All posts by Manu

Quotes - 2011, Stillness

How To Gain Deeper Understanding?

Leave a comment

…to understand what is, one must observe what one thinks, feels and does from moment to moment. – Krishnamurti

understanding

We’re like babies in the Universe. We found ourselves born on this planet, surrounded by a variety of people, thoughts, attitudes, mores and more. Essentially we have to make sense of our place in this reality. We are conditioned, biased and generally not super capable of figuring it all out. So what should we do?

first steps

The first and main step is that of becoming more aware. More aware of self, reactions, attitudes, tendencies, drivers, intentions and purposes. Once we understand our proclivities and actions better we’ll be on our way. The Universe rewards awareness and curiosity. We can define the questions that must be asked as we increase our awareness. The two combined, will yield most of the answers we seek!

awareness + curiosity = understanding

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM aware and curious.

Recommendation: The Awakening of Intelligence by Krishnamurti

The Awakening of IntelligenceKindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6

Gita, Quotes - 2011

How We Create Heaven Or Hell…

Leave a comment

13.28 And when a man sees that the God in himself is the same God in all that is, he hurts not himself by hurting others: then he goes indeed to the highest Path. – The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 13)

our thoughts

We dwell in our thoughts. We dwell in our minds. And therefore we dwell in the quality of mind that we create or allow to be created in our minds. Whenever we have thoughts that aren’t wholesome and are negative we experience their vibrations. So by choosing our thoughts we choose the state of mind that we experience. All day.

god’s fabric

God’s fabric makes up everything. God’s presence makes residence in all hearts. God experiences himself through us. God becomes many, from one, through us. We cannot, for long, fight God in the person of the other. We cannot think ill of or harm anyone else without harming self. So whether we create internal hell through our thoughts or we harm self by attacking others, it’s a lose-lose situation. Let’s win-win instead, create love in self and provide loving service. We’re empowered to create a piece of heaven wherever we find self.

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM a creator of heaven!

Recommendation: The Bhagavad Gita (Penguin Classics) by Juan Mascaro

The Bhagavad Gita (Penguin Classics)Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6

Quotes - 2011

How To Live From Our Heart…

Leave a comment

Where-so-ever you go, go with all your heart. – Confucius

there we are

Where ever we go, we take us along. We can’t escape us. Often it’s in recognizing that we’re trying to escape a situation or a feeling, that our biggest growth may lie. Let’s become more aware of what we avoid and try to escape, let’s become more real.

from the heart

We often operate only from the brain, the mind, from the region of the head. Once we notice that, we could move our attention down to our heart region and live from that orientation. Our thoughts, our actions, our attitude, our demeanor and therefore our life-results will be quite different. Let’s try that!

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM my heart.

Recommendation: An Introduction to Zen Buddhism by D.T. Suzuki

An Introduction to Zen BuddhismKindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6

Quotes - 2011, Stillness

How We Can Grow…

Leave a comment

Religious perplexities are inevitable; there can be no growth without psychic conflict and spiritual agitation. – The Urantia Papers

perplexities

Life itself is perplexing. Relationships are full of conflicts. How would life be if it were perfect? Imagine Christmas or another holiday, every single day for the rest of our lives…..!!!!!!!!

Not only would it be intolerable, it wouldn’t allow for much growth.

growth

Growth occurs when we face challenges, when we don’t know the step forward and when we struggle to figure life out. Growth flourishes when we’re stuck and when we plead for answers and relief, when we ask thoughtful questions and don’t excoriate self. In almost all cases, what’s occurring right now is just the perfect medicine for our growth into the perfection of eternity. Let’s not despair, it’s all working out just fine, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel!

Daily Affirmation: Today I grow, no matter what!

Recommendation: The Urantia Papers

The Urantia Book: Indexed Version with free Audio Book on DVD (Can only be played on a computer with a DVD drive.)Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6

Quotes - 2011, Stillness

If Not Now… Then When?

Leave a comment

If not now… then when?

what?

What should we spend our time on? If we don’t answer that question actively, we’ll go the way of our bodily inclinations. We might end up eating something or watch a meaningless TV program. If we don’t illuminate Now via the torchlight of our ‘Life Purpose’ we might just squander the power of the current moment…

just do it

If we already know what’s important to us and we also know that we shouldn’t be resting our mind or body, then the next steps can be clear…

Taking one step fuels the next, there’s magic in movement and in action. Interestingly, a still mind can be useful in helping us be active in other aspects of life. Life is like that. Apparently contradictory, a never-ending maze that satisfies when engaged and an endless adventure-filled odyssey…

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM action personified! 

Recommendation: Do It! Let’s Get Off Our Buts by Peter McWilliams

Do It! Let's Get Off Our ButsKindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6

Quotes - 2011

Who Is This Person?

Leave a comment

We worry about what children will be tomorrow. Yet, we forget he is something today. – Stacia Tauscher

child?

Kahlil Gibran in ‘The Prophet’:

They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you…

How do we view and interact with ‘children’ daily? Do we act as though we know stuff? Do we behave like the child is not his own soul? How does this attitude translate into the rest of our adult interaction?

today

Today the child is also a child of the Divine. Today we still need to learn and grow a lot more. Today everyone else we meet is also God’s child. Today is more important than any other day. Life happens today. Yesterday’s gone and tomorrow shall never be, because it’s all ‘today’. Let’s find rest in the eternal peace that is ‘Now’. All is well.

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM.

Recommendation: The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

The ProphetKindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6

Gita, Quotes - 2011

What Is Yoga?

Leave a comment

13.24 Some by the Yoga of meditation, and by the grace of the Spirit, see the Spirit in themselves; some by the Yoga of the vision of Truth; and others by the Yoga of work.

13.25 And yet there are others who do not know, but they hear from others and adore. They also cross beyond death, because of their devotion to words of Truth. – The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 13)

yoga (union)

Union with God, the ultimate reality is Yoga. This union can be effected via different mechanisms according to The Gita.

There’s the Yoga of Meditation which is all about meditating on the divine to attain transcendence. Then there’s the Yoga of Knowledge, which is focused on using the intellect to discover Truth. Next is ‘Karma Yoga’ the Yoga of Work where adherents are advised to devote all action and motive to God and thus find salvation. And finally there’s ‘Bhakti Yoga’, the Yoga of Love, in which through the vehicle of love for God and love for all, one can achieve the goal of the ages…

believers

According to The Gita the easiest way to reach successfully beyond death is to just believe. Belief in a transcendent reality and truth is all that’s needed. The Urantia Book states the same thing, even an inkling of belief or faith in the life beyond is enough to qualify a human to be reborn in the after-life. Such a view might be contrary to some religions but is accepted widely by many.

Daily Affirmation: Today I AM a believer!

Recommendation: The Bhagavad Gita (Penguin Classics) by Juan Mascaro

The Bhagavad Gita (Penguin Classics)Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6