Wisdom of the Mystics: Shree Anandmayi Maa

Transcript

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Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Bearded Mystic Podcast and I'm your host, Rahul N Singh.

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Thank you for taking out the time today to either watch or listen to this podcast episode.

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Today we'll be continuing on with our series called Wisdom of the Mystics and last month we looked at the teachings of the greatest Chinese Sage Lao Tzu.

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In this episode, we will be looking at the teachings of the most inspirational mystics of India, of the 20th century.

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Shree Anandmayi Maa.

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I will be looking at some of her sayings and contemplating upon them.

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One thing I do note that whenever I do look at the pictures of Shree Maa, it does bring a feeling of devotion and you can see the purity within her, the gracefulness, you just feel that sense of strong spiritual energy and aura.

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The first quote that we are going to look at is.

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A doubt arises in your mind.

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Why is it taking so long in the advancement of sadhana?

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Innumerable inauspicious deeds have been done in this and previous births, unless these are cleansed delay in the progress of sadhana will surely be there.

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Once the body mind are cleaned up, medicine in the form of Naam-Japa will be effective.

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None of you know who has progressed to what extent hence keep doing, who knows when the auspicious moment will arrive.

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Very beautiful quote, a lot to unpack.

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First of all, we can sense here that spiritual seeking isn't an immediate success.

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It can be both direct and progressive.

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It may take time.

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It may not be that straight away when we come across that Gyana, that truth, that we will get there.

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We need to be patient you know, many of us, we want a fast food type of spiritual progress, but that isn't possible and that isn't sustainable either.

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If you think about it, if we continuously eat fast food, what happens to our body?

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We start to feel unhealthy.

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We don't feel good.

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Our taste buds will have a momentary happiness and enjoyment in eating it, but after we feel the effects.

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For example, if you've ever had McDonald's, I'm not speaking bad about McDonald's, but say, when you have a burger of theirs, you feel okay for a bit, but then after a while you start feeling sluggish and slow.

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And eventually you even want to take a nap.

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Then literally start feeling hungry again.

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So it's not something that will satiate us or make us feel fulfilled.

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Likewise, if we keep looking for shortcuts in spirituality, we're not going to feel fulfilled.

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If we think that some God is going to help us or that even the Guru is gonna help us and we'll get there straight away because their grace can happen at any time.

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No.

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It does require some sincere practice and a lot of honesty and authenticity and integrity on our behalf.

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First of all, we do need to be patient with our sadhana, with our practice.

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One thing that she says, which is really interesting is that we do not know what deeds we have done in the past, nor the outcome of those actions.

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Therefore, we need to have a larger view when it comes to addressing our karma.

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Yes, we've done karma in this life, but let's consider for a moment that we've done a lot of karma in our previous lives and we don't know whether they've been good or bad.

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But say we've come across someone like Shree Maa or a Guru like her, and we want to improve our spirituality.

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Now it's with their teachings, when we practice their teachings through sadhana that we may find that we are addressing those previous karmas.

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Now it may be that even after enlightenment, we may face the outcomes of the previous actions that we've done in the past.

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Now remember because we can put an end to them by reacting in the right way, because we have that viveka, that discernment.

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Just remember that if you have previous karma to deal with, remember that your sadhana is going to help you with that.

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This is why it's important that we follow what Sri Krishna suggests in The Bhagavad Gita, which is to perform our actions, but have no attachment or desire for any outcome or fruit of those very actions.

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We are not to think about the positive or negative outcomes.

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We are just to perform our actions and that is it.

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Let nature decide what needs to happen.

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The other aspect is when you have other people try to create reactions out of you, try and remain as the observer as much as possible.

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That's an important thing to do.

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There's no need to react straight away, become the observer, see what the best reaction is.

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Maybe silence, maybe doing nothing is the best way.

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Sometimes we think that we must act in a certain way.

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We must do something.

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We must respond, but sometimes even our non-response is the best response, but we have to understand if that is the best thing at that time, that's something we have to decide individually and according to the circumstance or the situation.

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Once we become more of the observer, once we do this and convince our body and mind that karma belongs to it only, but not to the Atman or to Formless Awareness, then we may do Naam-Japa.

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Naam-Japa is a great practice that will really help us.

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And Naam-Japa is basically mantra meditation.

