Swami Vivekananda was born on 12th January, 1863. His real name was Narendranath Dutta.His father was a a well-known lawyer in Kolkata, Biswanath Dutta whereas his mother was a very intelligent and pious lady, Bhuvaneswari Devi. Biswanath often had scholarly discussions with his clients and friends on politics, religion and society. Right from childhood, Narendranath took interests in the debates held in his house and showed a refreshing norm of independent thinking.

Naren imbibed a profound knowledge of the Epics and the Puranas from his mother. He also inherited her memory among other qualities. He could sing, was a good sportsman, was well read, possessed a fantastic sense of humor, and was very helpful by nature. Naren was also a born leader.

Naren passed his Entrance Examination from the Metropolitan Institute and the F.A. and the B.A. Examinations from the General Assembly's Institution (now Scottish Church College). During his stint as a collegiate, his principal Hastie inspired him into the philosophies of the Bengali saint Sri Ramakrishna.

Following the charismatic leader, Keshab Chandra Sen, Naren became a Brahmo. However, his philosophical mind was restless and the Brahmo Samaj could not satisfy his quest for the true meaning of religion. Egged on by one of his relatives, Naren soon met Sri Ramakrishna in November 1881. This incident affected Naren a great deal as he gradually came to realise that Ramakrishna was an extraordinary man. Spending quality time with the saint, Naren gradually began to look upon him as his guide. With his complete dedication to Ramakrishna, Naren came to accept Ramakrishna as his master.

Ramakrishna was a cancer patient and passed away in 1886. During his illness, a group of choosen young men had gathered round him and began to nurse him while receiving spiritual guidance from him. Naren was the leader of this group. Ramakrishna had wanted that they take to monastic life and had symbolically given them the "Gerua cloth". Keeping in line with their master's wish, the group founded a monastery at Baranagar and began to live together supporting themselves by begging, without knowing where the journey would take him. The journey that followed took him to the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent.

On July 1890, Vivekananda set out for a long, extensive travel throughout India, and came to realise the abject poverty, illiteracy and antagonism of the Indians at large. During these days, Vivekananda assumed various names like Swami Satchidananda. Many believe that he was given the name Vivekananda by the Maharaja of Khetri for his discrimination of things, good and bad Vivekanada believed in the of mobilization of the masses. He approached many Indian princes of the time to see if they could do anything for the common people of India. Gradually the consciousness spread amongst the leaders and a slow change began to take place.The ruler of Mysore was among the first to make primary education free within his State. This, however, was not enough in Swamiji's view. He wanted education taken to the peasant's door-step, so that the peasant's children could work and learn at the same time. His correspondences with the Maharaja of Mysore on the subject reveal how genuine and palpable his ideas were.

Vivekanada reached Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent on the 24th of December 1892. Many of his devotees claim that he swam across the sea and started meditating on a lone rock for three days on the past, present and future of India. The rock is today a primary tourist destination and is called the Vivekananda memorial.

Vivekananda attended the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, Illinois, and earned great applause for beginning his address with the famous words, "Sisters and brothers of America." It was Vivekananda's arrival in the USA which started the beginning of western interest in Hinduism not as merely an exotic eastern oddity, but as a vital religious and philosophical tradition. After a few years of the Parliament, Vivekanada started Vedantic centres in New York City, New York and London, and lectured at major universities on Hinduism. However, he also received a lot of criticism from the Christian missionaries of whom he was fiercely critical. On July 4, 1898, Swami Vivekananda wrote a poem titled, To the Fourth of July.

Move on, O Lord, in the resistless path!
Till the high noon overspreads the world,
Till every land reflects thy light,
Till men and women with uplifted head
Behold their shackles broken, and
Know in springtime joy, their life renewed.

After four years of constant touring, lecturing and retreats in the West, he came back to India in the year 1897.In India, he delivered a series of lectures, called the "Lectures from Colombo to Almora". In the same year, he founded the Ramakrishna Mission, one of the largest monastic orders of Hindu society in India.

He once again toured the west from January 1899 to December 1900.

