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We could say that it is almost a universal experience. A child expresses some sentiment, some idea about what he or she would like to do, something that soars beyond the mundane daily existence, something that makes things better, increases the beauty and harmony of life, cherishes life, and ... Views: 80
When we recognise that the world is an actual manifestation of the Divine, we can begin to appreciate the Divine in all things that we experience, all things that we see, all that we hear, all that we feel or touch or smell. The Divine manifests through his power, Shakti, which takes various ... Views: 80
We are all familiar with the artificial type of cheerfulness of the vital nature, which puts on a happy face, and glad hands everyone in a show of bubbly cheer. We are also familiar with the artificial type of cheerfulness that arises through the use of intoxicating beverages and immersion in an ... Views: 79
We can observe all around us, the steps the mental force is taking to take charge of both physical and vital nature. While much of this takes place through the development of technological tools, it is nevertheless an achievement of the mind that makes these things possible. We may debate the ... Views: 79
We tend to take for granted the innate consciousness and capacities of the body. Much of what takes place in the body is done by systems that are far more complex, and far more subtle, than anything the mind can actively control. In fact, we find that frequently, when the mind intervenes, or the ... Views: 78
As mental beings we tend to believe that the mind is able to determine the truth of things. We soon learn, however, that there are many issues that prevent the mind from actually ascertaining truth in any ultimate form. We rely on the perceptions of our senses, but those senses can be misled. ... Views: 78
We tend to label actions and thereby don’t reflect on the implications of them. Thus, for most people, when we use the term ‘hypnosis’ we associate it with a hypnotist using some unique power to gain some control over another individual’s will and actions. Since its introduction in the West, ... Views: 77
We tend to equate strength with outward expressions whether it be through physical power, emotional pressure, bullying, or the use of mental will force to achieve one’s intended results. We talk about “strong man” dictators who, in particular, use threats, bullying and police power to pressure ... Views: 77
Human beings are not all at the same stage of evolutionary development. We can see this clearly when we observe the different interests, ways of responding and directions that people take as they grow and begin to participate in the life of the society and the world at large. We see some people ... Views: 77
We find that our state of physical health clearly impacts our minds. In cases of severe pain, the mind may actually be fixated on the pain signals and be unable, for that period of time, to focus on virtually anything else. But the connection is more subtle than simply reacting to acute pain. We ... Views: 77
Seekers throughout the ages have struggled with the issue of how to deal with the pressures and circumstances of the external world. They recognise the swing of emotions, feelings and thoughts that occur as they receive input from people and events. They recognise that sometimes this causes them ... Views: 76
The human being consists of multiple levels of consciousness which interact with and impact one another and which, from an evolutionary standpoint, represent a consistent trend of increasing power and subtlety of the consciousness. The consciousness of the body, the physical consciousness is the ... Views: 76
Plato in the famous dialogues recounting the teaching of his mentor, Socrates, recounts the understanding that Socrates held that education was simply a recognition by the individual of what he already knows. The process of education was one of drawing out, removing the obstacles to the ... Views: 74
The development of the vital, life-force integrated with the physical domain led to changes in the physical in order to accommodate the action of this new energy. At the same time, the life-force had to itself make adjustments in order to operate in the material world as opposed to in its own ... Views: 72
Perhaps one of the biggest hurdles the Western mind needs to overcome in addressing the subtle powers of consciousness that either already are, or will be, coming forward as the next phase of evolution continues to work itself out, is the conflict between the drumbeat of “objectivity” as the ... Views: 70
There is a long tradition and history of individuals who have utilized a variety of methods for the purpose of obtaining ‘visions’ of events, past, present or future. The action generally takes place through creation of a state of trance that allows the surface mental consciousness to recede and ... Views: 70
From the point of view of animals, we may assume, the actions, and the powers that drive them, of human beings are some kind of ‘occult powers’ about which the animals know nothing. These actions may seem miraculous but they are in reality expressions of the evolution of the mental stage of the ... Views: 69