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We chant those sacred words, those sacred syllables that have been given to us by a Guru or something we've heard maybe on YouTube or on a podcast, or just by chance.

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We may hear Naam-Japa like Aum Namah Shivaya that may help us or chanting Hare Krishna Hare Rama that can help us, whatever connects us to the Divine and connects us to our Higher Nature that will help us.

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Remember that Naam-Japa is a great meditation that we can do.

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Now one thing that I always emphasize and will continuously emphasize is that we must be sincere when we are remembering this Nirguna Brahman, this Formless Awareness, which is our True Self, as much as possible with the sacred names of the Lord.

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Remember the sacred names of the Lord are just tools to help us go back into that awareness of Nirguna Brahman.

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How can we remember Nirguna Brahman?

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Do Naam-Japa, remember the Lord, remember the names of the Lord, whether it's Ek Onkaar for you, whether it's Aum whether it's Aum Namah Shivaya, whether it's remembering Shakti or any Guru that you have, or any Ishta-Devta or any Guru mantra that you've received.

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Do Naam-Japa of that, and that will help you create strong spiritual strength and resilience.

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So whenever something positive or negative occurs to you, you know the best response to give in terms of the body and mind, but remember to establish yourself as the Atman and understanding that this positive and negative reaction does not belong to you because you are that Formless Awareness also known as the Atman.

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And as Shree Maa is guiding us, we must continue our practice because who knows when that moment arrives, when we become enlightened or we have a spiritual awakening.

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Now I am of the belief that we have many spiritual awakenings that will eventually lead to enlightenment.

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Now that's for the majority, I believe.

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That's my humble opinion.

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Now there are some people who go straight to enlightenment, but if we actually closely analyze, we will find that we've had mini awakenings before we get to enlightenment.

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We've had signs that have led to that, unless you're like Sri Ramana Maharshi, where it is a direct realization straight away.

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Everything is according to our previous karmas, but remember, that auspicious time of self realization can only occur if we are sincere in our practice.

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If we continuously practice this Naam-Japa, we can get there and that's why meditation is so important.

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Mindfully remembering the Lord, remembering our Formless Awareness, going back to being aware of our awareness.

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That is key here.

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Being conscious of our Consciousness.

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Being aware of the Formless within and remembering that this Formless is all pervading and within.

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Now the second quote.

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Who am I?

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Along with this query?

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Try to keep your mind as a witness, find yourself.

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It is needed to be one pointed so long as you sit fixedly without movement in contemplative mode.

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A very wonderful quote.

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Who am I?

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This has been an important inquiry that has been part of the spiritual community since the times of the Sages of the Upanishads But more so it's been relatively made popular with the great teachings and guidance from Sri Ramana Maharshi.

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But even Swami, Vivekananda, even Paramhamsa Yogananda Ji, they have all helped us in understanding this question of who am I?

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Of self inquiry and same here Shree Maa is giving us a great practice with contemplating upon who am I.

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We need to keep the mind as a witness.

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Now it's interesting here.

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She's not telling us what the answer is.

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She's telling us just to contemplate on the question of who am I?

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How do we contemplate is by being the witness.

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Observe the mind when we go through this inquiry of who am I.

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Try to find, where is this I-ness coming from?

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Where is it arising from?

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Where does it originate from?

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What is it's cause?

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And if we do this with sincerity, we will come to an important conclusion.

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Like I mentioned, we need to keep the mind as a witness.

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The question who am I and its contemplations is like the images and the witness is like the blank screen.

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For example, the contemplations may be as we go through the inquiry, as we try to do through the neti-neti approach of who am I, of not this, not this until we get to Pure Awareness, until we get to the Absolute foundation of I-ness.

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How we get there is remembering that the witness is the blank screen and everything that is a content of that blank screen is the images and contemplations of that question of who am I, of that self inquiry.

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The whole point of this practice is not to find some God separate to you or to find that you are nothing at all.

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A lot of people can start thinking because through neti-neti, through the process of negation of not this, not this, they think that we reach this point of emptiness or nothingness.

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That's not the case.

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There is something that we find and it's extremely subtle.

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Now what I will say remain first sincere in finding yourself and the answer to who you are lies within the witnessing itself.

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So this observing is most important.

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We need to be one pointed and most of all, sit comfortably, be at ease and the answer will easily be attained as you will be relaxed and can just focus on being the witness to the who am I contemplation.