Vivekananda's books (compiled from lectures given around the world) on the four Yogas (Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga) are considered as the fundamental texts in the Hindu practice of Yoga. His letters are of great literary and spiritual value. Vivekananda was also an excellent cook, a very good singer and a brilliant poet who composed many songs including his favourite Kali the Mother.

On July 4, 1902 at Belur Math near Kolkata, he taught Vedanta philosophy to some pupils in the morning. Then called his chief disciple Sister Nivedita and fed her. In the evening, he went for meditation in his room facing Ganges and passed away in Mahasamadhi.

Books on and by Swami Vivekananda

The complete Works of Swami Vivekananda ISBN 8185301468

Jnana Yoga by Swami Vivekananda ISBN 0911206213

Raja Yoga by Swami Vivekananda ISBN 091120623X

Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga by Swami Vivekananda ISBN 0911206221

Life of Vivekananda by Romain Rolland ISBN 8185301018

Vivekananda: A Biography by Swami Nikhilananda ISBN 0911206256

The life of Swami Vivekananda by his eastern and western disciples ISBN 8175050446

Swami Vivekananda: A Reassessment by Narasingha P. Sil ISBN 0945636970

For more information on Swamiji also visit:
via www.ilovekolkata.in

Thoughts Determine Your Success -
Kamalakanta was born in Burdwan India in the late 18th Century. From an early age he expressed an interest in spirituality and later in life Kamalakanta received initiation into Tantric Yoga from a Tantric yogi named Kenaram Bhattacharya. His songs made him famous during his lifetime and because of his fame as a singer poet the Maharaja of Burdwan, Tej Chandra asked Kamalakanta to be his Guru. Kamalakanta became a great devotee of Kali and composed many impassioned and devotional love poems to the Mother. It is said that the Divine Mother in her aspect of Mahakali wishes her sincere devotees to make the fastest progress. Kali is often depicted as the great destroyer of ignorance and hostile forces. The poetry of Kamalakanta displays this heroic attitude of imploring Kali to destroy limitations and bondage. The poetry of Kamalakanta also displays a profound faith in his all powerful Kali. "The earth quakes under Your leaps and bounds. You are frightful with that sword in Your hand ." Whilst Kali is often depicted as a black and terrifying form, this however is just one aspect of hers as a destroyer of ignorance. Kamalakanta also alludes to the other aspect of Kali as he states in his poem - "Is my Mother Really Black?" "If She's black, how can She light up the world? Sometimes my Mother is white, sometimes yellow, blue, and red. I cannot fathom Her. My whole life has passed trying. " The poems of Kamalakanta and Ramprasad were later sung by Sri Ramakrishna, who himself was a great devotee of the Divine Mother.These devotional songs would often send Sri Ramakrishna into an ecstatic state as he became absorbed in contemplation of the Divine Mother. Many of these songs are recorded in the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. By Tejvan Pettinger Platinum Quality Author

Ayurveda and Siddha Vaidya -

In Hyderabad Today - Hindu
Sri Ramakrishna Ashram: ‘Godadevi Vaibhavam’, Sri Satyanarayana Swamy temple, Ashoknagar, 6.30 p.m. Sri Desika Sabha: Tiruppavai discourses in Tamil, Keyes High School, Secunderabad, 6.30 p.m. Sri Ahobila Mutt: Tiruppavai discourses, Mutt
Source: www.hindu.com

Hindu Poet - Kamalakanta -

Asansol centre has developed a piece of land at the junction of National Highway-2 and Vivekananda Sarani (formerly Kanyapur Link Road) into a park and installed there a 13-foot bronze statue of Swami Vivekananda. The park and the statue were inaugurated on 19 February. more

Holy Mother's birthday celebration Programme, Thursday, 18 December, 2008 more

Sri Nirupam Sen, Ambassador of India to the United Nations, visited Vedanta Society, New York, USA, on 15 June and released the book Albert Einstein and His Human Side authored by Swami Tathagatanandaji. more