Modern society, influenced heavily by the scientific/technical focus of the West, puts a premium on the concept of “objectivity” versus anything that can be considered ‘subjective’, which is then treated with suspicion and largely dismissed. This implies several things. First, it implies that ... Views: 69
We are trained to believe that the mind relies entirely on the 5 senses of perception and the 5 senses of action in order to receive data or undertake action. If the mind is cut off from the senses, we believe that it is powerless and unable to either sense, communicate or act. Spiritual science ... Views: 68
When we begin to recognise the inherent power of the mind, independent of any reliance on the physical senses and the nerve pathways that link them to the mind, the question then arises as to how to become aware of, bring forward and train the use of these powers that are currently subliminal ... Views: 68
At a certain point in life, an individual begins to appreciate that the surface events, surface ‘facts’, the ‘reality’ of the external world are all derivative results, with the causal forces and energies active on more subtle planes or domains and creating from that place, the physical forms ... Views: 68
In the West, the existence of the soul has been mainly perceived either as a matter of religious belief or scientific skepticism, neither necessarily based in actual experience. At one point, scientists decided that if the belief that the soul departs at the time of death is to be considered as ... Views: 67
Those who wish to develop and utilize the power of intuition in their own lives have to address their active mental process, so as to open up the receptivity to the higher intuitive force, and allow it to modify the action of the mentality itself. There is a parable out of the teachings of Jesus ... Views: 66
If one practices a simple exercise, even just for a short time, one becomes aware of the numerous forces that are acting upon us, shaping our thoughts, emotions, feelings and reactions. The practice is to sit quietly and observe the various thoughts and feelings that arise while one is sitting ... Views: 65
Dr. Deepak Chopra told an interesting anecdote from his own experience at a talk he gave in Chicago some years ago. Some of the details may have escaped me, so the gist of it was that he was visiting his birth home area at one point and it was recommended to him to visit a famous Vedic ... Views: 65
We are educated and habituated to focus on our differences. We see different gender, different class, different racial characteristics, different religious backgrounds, different temperaments, different interests and focus, different value sets, different philosophies of life and living, ... Views: 65
We frequently hear people say that they had a “gut feeling” that something was not right when they went to a certain place. In fact, most of us have had similar feelings from time to time. We don’t have any externally perceptible facts to base this feeling on. It just ‘is’. The same thing ... Views: 64
How easy it is, and how comforting, to look at someone who opposes us, or who is creating some form of havoc in the world at large and simply label that individual as pure evil, as a Rakshasa, an Asura, a Demon, or some other form of hostile being. And yet, those individuals are actually part of ... Views: 64
When a seeker begins to explore the inner realms and undertakes what Sri Aurobindo describes in his epic poem, Savitri: a Legend and a Symbol, as an ‘adventure of consciousness and joy’, he is confronted with numerous unfamiliar circumstances, powers, forces, and pressures that are not all ... Views: 62
When we look back on our lives, with the benefit of hindsight, we frequently can identify a change in direction that took an individual from a normal path of societal acceptance, career, marriage, family, social interactions and entertainment, to a life that is dedicated to some cause or purpose ... Views: 62
The development of the human being takes place in several successive stages and as individuals mature they begin to manifest and express the powers of the nature as they successively come to the fore. Not every individual develops and expresses all the powers fully in a particular lifetime. For ... Views: 62
As the mental consciousness awakens, particularly if there is an influence coming from the psychic being or from the spiritual planes pressing down on the mental being, we become aware of virtually endless problems, issues, difficulties, imbalances, disharmonies and outright conflicts in the ... Views: 62
In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna explains to Arjuna, at some length, the process of the universal manifestation and how individuals are essentially driven by their nature in relation to the larger forces of the manifestation itself to act in certain ways. For most of these individuals, the ... Views: 62