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One thing that she mentions is one pointed.

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So if for five minutes we are to contemplate on this question of who am I, we need to think and focus and be sincere and be firm on this question.

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Who am I?

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We are not to move to anything else.

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We are not to think about washing the dishes or putting the dishes in the dishwasher or going to get groceries, or we need to study for the exam again.

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We've been putting off revising for the exam, but suddenly now we want to revise for the exam.

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Those are the things that we can utilize to help us.

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Most people ask me what is the best position to sit for in meditation?

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I say, sit in a chair.

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It doesn't have to be that you sit cross-legged and that is the only way to do it.

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If you feel comfortable sitting, cross-legged do that.

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If you feel comfortable kneeling, kneel.

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If you feel comfortable sitting in a chair, sit in a chair.

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If you feel comfortable, lying down, lie down.

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The main thing is, is to be at ease.

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If your body is at ease, it's much easier for your mind to be at ease.

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This is a very subtle point to understand about meditation.

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Now because our body is at ease and therefore we are now observing our mind and we are single pointed towards this question of who am I.

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And once we contemplate on that Formless Awareness, as we continuously become aware of our awareness, there will be a point in this contemplation when the mind does become still.

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And the whole body enters into this stillness at the same time as Pure Awareness, Formless Awareness shines forth, capturing our attention, fixing our attention where it cannot move anywhere and we are grasped by it completely.

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I have experienced this, thanks to my Guru's grace.

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I can say it's through this practice that I've attained this experience.

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This can be achieved.

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I can guarantee this.

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And all that happens is you become totally grasped by that Formless Awareness and it really just captures you and you cannot move anywhere.

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It's so intoxicating by being centered in it that you do not wanna go anywhere.

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You don't want to travel anywhere else.

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You don't want to entertain a different thought.

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You become absolutely timeless in this.

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It's so beautiful.

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This can be experienced by you.

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Every single person has the ability to do this and don't let anybody tell you, you cannot, it doesn't matter what your previous karmas are.

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We will be dealing with them with the question of who am I?

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Now think about it.

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If your karma belongs to your body and mind.

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Who am I will tell you, you are not the body and mind.

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You are this Pure Awareness because you understand that there is this self-awareness that is all pervading and is your True Self.

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So have faith in this.

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Let's get to the next quote.

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Quote three.

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What does it mean to enter your own nature?

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It is what it is.

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Permeated in everything, every form and every way.

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That which is self effulgent.

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There, language and speech do not work.

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The Ultimate Reality in true sense is Formless.

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Can this be expressed in any language?

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Indeed.

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There is only He.

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When Shree Maa says he, we can use the more gender neutral 'It', and that may be a more universal approach.

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Let's go further into explaining this quote.

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Your own nature is basically what IS.

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Yeah.

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When you enter that state of Formless Awareness, it's basically what it is.

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That's your nature.

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Now, there is nothing more to understand other than that, you are Is-ness itself.

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It's very direct and clear.

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You are that awareness itself.

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You permeate in everything seen, touched, heard, smelt and tasted.

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You are in IT all.

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Your True Nature is Self-Effulgent because Its light projects Itself upon Itself.

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Here, Shree Maa says language isn't needed.

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Remember in the last episode, when we looked at the Dao Te Ching and Lao Tzu said, the Dao that can be told is not the Dao.

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The Dao that can be named is not the Dao.

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This is exactly what this quote is also saying.

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When you enter into the experience of Pure Awareness, of the Ultimate Reality of Nirguna Brahman, that Attribute-less Formless state, no language is required there.

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When you become one pointed in your awareness, you don't need language to express anything You don't need your emotions to express anything.

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You just find absolute rest in This.

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And in this experience, speech is not needed here.

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It's not required.

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You don't need to utilize it.

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Maybe later on, you will, after the experience, but while you're in there, while you are in that Pure Awareness, while you are fixed in that Pure Awareness, you don't need any language.

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You don't need to speak about it either externally, outwardly, or inwardly, and great silence descends in this moment.

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Great silence.

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This unending silence will descend upon you.

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This experience occurs when we truly enter into that Formless Awareness.

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Something we can emphasize here is how the Ultimate Reality, this Nirguna Brahman is basically Formless Awareness.

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The reason why we emphasize Formless is so we don't make awareness into another thing, another thing to grasp onto, or another thing to, hold onto, another concept, another idea.

