Notes from a Miami Guru
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(Please note: I actually took these notes from talks by my Guru in Florida when I studied yoga at his ashram. Aspirants heard evening lectures from him every night. Then we rose at 4 a.m. to transcribe those talks from video on computers, which was challenging, as you might imagine. One was half-asleep... Rising that early seemed special. At the time, though, I didn't really want to, very much.--Susy) Saintly personalities listened to the stories of scriptures--requested Suta to impart to them the teachings he had heard--these great sages approached Suta and asked to hear the story of the divine Krishna, or the story that praises the Lord, so the impurities of the Kali, Rajasic, Tamasic age may be dispelled. He was given a sacred thread and initiated to remind him to discipline his mind, speech and actions, the boy developed in himself the state of ------, his intellect was so bright he was not identified with his body even at an early age--some of his friends were advanced, some were dull. So spiritual teachings can't be given in an academic way--they are comprehensive in Satsanga you're given the simple yet profound which people begin to grasp as they're able. Suka even while very young had universal consciousness, later Suka becomes the teacher of the king and the main storyteller to that Suka, Suta says, I offer my adoration before I offer the highly mystic scripture that conveys the essence of the Vedas. A lamp provided to travel the dark ocean of the world process that implies repeated embodiments. Led by Karma you move to prosperity or adversity, to a high state or a low state...whatever you present before your mind as a goal if it's in the realm of time and space you won't accomplish it. When inner light develops the light of devotion then you're able to realize unity with the divine self and all the desires of the mind cease. Suka out of his great compassion imparted his teachings of devotion--whose story and glory should one listen to in order to attain liberation, one should develop devotion to Krishna (God), God in whatever form you are worshiping that God... One should have devotion to the divine self, to Krishna, one's desire should be to love God. If one loves God his heart becomes filled with joy, as love of God unfolds, intellect becomes free of complexes of the unconscious. Your knowledge becomes intellectual, but all knowledge you gain is academic, and has its value in the practical world, but no enlightenment. The presence of complexes is lifted when you develop love of God, a process of recovery of intellect is knowledge and along with it is dispassion. All you look for in the world is to be found in an internalized process in your heart...toward anything that distracts you from that process towards it you develop dispassion. If one does not develop taste for the glory of God, Suta says he's not really of any significance, his life is a mere burden, he has not attained anything. The fruit of that process is Moksha. There are four values of life: Dharma, ethical value, a constant adjustment with your conscience which has sensitivity within, you listen to the sensitivity of the soul. People become hard hearted and lose the sense of spontaneity and doing good for others if your progress ignores the basic ethical values. If you've not ignored Dharma but let yourself be rooted in ethical values, then you try to accumulate friends, wealth, family, material needs for your body. Vital values equal family life, society, friends, these should not go against Dharma. In an ideal process you must realize all your material attainments in this world are a means to an end-- TO BE CONTINUED
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^^ I enjoyed reading this Susy. Please continue.
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Thank you
These notes transcribed from his lectures are rough and unpolished, and I lost some of his thoughts in the transcription. He would talk rather fast. I haven't bothered to edit these, for the most part. Being a newspaper reporter and able to write very fast did help in transcribing his talks. From classic Vedanta text by Shakira--the spiritual guru is giving teachings to enable the aspirant to obtain enlightenment. As layers of clouds from verse 42 in excellent Sanskrit poetic literature as layers of clouds generated by the sun's rays appear in the sky so covers the reality of the Self, obscures the Self...subtle understanding is needed to comprehend the nature of bondage. Ignorance separates the soul from the supreme Self. If no ignorance you would experience Brahmin "I alone am" that is the glory of the "I AM" the real identity of the individual is the cosmic Self, in essence you're always that--and yet you're oblivious of your intrinsic nature due to ignorance or spiritual amnesia . In dreams a rich man can become a begger (anecdote about a man whom no one would give him shelter--dogs took his food--) enlightenment enables you to look beyond your ego. Your personality is like drifting clouds and the real you cannot be affected--to understand how does bondage arise. You enter a dream world and the dream does not exist in reality. You are supremely secure, but in the dream process you enter into a long dream. the Vedas give simple similies to make you understand. Where does ignorance come from? Ask yourself where do the clouds come from? If the sun