking for KRISHNA(God).
Some don't realize that they are, but they are.
KRISHNA is GOD, the Source of all that exists, the Cause of all that is, was, or ever will be.
As GOD is unlimited HE has many Names.
Allah-Buddha-Jehova-Rama: All are KRISHNA, all are ONE.

God is not abstract; He has both the impersonal and the personal aspects to His personality which is SUPREME, ETERNAL, BLISSFUL, and full of KNOWLEDGE. As a single drop of water has the same qualities as an ocean of water, so has our consciousness the qualities of GOD'S consciousness... but through our identification and attachment with material energy (physical body, sense pleasures, material possessions, ego, etc.) our true TRANSCENDENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS has been polluted, and like a dirty mirror it is unable to reflet a pure image.
With many lives our association with the TEMPORARY has grown. This impermanent body, a bag of bones and flesh, is mistaken for our true self, and we have accepted this temporary condition to be final.
Through all ages, great SAINTS have remained as living proof that this non-temporary, permanent state of GOD CONSCIOUSNESS can be revived in all living Souls. Each soul is potentially divine. Krsna says in Bhagavad Gita: "Steady in the Self, being freed from all material contamination, the yogi achieves the highest perfetional stage of happiness in touch with the Supreme Consciousness." (VI,28)
YOGA (a scientific method for GOD (SELF) realization) is the process by which we puirify our consciousness, stop further pollution, and arrive at the state of Perfection, full KNOWLEDGE, full BLISS.
If there's a God, I want to see Him. It's pointless to believe in something without proof, and Krishna Consciousness and meditation are methods where you can actually obtain GOD preception. You can actually see God, and Hear Him, play with Him. It might sound crazy, but He is actually there, actually with you.

There are many yogic Paths--Raja, Jnana, Hatha, Kriya, Karma, Bhakti--which are all acclaimed by the MASTERS of each method.

SWAMI BHAKTIVEDANTA is as his title says, a BHAKTI Yogi following the path of DEVOTION. By serving GOD through each thought, word, and DEED, and by chanting HIS Holy Names, the devotee quickly develops God-consciousness. By chanting

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama

I request that you take advantage of this book KRSNA, and enter into its understanding."