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We don't want to do that.

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There's enough concepts.

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There's enough ideas.

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We don't need to make the experience of Formless Awareness into another idea or concept because it's our direct experience.

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In an idea or concept you have to believe in it.

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You have to have faith in it.

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With this you don't.

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The experience is enough.

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Entering into that state is enough.

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Also, this shows us how this Formless Awareness is beyond space.

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And in the next quote of Shree Maa is going to go into this.

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So before we get to the next quote, we need to establish here that there is only this Pure Formless Awareness or our true nature.

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There is nothing else.

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It is only this one.

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Only this one, and this is how language can express it.

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If it must that there is only oneness.

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There's only this Pure Formless Oneness.

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Nothing else.

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No-thing else.

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The fourth quote.

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The Great Void (Mahashunya) is only Its manifestation.

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The Great Void is not synonymous with nothingness.

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What is, what is not.

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Again, everything is there and not there.

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Negation of naught.

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Negation of everything.

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To obtain everything by way of losing everything- that too is required.

00:19:24.988 --> 00:19:37.964
This is an incredible quote and one that we should really think about and contemplate upon and maybe listen to again, because it is so subtle that it will take you to Formless Awareness straight away.

00:19:38.164 --> 00:19:40.894
If you go with it, if you travel with it.

00:19:41.095 --> 00:19:44.958
And here, it's very clear that this space like emptiness.

00:19:45.157 --> 00:19:51.243
Which is vast as space is only another form of manifestation of this Formless Reality.

00:19:51.255 --> 00:19:59.028
It's another veil that keeps us away from understanding this Mahashunya, this Great Void.

00:19:59.228 --> 00:20:08.188
Now this Great Void, however, is where all creation or manifestation appears within, therefore it is not nothingness.

00:20:08.244 --> 00:20:17.526
So remember that because there is space within, within this Mahashunya within this Great Void, manifestation of Maya can occur.

00:20:17.625 --> 00:20:19.962
Therefore it's not simply nothingness.

00:20:20.163 --> 00:20:25.732
Now at the same time, because it's Formless, it is also Fullness.

00:20:25.828 --> 00:20:37.824
Although we may say there's nothing there because if you get rid of space, there is nothingness, but there is still this essence that remains, this essence is Formless and this essence is Purnam.

00:20:38.023 --> 00:20:39.193
It is Purna.

00:20:39.213 --> 00:20:40.354
It is full.

00:20:40.554 --> 00:20:48.213
Then Shree Maa says, what is, what is not, this is more like a Zen koan, that is meant to silence or prepare the mind.

00:20:48.413 --> 00:20:55.070
For what is also is what is not, you know, by doing this, she's taking us to the direct experience.

00:20:55.280 --> 00:20:57.500
We can't really express what that means.

00:20:57.701 --> 00:20:59.205
What is, what is not.

00:20:59.306 --> 00:21:04.373
You know, it's very difficult to express what that truly means, but let's try.

00:21:04.573 --> 00:21:10.809
There is this Formless, which is what is, and then what is not is that it's not of any form.

00:21:11.009 --> 00:21:12.654
That's the way to understand it.

00:21:12.855 --> 00:21:15.660
Then she says everything is there and not there.

00:21:15.809 --> 00:21:18.900
The manifestation is, yet is not there either.

00:21:19.099 --> 00:21:21.470
For example, the blank screen and the images.

00:21:21.470 --> 00:21:30.057
Remember the manifestation, everything is there, but then it's not there because once the screen is turned off, the blank screen remains.

00:21:30.127 --> 00:21:35.223
And no matter what has been manifested there it has no imprint on the blank screen.

00:21:35.423 --> 00:21:41.673
Then she says, negation of naught, the negation of zero and the negation of everything.

00:21:41.874 --> 00:21:46.349
So getting rid of everything and getting rid of zero, it's very, very deep.

00:21:46.549 --> 00:21:50.007
If you travel with me right now, we are getting there.

00:21:50.207 --> 00:21:53.176
So get rid of the void, get rid of nothingness.

00:21:53.220 --> 00:22:01.650
And that is where the truth lies in that all pervading formlessness, where there is only formlessness.

00:22:01.849 --> 00:22:14.817
Because if we say there is nothing, we may have a, a slight, subtle feeling of space like emptiness and here Shree Maa wants us to get rid of that space like emptiness and just enter into this direct formlessness.