were not there, there would be clouds. The sun created the clouds of ignorance or sipiritual amnesia, your ignorance is permitted by your own self or ego. The sun's fierce rays disperses the clouds--you ask why did God create ignorance in the first place? When you're caught in a dream your dream world seems beginningless and endless. When you wake you realize the dream wasn't real. and that God is perfect. You ask yourself why did God create this world in the first place? This question is ridiculous. When things are going well, you never ask that query. The moment you begin to explore your ignorance you realize it does not exist...if the sun were not there, if there was pitch darkness, you would not see darkness. Due to the self in you that is the ego ignorance is being sustained by the ego, the moment your attention addresses who am I, ignorance will dissipate. Allow your mind to rise above the senses and allow your intellect to become serene and bright and then you grow closer to your real Self--the day your intellect becomes serene, intuitive, the darkness will leave. Ignorance imparts mental agitation and as the mind moves, it creates projections and all miseries are based the constant agitation of mind. The more disturbed and upset you are, sorrow is directed to the-----if internally your mind is agitated you can't see things right and judge things in a healthy way. Stress will sweep over your body and you are lost in a storm, when you can't see things in a clear light. The dark clouds of imagination form in your mind and you wonder, What will happen to me? Egotism, cruelty, lack of patience, intolerance, all these arise from an agitated state of mind and 90 percent of your troubles arise out of a distracted mind. The basic problem is mental distractions. You must develop patience when you are caught in a rain storm, the rain of imagination clouds of unconscious negative impressions arise and the forboding of lightning and thunder--life becomes pain and suffering. Everywhere you see cruelty, unrighteousness and evil. When you learn to control then become internally secure as if you have entered a well built house and there's all security within yourself...ignorance does not allow you to look into your own deep self. The basic problem Who am I? does not capture the imagination of a person. The solution to every problem to infinite joy within yourself the mind is bored with that question, yet, and all is veiled. By meditation your consciousness expands Your intellect gets purified. Your inner expansion becomes visible to you. the mind is wildly projecting All experiences are based on mental functions. In every situation, your mind is fluctuating, just as when you watch a cinema show. A ray of light is passing through creating every experience and each is a function of mind--the mind goes on creating illusions and the idea "I am a body." Your memory of the past and expectation of the future, these are mental projections and behind all these is your inner reality--you project dreams on your consciousness and the dream comes and goes. The waking world also changes, from embodiment to embodiment the situations change but the innermost real you is always there and nothing changes that. The mind projects upon it. (To BE CONTINUED) -
Vedic literature has its roots in the four main Vedas which culminate in the Upanishads. The philospy of the Upanishads is called Vedanta. Highly condensed in order to allow that wisdom to flow to the masses. Scriptures that are lucid, contain stories, parables and illustrations of the great personalities of the past--how great devotees of ancient times passed on tests and trials to attain great joy and the Oneness of God. There are many Puranas and one of them contains the glory of Krishnal, the Divine Self is adored as Krishna in one, and Rama in another, the incarnation of the Divine Self as Krishna. Devotees find no conflict between different presentations of the Divine Self--Krishna presents a life sparkling with joy and divine power--stories of Krishna transcend ordinary realities. Rama is human and his examples meant to be followed...Krishna is God in the form of sparkling stream composed of billions of diamonds. It is from the Divine Self that the wisdom of Veda has proceeded. the immensity of the world is great that your are baffled--so many things are there in the universe, however this creation is the mirage like the luminous rays of the sun falling of desert sand creates a mirage, so the dreams of God create the mirage of the universe, the mirage of waking, dreams and deep sleep has been created by Maya, by illusion. the waking state is not natural and as the day passes by you get tired; so you run away and land yourself in the dream state but even that dream is not your natural state, even deep sleep is not your natural state--the fourth state is the target of revelation, the transcendental--your consciousness creates the magic of each state. Day by day you feel led to different situations, deep within, all these situations do not mean anything at all. Brahmin Himself, God, is the underlying substratum on which these three states are projected, God is unaffected, beyond Maya. To that Brahmin or God we offer our adorations, the essence of all scriptures is that the soul within you is essentially eternal, that God is the embodiment of sweetness and love--three types of misery are subjective body and mind-- Objective: people, interaction with