Being Human

“The highest good is like water.
Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.
In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true. In ruling, be just.
In work, be competent. In action, watch the timing.
No fight : no blame.” Lao Tsu, Tao te Ching.

Being human is a great adventure, a heroic journey, a blockbuster movie like no other.

It’s a roller-coaster ride through joys and sorrows, good times and bad times, loving and losing.

It can be entertaining, terrifying, elevating, depressing, exciting and enlightening.

 Life as a human being provides education and experience to the soul in a series of thoughts, emotions and actions that form the struggle and the dance of awakening. 

Learning to stay grounded in one’s own being in the midst of the tumult of life is true wisdom.

To do this, one stills the mind and turns it towards its source. 

Seeking the source of the I-thought is the greatest of all yogas. 

This practice helps to heal the body, untangle the emotions and complete the ripening of the soul.

In the centre of your chest is a tiny flower-bud wherein God dwells in perfect splendour, effortlessly manifesting the entire universe.
When you turn your attention inwards in humble prayer, this bud blossoms and reveals the divine Light in all its perfect brilliance.
Here, the sacred flame of pure consciousness, purged of all limitations, shines forth as the One.
Offer yourself in total surrender to this fire that is the source and the substance of all that exists.

Salutations to that In-dweller, who grants the gift of immortality!
Sing the praises of the Lord of the Heart-cave who is being-consciousness-bliss!
Like a hailstone dissolving in the ocean, you will merge forever in His grace.
No more separation, no more fear, no more suffering-

only infinite bliss and deep, transcendent peace!

“He who dies before the body dies is immortal.
Being both alive and dead, neither life nor death affect him in any way.
Naturally, without effort, he lives the perfect life.” Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi

The Sage is Tao

“Can you coax your mind from its wandering and keep to the original Oneness?
Can you let your body become supple as a new-born child's?
Can you cleanse your inner vision until you see nothing but the Light?
Can you love people and lead them without imposing your will?
Can you deal with the most vital matters by letting events take their course?
Can you step back from your own mind and thus understand all things?
Giving birth and nourishing, having without possessing,
acting with no expectations, leading and not trying to control:

this is the supreme virtue.” 

Lao Tsu, Tao te Ching.

Silence that is true eloquence, simplicity that is the highest wisdom,
Emptiness that is perfect fullness, stillness that is the power behind all movement -

These are all qualities of the Tao.

The Tao is natural virtue.
It is that omnipotent Grace that is more compassionate than a thousand mothers.

It is that sublime, transcendent presence that is the supreme Spirit.

Smaller than the smallest yet greater than the greatest, the Tao is the subtle, conscious, intelligent energy that is the source and the substance of all things.
All the beauty of creation, the awe-inspiring mysteries of the cosmos, the perfection of Nature – these provide evidence of the blossoming of Tao.

Therefore the sage is humble, simple, tranquil and still.
Being mindless, he is at one with Tao.

Being at one with Tao, he is the very embodiment of unconditional, universal love.

This is what makes him greater than all the emperors.

“The Self that is subtler than the subtle and greater than the great is seated in the heart of every creature. One who is free from desire, through the tranquillity of the mind and senses, sees the glory of the Self and becomes absolved from grief.” – Katha Upanishad

“ What is there is for me to do and where am I to go, what am I to accept and what am I to discard, since I pervade the entire universe like the waters of the final deluge?” The Mahavakya Ratnamala

You are Divine

“The greatest error of a man is to think that he is weak by nature, evil by nature. Every man is divine and strong in his real nature. What are weak and evil are his habits, his desires and thoughts, but not himself.” Maharishi to Paul Brunton

“The question is not if God exists apart from you; the question is - do you exist apart from God?” Arthur Osborne, devotee of Ramana Maharishi

O friends, do not despair – be of good cheer.

You are sparks of the Divine flame, children of immortal bliss!

There is a Light within you that is the greatest power in the universe – no fear or sorrow can stand before it, as darkness cannot stand before the sun.

This is your birth-right, your inheritance, the very core of your being.

It is infinite peace, ecstatic joy, perfect love.

Nothing can take this away from you: it is your very Self, your real nature.

A cloud of illusion has confused you, hidden this Light from you, drawn your attention outwards – this is the only cause of all suffering.

Take heart! Awaken from the dream of separation and embrace your divinity.

This is the greatest blessing you can give to those you love and, indeed, to all creation. 

Dive deep within yourself into the ocean of Grace at the innermost center of being.

Everything you seek is here.

" To think is not your real nature. In deep sleep, there is no body or mind, just deep peace and joy. As soon as you awoke, your first thought is I…this thought leads you away from your true source. From this root, all the illusion arises. If this I turns within and seeks its own source, it will dissolve in the Self that is your true nature. This is the one truth that always shines in you that can never be lost.” Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi.

Abide as the Self

“Perfect humility tends to the annihilation of self. Grace is from God and works in the depths of the soul, whose powers it employs. When the Divine Light penetrates the soul, it is united with God as light with light.” Meister Eckhardt

“As, in your mother’s womb, you dwelt unattached to anything else, so too, sink into the womb of the Heart and dwell in the Self alone. Where all the holy scriptures end, there tranquil Self- abidance begins!” Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi.

Who can speak of this ecstatic peace, when none remains but the Self?

When the river merges in the ocean, who is left to tell the tale ?

The space in the pot merges with infinite space when the vessel is shattered.

Devotion leads to humility; humility leads to surrender.

Surrender leads to merging with the Divine.

The illusion dies in the Real like mist disappears in sunlight.

Return to the Source and rest peacefully.

Nothing else needs to be done.

“The jnani takes his stand in the Self at all times, absolute, fearless. He does not think of the world as being different from himself.” Ramana Gita.

“ In the stillness of the mind , I saw myself as I am : unbound, infinite! “ Nisargedatta Maharaj

The Presence

“Arunachala, the magnetic mountain, never stirring from His motionless state, with no resolve whatsoever on His part, merely by the power of His presence, bestows perfect Grace that erases all the nescience of His devotees, like the sun bestows life. Truly, He is the Lord of strange, wondrous and exceeding might, indescribable and beyond compare.” Arunachala Akshara Mana Malai commentary by Murugunar.

“Bhakti cleanses and purifies the mind, preparing it for the practice of atma vichara and the attainment of Brahmavidya. Our best efforts are needed to bring us to the point where Grace takes over ; after this, all happens automatically and effortlessly.” Sri Ramana Maharishi

In this presence, a mysterious current of peace flows without end.

Here, minds fall still and weary hearts find solace and repose.

In the shade of this mighty tree, cool and blessed relief from the scorching fire of samsara is immediately bestowed.

Here, all sorrows fade, all hurt disappears.

In this sacred presence, Grace, though invisible and intangible, is unmistakably felt in the very core of one’s Being: a vibration of blissful awareness, so sweet, so sublime!

Here, all desires are dissolved forever in perfect fulfillment.

In this presence, the essence of all the Vedas shines in eternal radiance.

Here, merging in Brahman puts an end to all seeking, all knowing.

In this presence, the Heart-lotus blossoms , as flowers bloom in sunlight.

Here, the nectar of immortal bliss springs forth like the fountain of eternal life.

“ The Maharishi emanates the perfume of spiritual peace as a flower emanates fragrance from its petals. In his presence, yesterday’s bitter memories and tomorrow's anxious cares have disappeared completely. I have attained divine liberty and an almost indescribable felicity, for I understand, in the deepest possible way, that to know all is not merely to pardon all but to love all. My heart is remoulded in rapture!” Paul Brunton, writing about Sri Ramana Maharishi.