00:22:15.017 --> 00:22:31.619
Therefore, to capture this Truth, we have to let go of everything we know and experience, and we must become absolutely devoid of everything and allow what is, and at the same time, what is not to simply shine by Itself, that's all we need to do.

00:22:31.720 --> 00:22:32.829
Quote number five.

00:22:32.876 --> 00:22:50.044
Even if the Guru departs and you don't see him or her in his or her physical body, still, at every moment at all times, so long as your aim is not fulfilled, he or she will give you the necessary (guidance) to make you hold onto your path.

00:22:50.253 --> 00:22:52.854
What is the meaning of their giving?

00:22:53.054 --> 00:22:54.693
Where will they go?

00:22:54.894 --> 00:22:57.374
Meaning the Guru, where will the Guru go?

00:22:57.574 --> 00:22:59.963
There is no question of their going.

00:23:00.163 --> 00:23:04.003
The Guru will reveal themselves or Itself.

00:23:04.203 --> 00:23:07.894
Now, this quote is somewhat personal for me.

00:23:07.993 --> 00:23:11.114
I have felt that I've wanted to speak upon this.

00:23:11.154 --> 00:23:16.923
At first, I was apprehensive about putting this quote in, but I felt like now I want to speak about it.

00:23:16.923 --> 00:23:17.884
I'm comfortable too.

00:23:18.084 --> 00:23:25.824
You know, many of us will lose our Guru in the physical form or that has happened to us in the past, but it's inevitable.

00:23:25.913 --> 00:23:26.874
It will happen.

00:23:27.074 --> 00:23:31.584
Shree Maa's followers and disciples, they've lost her too.

00:23:31.784 --> 00:23:37.534
So this is something we are all going to experience one day, if we have a mentor or a Guru or a teacher.

00:23:37.733 --> 00:23:44.824
Now some may happily accept the new Guru, the successor either by the selection of the Guru themselves.

00:23:44.824 --> 00:23:53.130
So they may select the next Guru or a committee may decide who will lead the spiritual organization as a new spiritual head.

00:23:53.329 --> 00:23:58.589
Now, some may not accept the new successor or successors that follow.

00:23:58.789 --> 00:24:16.973
And they may prefer the previous form of the Guru and the biggest question that some may have is whether this is right or wrong because the spiritual organization needs you to accept this new successor, they may guilt trip you into following them, into you accepting that new Guru.

00:24:17.173 --> 00:24:19.088
This is a natural response.

00:24:19.118 --> 00:24:22.005
It's neither right, nor wrong in my opinion.

00:24:22.204 --> 00:24:32.035
Even I went through this process of how do I accept the successors to my Guru, to the teacher that initiated me with Brahm Gyana.

00:24:32.234 --> 00:24:43.194
One time I was listening to a talk by Swami Sarvapriyananda Ji and someone asked a very similar question that do I have to accept a successor that's followed from my Guru?

00:24:43.194 --> 00:24:45.174
Is it necessary for me to do so?

00:24:45.375 --> 00:24:48.914
And Swami Sarvapriyananda ji gave a very interesting response.

00:24:48.991 --> 00:24:58.338
He said that you can always worship and love the Guru that initiated you, and yet respect the lineage that follows after the Guru departs from the earth.

00:24:58.538 --> 00:25:05.898
So it's not necessary that you need to accept the successors as your Guru, and that they are now the Guru of the day, and you must accept them.

00:25:06.098 --> 00:25:16.942
Now, what we can do is respect the seat, respect the lineage or respect the sampradaya but the love and devotion that we may have is to the Guru that initiated us.

00:25:17.142 --> 00:25:25.912
For example, for me, my Guru will always be the Guru that gave me this Brahm Gyana, this Supreme knowledge of Brahman.

00:25:26.112 --> 00:25:31.692
And not only that but gave me the teachings and guidance to bring this Brahma Gyana into my life.

00:25:31.892 --> 00:25:45.491
We can relax in the knowledge that if we have not attained moksh or mukti, which is the aim of spiritual life then our Guru will always provide us with the necessary guidance and it may arrive in any form.

00:25:45.692 --> 00:25:48.991
What we need to do is keep our hearts open to that lesson.

00:25:49.192 --> 00:25:51.281
Now what's interesting for me.