others--Catasstrophic: hurricanes, earthquakes, etc. Cultivate love of God deep within and you begin to discover inner security, the miseries of the world will not affect you. Listen to this scripture with devotion and as it unfolds God whom is glorious and majestic unfoldes in the devotee--you can capture God there is that faculty within you--everyone loves, but that Love hasn't been discovered in its pure state. In Karmic process you are led from embodiment to embodiment. Different types of love are experienced the real object for which love unfolds is God. The subtle art of recognizing God in the objects of your love. The Puranas are the various scriptures--in worldly love, delight diminishes and burden grows--Spiritual Love does not decrease but grows and grows. Sri Rama continues to express his mental state reflecting on the transient nature of all things he despairs and urges his Guru to give him spiritual teachings, for nothing in this world is satisfactory. The mind must have a proper understanding of objects, their values, the purpose of life, then becomes eager to keep his head above the waters of the world---you can be in the world but let not your whole head be enveloped, be engulfed--keep yourself in the world but above it. That is the Great Art. If you are completely above the waters you are liberated. Let the world enable you to learn to be evolved, to learn deep lessons--everything changes--in the process of the soul many embodiments have gone on, you've faced many situations. Discipline yourself to be the master of your senses. Understand that objects are illusory in nature and then you become master of yourself with great ease. Give more attention to the soul than to the body. Changes in dreams, ideals, expectations in body, so many changes exist in your mind and many changes are yet to come. Human life is like a lightning flash, it shines for awhile and then vanishes. Spiritualism is illusion (mediums) you can't reach someone who is dead. Such is the transient nature of human relations, the world can be compared to a stage and a drama, if you feel you are not dependent on the world, with a sense of internal freedom you can perform your duties well. If too attached, you can't be truly efficient. Happiness is already there within yur heart and is not dependent on the world, your mind isn't caught up in the objects--without this non-attachment, inner peace cannot be felt. There is a greater dimension of life to live not in the realm of the senses which enables you to discover your inner majesty. Vedenta gives spiritual advancement. All things and people are transient the moment you focus on the God in you and allow your mind to grasp the illusiory nature of things which goes on changing in their values just like a chameleon. If your Karma has run its course, then even a banana peel can be the cause of your exit... (to be continued)
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Thanks again. If you don't mind I am going to copy and save these words. It is most helpful to me, especially right now. I listened to a guided meditation the other night on YouTube and it helped me immensely.
And now here are your wonderful posts. The Universe is beautiful. And everything changes. Peace and Love! -
I enjoyed reading it as well Susy. Can you imagine going on a banana peel?
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People change in various ways; some become saintly--changes can be from negative to positive and vice versa; your mind constantly plays different roles. as time passes if one doesn't discipline his mind, bitterness comes, harshness, gentleness departs--you develop scars first in your mind and then it robs your face of beauty. The sole purpose of my existence is to acquire calmness of mind and thereby, enlightenment. Everyone is driven by cravings--most people don't know where to look for happiness, they don't know how to find peace. Rama says I want to attain that supreme peace. It's hard to be free of attachments and to control the senses, you long for mastery over the senses--if a person has not disciplined his mind at an early age how can he expect to possess a healthy mind--religion is the very source of your life--without religion, you feel increasing karmic pressure, and a mind in a state of despair. On dispassion (vairaga) Sri Rama continues to express his spiritual aspirations before the sages and saints and there are profound implications in what he expresses, gives insight into the transient naure of all things. You must have introspective aspect of your mind. Beware of false hungers. Reading some philosophical books assuages real, spiritual hunger. You may say "I want enlightenment" a student goes to the Guru and says that. The Guru says, stay in the Ashram, practice discipline, and later on I will teach you and give the initiation ceremony and bestow your Dharma name. Student says, "Oh Guru, are you drowning me?" Guru says Remember how restless you were in the water, you wanted to get out, and develop an aspiration for enlightenment--virtuous qualities latent in a person come to the surface, and unfold. Human life is the rarest opportunity for the soul to obtain enlightenment. You can discover in yourself a source of freedom, an awareness, knowing how short is one's life like a lightning flash. The enjoyments of youth are of very short duration like a passing stream--reflecting on all that Rama said, I'm not interested in the