People are always asking about the difference between spirituality and religion, as well as the difference between the mind and the spirit. The term ‘spirit’ has been used in so many different ways and contexts, that it is hard to comprehend exactly what is meant by it. When ‘spiritual ... Views: 58
We occasionally meet people who seem to be highly intuitive. With very few facts, and with a very fast response time, they seem to understand and decide things successfully that we are struggling to deal with, and for which we need considerably more time. In some cases, there may be the ... Views: 57
A major concern for those who are desirous of shifting from the mental to the intuitional consciousness definitely lies in the transition, how that is going to work, what the role of the mind, if any, is in this transition and how the consciousness will function as it shifts to reliance on the ... Views: 57
People commonly believe that espousing a particular religion or religious doctrine, reading scriptural texts, singing devotional songs, practicing yoga, or meditation or any of the numerous other practices often called ‘spiritual’ makes them spiritual. While these practices may help to turn ... Views: 57
We get an intimation of what we should do, how we should respond to a situation. Then all the excuses and justifications and ‘needs’ and temporizing begin, and we find that there are good reasons why we should not do exactly, in the precise way, that the inner guidance tells us something should ... Views: 56
When we read in the Puranas of India, we find that there are a host of beings who are essentially non-evolutionary, static beings. They may be gods, demons or animals, or occupy any number of other positions in the scale of the manifested existence. An interesting note, however, is that if they ... Views: 56
When we want to help alleviate the suffering in the world, or help solve the general concerns, or the more specific individual needs and wants, we come up with an endless number of ideas about ‘how to help’. From an outward perspective these may be highly valuable and useful activities. ... Views: 55
We go through our daily lives, busy ourselves with earning a living, supporting our families, maintaining our bodies, entertaining ourselves, arguing, fighting, gossiping, and following up on hobbies or passions we are engaged in. We close ourselves into a narrow and limited existence and feel ... Views: 55
External impressions, sensations, impulsions, events all traverse the nervous pathways from the sense organs to the mind, which tends to react to these sensations and thereby remains in a constant state of disturbance. In the modern world, with our addiction to social media, mobile phones, ... Views: 52
A relatively frequent occurrence for the spiritual aspirant is to reach the boundary wall of consciousness and get a glimpse or experience of the spiritual consciousness without limits. This experience, when it comes, may raise up tremendous fear in the individual and he reacts, almost ... Views: 52
How do we look at our lives? Do we find any meaning or purpose in living? Or are we just here to live a material existence, enjoy ourselves as much as possible, try to avoid suffering and eventually die without much pain?
Many people do not take the opportunity to shift their perspective on ... Views: 51
We tend to overlook, or underestimate, the powers inherent in our human existence, the powers of the body, the powers of the vital nature, the powers of the mind, the powers of the psychic being, and the power of the spirit. Some of these powers are manifest but not fully understood, explored or ... Views: 51
Understanding the operation of the three Gunas, or qualities of Nature, is an important part of understanding yogic psychology. The Bhagavad Gita devotes considerable effort to describing the Gunas and their functionality. For most people, however, translating things like reactions, responses, ... Views: 50
What makes the human consciousness different from the animal consciousness? A primary factor is the possibility that a human being has for detaching himself from total involvement in the external life, and along with that, the opportunity for evolutionary growth.
Dr. Dalal observes: “The ... Views: 50
We read or hear about the accounts of individuals who had some kind of experience, either dramatically uplifting, or severely traumatic, who awaken to a spiritual purpose in their lives which changes the entire direction and focus of what takes place for them afterwards when compared with their ... Views: 49
Both panic and inertia are responses to situations that arise in the life of individuals. They come about when something new or unexpected comes forward to challenge the individual. In the case of panic, there is clearly a perception of danger, and the rising of fear in the being. This drives ... Views: 49
The life force brings mobility and increased responsiveness compared to the physical being. It operates primarily under the impulsion of attraction and repulsion. The predominant quality or Guna is Rajas, which brings energy, action, and progress, while at the same time, its deformations can ... Views: 44