00:25:51.481 --> 00:26:01.400
And one day I will speak about my Guru in Wisdom Of The Mystic series, but I am still learning lessons from my Guru, even today.

00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:15.869
There'd be certain emails I look upon and be like, it's added a new dimension to one of my experiences, or I will listen to a discourse of His, and I will find that it adds another dimension to my spiritual understanding.

00:26:16.069 --> 00:26:18.500
So in that sense, the Guru never dies.

00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:23.039
The Guru is always alive for you because they were never the physical.

00:26:23.240 --> 00:26:35.007
They were always that Brahm Gyana that spiritual understanding that is embedded within your viveka, within your discernment, within the wisdom that has been given to you.

00:26:35.207 --> 00:26:47.744
Remember the path here means, I want us really understand what it means by when we say the path, the path is towards moksha, towards mukti, it doesn't mean that when Shree Maa says to hold onto your path.

00:26:47.944 --> 00:26:55.865
When she says path here, it's not to hold onto a particular spiritual community or a particular lineage of gurus either.

00:26:56.105 --> 00:27:04.775
You can end up still loving the Guru that initiated you and accept another Guru of a different sampradaya, of a different spiritual organization.

00:27:04.964 --> 00:27:07.424
That is also acceptable.

00:27:07.625 --> 00:27:23.501
That's also allowed because the main thing is that we need to understand is that for those that have had the Guru physically depart, the Guru will eventually reappear most of all, they will always be shown residing within one's own heart.

00:27:23.701 --> 00:27:27.989
It's very true and this is what we call the inner Guru, the inner spiritual guide.

00:27:28.003 --> 00:27:35.229
And in fact, the physical Guru will show you this by giving you the Brahm Gyana, by giving you that knowledge of Brahman.

00:27:35.429 --> 00:27:36.838
We have to turn within.

00:27:37.038 --> 00:27:40.598
Outward devotion towards the Guru is not important.

00:27:40.598 --> 00:27:45.005
A lot of people do this outward expressions of gratitude is not enough.

00:27:45.184 --> 00:27:51.751
If we've not embraced the inner Guru, the inner wisdom, the Brahma Gyana that is residing within our heart and mind.

00:27:51.951 --> 00:28:02.429
When we start relating to the Brahm Gyana then our Guru becomes eternal, beyond form, beyond name, beyond shape, beyond any idea or concept.

00:28:02.628 --> 00:28:04.699
This is something we can experience.

00:28:04.898 --> 00:28:08.916
The moment you surrender to your Guru, then everything of you belongs to the Guru.

00:28:09.116 --> 00:28:14.866
In return the Guru gives you the teachings, the initiation, and that is all you ever need.

00:28:15.067 --> 00:28:17.586
This Brahm Gyana, that becomes your home.

00:28:17.787 --> 00:28:19.376
That is now your shelter.

00:28:19.576 --> 00:28:25.106
One thing that I always emphasize is that and I'll express it here.

00:28:25.196 --> 00:28:33.487
That when I surrendered to my Guru, I surrendered that my material life should be looked after whilst I concentrate on my spiritual life.

00:28:33.952 --> 00:28:39.282
It is really important that the wisdom of the Guru becomes your shelter, becomes your home.

00:28:39.482 --> 00:28:47.787
One thing I will also express here because my view may be a little controversial for some, some may not like what I've said.

00:28:47.987 --> 00:28:51.136
Some may find it to be blasphemous.

00:28:51.336 --> 00:28:54.136
But we have to be real in today's day and age.

00:28:54.136 --> 00:28:57.579
There is no one person who's just teaching this truth.

00:28:57.653 --> 00:29:05.817
If we think so, we are just deluding ourselves and we may be stopping ourselves from learning from somebody that can actually help us.

00:29:06.017 --> 00:29:12.002
I know that it's very important to have shraddha, to have faith, to have trust in one sampradaya or lineage.

00:29:12.202 --> 00:29:16.452
I understand that and if that's what you wanna do, do that completely.

00:29:16.653 --> 00:29:20.772
I, I think that's important if you find that to be one thing that helps you.

00:29:20.972 --> 00:29:26.952
But those of us that are more intellectual and may want to have further help.

00:29:27.153 --> 00:29:30.423
You can go outside of your sampradaya and not feel guilty.