pleasures of the senses...my mind is intent on obtaining enlightenment. People are descended into a dark well half immersed in anxiety and misery, feeling the muck in that dark well which represents the predicament of a human being in this world, he has evolved concepts about himself, his biography and what he has been doing--all of this is total fabrication and not the reality. Rama said my mind wanders, I'm frightened of this predicament--how to attain mountain-like invincibility in this world that swirls with agitation, wha is the mantra that overpowers and can cure this dreadful disease of repeated embodiments? That cure is enlightenment: in my heart there burns the fire of grief, worries, anxieties. How to bring within my heart that mystic dream that fills the heart with divine peace? Oh Sage, prescribe to me that medicine with which I may transend and go beyong all sorry and pain. I am like a person chased by barking dogs, by howling wolves. How to be free of this predicament and attain that Brahmic abode full of bliss? In highly poetic language, he goes on urging you to develop the aspiration for spiritual enlightenment. Lord Sankira gives insight into the nature of the self and the art of realizing the Self. He qualified the nature of the self. Bondage of the self springs from ignorance and is self-caused. What is the cause of all the limitations and miseries in the world? Creation has emanated from God and rationally there should be no flaws in the creation--when did all this misery and trouble begin? The answer is given in a Vedantic mystic way: the answer is ignorance, avidya. Why did God create ignorance? It is self-caused; God didn't create it. Avidya =ignorance and avidya can be destroyed, that is the whole purpose of your existence--there is a process of waking up, and you realize the whole world is nothing but the glory of God and it's all luminous...the sun is a mass of light and if you land yourself in it, you will not find darkness, multiplicity, or illusion. Similies are the waves and the ocean. You develop the notion that I am an independent individual, God is the ocean and you are the wave. The Guru wave comes and says, "All this is the ocean," then they realize they were never separated from the ocean and every moment your heart is pulsating on the basis of the universal Life, at every moment you are deep down in your heart one with God. Your solution lies in unconditioning the mind. At this stage of development, the self is being ignored-- every person feels "I am the body"--this state is called bondage. You can't feel independent or secure, in reality there is no comfort, you are always dependent upon so many things. In your office, dependent on the moods of your boss and co-workers, at home dependent on the moods of your family, and even when all is comfortable, dependent on the moods of yourself and conditions of your body. When one with God you view the world like a passing cloud. Movie similie: projections on a cinema screen. The screen itself is always at rest,. Bondage is being taken from one situation to another, the bondage is being created by the mental illusion. Take the illustration of misunderstanding--realize you are a blend of eternal and non-eternal, you are always a blend of the unchanging, and the changing. When you develop devotion to God, your intellect becomes free of illusion. You realize you are intrinsically the Self--the body, mind and senses you are not. That is the art of discrimination. One who is devoted to the Vedic scriptures, who starts listening to scriptures. You are given to four purposes in life. In the vast majority of people, ethical values are not regarded, they're just after accumulating a lot of wealth. It's only when you pursue ethical values that you feel satisfied. When you turn to Dharma, you become simplified. You don't go after jobs that are not in harmony with your nature. In the spirit of yoga you are performing with purity of mind and devotion to God--a person with purity of mind realizes the Supreme Self. If you are in Satsanga, in good association, that will lead you to detachment free of all associations--if your mind is joyous, more Prana flows into your body. Now, your mind is being controlled by intellect, intellect and ego are closely tied together. All those who have been best have encountered the worst. Show you can handle the worst by your ethical and spiritual values which are the greatest. One needs aspiration to realize the truth. If you're promoting Dharma, controlling the senses, promoting love of God, then your mind will develop the deep wonder of "who I am." If you have not followed this plan, then it's difficult to overcome the ego, all your thinking is in the form of the individual. (To Be Continued)
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Hi Susy! Still reading here, and such great information. I have intermittent internet and cellular data so I check When I can. Peace and Love!
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Hey Kittay, I will be adding more and more of his teachings when able. Watch this space. He was a bona fide Guru from India and his ashram wasn't a "cult" type thing. It was the real deal. Wish I could accord total honor to his thoughts through my transcriptions. Things get lost in translation... It wasn't always easy to understand his Indian accent and he would talk so fast, must be pretty smart to do so in English, which is not his first language.