00:29:30.623 --> 00:29:46.442
In the ancient times, it was well known that if a Guru didn't have the answer, there will know of a teacher that can help you and they will tell you to go to that teacher because your faith and loyalty was with your journey towards the truth towards mukti.

00:29:46.643 --> 00:29:48.863
That was where you were loyal to.

00:29:49.063 --> 00:29:51.492
And this applies even today.

00:29:51.748 --> 00:30:02.204
I've often said in interviews or when I appear on a podcast as a guest, because people ask this question about the importance of having a teacher.

00:30:02.404 --> 00:30:07.164
And I always say this, that the Guru of the masses has now come to an end.

00:30:07.365 --> 00:30:10.154
I don't see it as a viable path for everybody.

00:30:10.355 --> 00:30:21.788
To really have strong spiritual growth, you need to have a Guru that can help you individually, personally, who can tell you the ins and outs of what's going on.

00:30:21.988 --> 00:30:25.607
Without that personal connection, there will not be much growth.

00:30:25.807 --> 00:30:26.928
And I have seen this.

00:30:26.984 --> 00:30:35.150
There are so many gurus that have many followers on YouTube, are subscribing to their YouTube channels or listen to their podcasts or attend their talks.

00:30:35.154 --> 00:30:43.599
You know, in India, you'll have hundreds of thousands of people attend a talk or will be showing allegiance to a particular teacher.

00:30:43.799 --> 00:30:50.545
But I asked this question how much time do you have with that Guru of a personal audience?

00:30:50.744 --> 00:30:57.355
One thing that I will emphasize that now is a time where you need to find a Guru that can give you time.

00:30:57.555 --> 00:31:03.664
Because time is something that we have less of today because our attention is going here and there.

00:31:03.865 --> 00:31:06.585
It's spread out in many different directions.

00:31:06.765 --> 00:31:10.964
So we need a Guru that understands that our time is limited.

00:31:11.204 --> 00:31:17.857
Therefore, with the little time that we have, we put great intensity in those few moments.

00:31:17.980 --> 00:31:23.361
So those gurus that offer you a one-on-one meeting on a regular basis is what you need to look for.

00:31:23.625 --> 00:31:29.005
One thing I also will emphasize that a true teacher ends up becoming a true friend.

00:31:29.204 --> 00:31:41.877
So don't go towards that teacher that will always create the pedestal, that will always create that division between you and them, that you are the disciple and they are the teacher and that's going to remain forever.

00:31:42.137 --> 00:31:48.268
The teacher that becomes your true friend, your best friend is the best one because they will always have your back.

00:31:48.367 --> 00:31:50.948
So let's go to the final and sixth quote.

00:31:51.147 --> 00:32:01.299
The duty of a householder is satsang go only where there is discussion of Brahman, the stories of Brahman or the stories of the deities and whether it's bhajan and kirtan.

00:32:01.465 --> 00:32:05.750
Do not discriminate, receive with an open heart and mind.

00:32:05.792 --> 00:32:07.952
Your Guru is the Guru of the world.

00:32:08.153 --> 00:32:10.073
Everybody's Guru is your Guru.

00:32:10.272 --> 00:32:14.593
Neither is your Guru or Ishta lesser than anyone else's.

00:32:14.792 --> 00:32:18.915
It is this one, which is everywhere and in all forms.

00:32:19.115 --> 00:32:20.286
Pray in your mind.

00:32:20.486 --> 00:32:21.145
Oh Lord.

00:32:21.355 --> 00:32:22.215
Oh my Ishta.

00:32:22.306 --> 00:32:23.476
You are everything.

00:32:23.675 --> 00:32:25.955
This revelation is so very beautiful.

00:32:26.155 --> 00:32:27.596
Let me understand it.

00:32:27.730 --> 00:32:30.829
What a very beautiful vision that Shree Maa has.

00:32:30.829 --> 00:32:35.180
We are all mainly householders who listen to this podcast or watch this podcast.

00:32:35.380 --> 00:32:38.673
You have a householder life you're living in the world.

00:32:38.873 --> 00:32:39.893
You're not a monk.

00:32:40.093 --> 00:32:41.083
Most likely.

00:32:41.182 --> 00:32:51.400
If you're a monk, you're much higher than me, much better and probably more knowledgeable and even householders, you may be experts already in this field of spirituality.

00:32:51.500 --> 00:32:52.519
I have a family.

00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:54.220
I have two sets of parents.

00:32:54.420 --> 00:32:57.962
I have a wife, I have nieces and nephews.

00:32:58.163 --> 00:32:59.633
One day I may have children.

00:32:59.833 --> 00:33:01.982
So I live a householder life.

00:33:01.982 --> 00:33:10.103
I go to work, although if you would like me to do this more often and more regularly and have more time to spend on it, support me on Patreon.

00:33:10.942 --> 00:33:33.182
But that aside what needs to be important for us, because we are householders is to be in satsang, to be in the company of holy people, to be in the company of the truth, to be in the company of a community that can help us and address our issues that we have in spirituality, or to invite us to be more spiritual, to have more focus on spirituality.

00:33:33.383 --> 00:33:44.553
Shree Maa says that we should only go to that place where there is discussion of Brahman, the stories of inspirational figures or deities or gurus and masters of the past and present.

00:33:44.752 --> 00:33:52.053
Whether it's bhajan and kirtan, where there are songs and chants of the Lord's name or the chanting of sacred scriptures.

00:33:52.252 --> 00:33:56.292
All these invoke within us, a strong sense of spirituality.

00:33:56.502 --> 00:33:59.472
And it makes us think of this Brahman itself.

00:33:59.506 --> 00:34:06.623
It actually increases our spiritual ferver, enthusiasm and zeal to know this one and be this one.

00:34:06.823 --> 00:34:16.972
When Shree Maa says do not discriminate here, meaning don't say that one divine figure is better than the other, or one mantra is better than the other mantra.

00:34:17.172 --> 00:34:18.822
All is Brahman.

00:34:19.023 --> 00:34:23.096
Therefore revel in all, enjoy all, be in all.

00:34:23.295 --> 00:34:29.405
Have an open heart and mind is when satsang is fully receptive to the deeper teachings.

00:34:29.606 --> 00:34:35.119
Your Guru is the Guru of everybody and everybody's Guru is also your Guru.

00:34:35.210 --> 00:34:37.280
What a beautiful thing Shree Maa is saying.

00:34:37.315 --> 00:34:39.545
You know, this shows you humility of Shree Maa.

00:34:39.746 --> 00:34:41.646
She can easily say, I'm your teacher.

00:34:41.646 --> 00:34:42.565
You follow me.

00:34:42.766 --> 00:34:43.786
But she didn't.

00:34:43.849 --> 00:34:47.230
She said everybody's Guru is also your Guru.

00:34:47.429 --> 00:34:48.800
See no difference.

00:34:48.900 --> 00:34:50.519
See the one in all of them.

00:34:50.719 --> 00:34:52.429
See this Brahman in all of them.

00:34:52.630 --> 00:34:56.469
Again, hinting that the true teacher is Brahman itself.

00:34:56.670 --> 00:35:00.543
In such people like Shree Maa deserve our loyalty.

00:35:00.592 --> 00:35:05.420
If you ever come across a Guru like her, I would say follow them completely.

00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:07.510
They have my stamp of approval.

00:35:07.710 --> 00:35:11.110
If my stamp of approval matters or not, but they deserve it.

00:35:11.139 --> 00:35:14.576
Because truly it is the one that is in all forms.

00:35:14.775 --> 00:35:18.659
The ground of being, the ground of existence is Brahman itself.

00:35:18.675 --> 00:35:19.952
Therefore, it's in everything.

00:35:20.152 --> 00:35:21.802
So everything is your teacher.

00:35:21.842 --> 00:35:29.902
And those that truly understand this go further and deeper into spiritual practice, into sadhana, they always want to be in satsang.

00:35:30.103 --> 00:35:35.413
To be in the company of the holy people, in the holy scriptures, in the holy chanting.

00:35:35.449 --> 00:35:36.483
It's all sacred.

00:35:36.583 --> 00:35:39.943
And we want to be in that sacredness for as long as possible.

00:35:40.143 --> 00:35:44.393
So when one sees the plurality, they advance so much further.

00:35:44.592 --> 00:35:53.152
This prayer in the mind is powerful, and this will show you the great expanse, the prayer that Shree Maa says, which is, oh Lord, Oh my Ishta.

00:35:53.172 --> 00:36:07.603

Wisdom of the Mystics: Shree Anandmayi Maa

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