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Heavenly attainment , heaven, is the astral plane where good karmas fructify giving you great pleasure, the vast majority of people want this and dream of a situation where there can be immense pleasure. They go to heaven for awhile but must return, your goal is to dissolve individuality and not to perpetuate that. Your goal is liberation, to become one with the River--in deep truth there is neither subject or object, both are transcended. The subject-object relationship is overcome when you enter into meditation, your mind is transcended and you find within yourself that state of consciousness where subject and object are transcended. For example, when you go to sleep both subject and object vanish. They arise in dreams but are not normal subjects of the waking world. True experience comprises neither subject or object. Your heart opens up to universiality. That state is Brahmin, God. Listen to the glory of God, listening to sacred scripture, one develops knowledge with dispassion or non attachment. Those desirous of doing great good should go to Satsanga. Kirtan implies your mind enjoys repeating the Divine Name...singing the praises of God has a broad spectrum. You express devotion to God through good actions. If someone insults you, You keep calm because you love God, because of that you can triumph over your mental irritability. You should praise God through your actions, through your life. By mantra, meditation, and asanas or Yoga poses you dedicate your life to the worship of God. To loosen the knots of karma and unburden your consciousness of complexity and negative impressions use constant reflection and remembrance of God. A constant reflective mind always holding onto God and flowing to God. Exercise your reason and your feelings, they both go together. The mind flows to God with deep feeling and in intellectual brightness one discovers God realization--who would not delight in the study of such scripture and in listening to the glory of God? Devotion then gradually develops in an individual--a person is given desire to listen to the glory of God and a unique taste develops for scriptural study which promotes faith, which gives one an increasing state of delight in reflecting on the teachings of the scriptures. Listening and chanting both purify the heart and subtle impressions of a negative nature dissolve when you develop devotion to God, as the Ganges flows and it sweeps away all the ashes. When impure impressions start to diminish due to devotion, there grows a steady love of God. When your mind is relaxed or satwic, you love God. Love and devotion to God waxes and wanes, fluctuates, but in the satwic state, spiritual love keeps growing and attachments to the world dissolve and one is one able to be detached. That is the great merit of the art of devotion, suddenly you realize what your mind has been leaning on will not help you and illusions are shaken. Your goal is to constantly enjoy divine love. (To Be Continued)
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Grow closer to God, not by sentimentality, but in a highly advanced way. Attachments break by inner advancement--Love of God flows with greater clarity and all knots of the heart dissolve, desires and ignorance are removed as love of God leads you towards liberation. This purana is devotional scripture. Yoga Vasistha, section 31. Concluding views re: transient nature of the world. Human life is as unstable as dew drops clinging to fluttering leaves, the human body as inseady as the the cheeks of frogs that swell and expand and contract. The world of relative and friends serves the purpose of thorny bushy obstructing the soul's route to its divine realized state. The more your mindfulness extends the more you have before you that blockage, in the forest of thorny bushes winds of subtle desires blow, lightning is hope, desire, expectation-clouds are troubles-human greeed dances in that rainy season like a peacock, and negative karmas flourish. "Lord Yama God of Death waits behind the trees to devour the individual. How can a person be liberated? O Sage you are endowed with limitless power, power of austerity, power of limitless knowledge...nothing is impossible for you therefore please guide me this world is full of misery there is nothing delightful in the world but if ignorance is destroyed, everything is delightful. How can one strop the world of its endless pain and view it in lustrous rays emanating from the Self. What is that water that can cleanse the mind of its impurities most people lack vairaga and insight and dwell in the dark forest. Disease is repeated embodiments leading to experience of birth and death. How can a person be transformed into metallic gold so the miseries of the world will not consume him? In this world there is no situation not afflicted by attachment and hate, as long as there is thoughts of the object, there is mind. As long as the mind flows toward once your mind is still without moving towards any object, then it is no longer mind, instead of mind there is pure consciousness. How did enlightened persons of the past conduct this world, what method did they adopt to attain enlightenment? O Sage be gracious, relate that to me. All Spiritual aspirants set free a release of spiritual energy, all heavenly beings started sprinkling sprays of flowers, thousands of celestial beings and great sages appeared coming down from the heavenly world of Vishnu in the highest heaven, easy for them, because of their immense psychic power and it's believed whenever satsanga is done, the sages present themselves in subtle ways. But in Rama's time not just in the subtle way, they all appeared...they said it is a great wonder that Rama has developed vairagua not in ordinary manner but in its fullness. All his sayings are wonderful whomever would reflect on these would find his way to destruction of subtle desires, his words revealed his brilliant intellect. rama developed purity of heart at an early age and is determined to discover the innermost self, just as when the moon rises, the moon spreads out moonlight. When the flower blooms, fragrance emanates. Soon the flower will bloom. Rama has developed this broad hearted vision that expresses the majesty of his heart. Having listened to these words Sage spoke, oh Roma you are best among the knowers of the Self. There is nothing more for you to know, you are in full possession of spiritual knowledge however there exist in you a little taint, a taint of diffidence and doubt, and just as Sage Shuka attained liberation, you too will attain liberation.