Swami Vivekananda's Concept of Religion as the Unfoldment of the Inherent Divinity in Man -
Jesus studied yoga for many years before his divinely ordained mission to spread the light of the Supreme. Through intense prayer and meditation Jesus rose above the ordinary level of human consciousness to attain a state of self realization or God Realization. Jesus no longer identified with the body and ego. He became one with the Universal �Christ� consciousness. It is from this perspective of God realization that he was able to proclaim �I and my father� are one. Through his spiritual realization Jesus Christ became unconditional surrendered to the will of God. The highest prayer offered by Christ was his immortal �Thy will be done�. To say this prayer is easy, but to live and embody this constant surrender to God�s will is not possible unless one can feel the inner promptings of God at all times. When faced with his most testing experience of betrayal and execution by torture Jesus faced his fate with equanimity and acceptance. There were many occasions when he could have avoided the most awful fate but he was willing to accept his fate for the fulfillment of the Divine plan. On the physical plane Jesus performed many miracles. Many take this as a sign of his divinity. But a spiritual master like the Christ performed countless more miracles on the inner plane. To be healed from physical pain is good. But the real miracle is to raise a person�s consciousness. Where there was discord, doubt and fear Jesus Christ brought down into the earth a consciousness of peace, light and bliss. According to people�s receptivity there were able to receive from Christ this light and bliss. It is this divine and ever present consciousness that humanity has treasured and valued for so many years. �The Christ performed forty-four miracles and gave a most fruitful, soulful sermon. But he has become humanity�s heart, head and life-breath not because of his miracles, but because he said one thing: �Father, let Thy Will be done.� The world has accepted him and is cherishing, treasuring and worshiping him because of this divine utterance: �Father, let Thy Will be done.� - Sri Chinmoy Jesus Christ was the embodiment of real divine forgiveness. One can never fully appreciate the inner workings and consciousness of a spiritual master like Jesus, but through the recorded Gospels, we get a glimpse of his magnanimity and inner divinity which brought forward his infinite forgiveness. Betrayed and dying on the cross. Jesus offered the most significant prayer to his own enemies. �Father forgive them, for they know not what they do� Jesus was God in human form. He embodied the highest transcendental consciousness but at the same time he identified with the ignorance of suffering humanity. A natural human instinct is to criticize those who torture us. Jesus was able to go beyond this view to realize people were acting through layers of ignorance. Even in the most evil acting people Jesus was able to see their inner divinity. Ceaselessly he worked and prayed for this divinity to be brought to the fore. For the upliftment of the earth�s consciousness Jesus gladly and unconditional accepted both physical and psychic suffering. His crucification is the most obvious and visible expression of his suffering. A most torturous and painful death, but as the mother of Jesus commented; every day of his life on earth Jesus took on the suffering of humanity. It is through his identification with others that he became one with their suffering. In particular he took on the karma or sins of his disciples. Jesus lived on earth only 33 years and of those years only a short period are recorded in the new testament. Yet during this short time period he was able to reshape the course of history and accelerate the spiritual evolution of the earth. His words are immortal utterances for the guidance of human moral and spiritual values. His life embodied the descent into human form the highest transcendental consciousness. To live and act the teachings of Jesus Christ is to enable a human ascent into our own inner divinity. Richard is a student of Sri Chinmoy and has written several articles on spirituality on his own website.By R Pettinger Platinum Quality Author

Experiences of Meditation - Samadhi -

Deccan Herald » City Today - Deccan Herald
Vishwa-Manava Swami Vivekananda Prathima Prathistapana Samiti Trust: Unveiling the statue of Swami Vivekananda and public celebrations, Leader of Opposition L K Advani, Governor Rameshwar Thakur, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa to participate at

Mysore has reasons to cheer on Jan 12 - Times of India
Niranjan Mutt, the monument mapping the Hindu monk's visit to the city, is rising from ashes to be a prominent landmark. The project will not just rejuvenate his links with the city but will set an example for revival of vintage monuments. January 12

Spiritual Teachers of India -
From time immemorial it has been known that some people, Yogis, Gurus, Shamen, Priests, Saints, Paramahamsas, Buddhas, Christs, have evolved to a state of high energy. These pure and good people, wanting benefit and happiness for all, without a trace of selfishness and competition have been known to have psychic powers. Their search for energy and goodness has precipitated within them the next stage of human evolution. For thousands of years they have been Good Doctors, Good Priests, founders of religion, Philosophic Geniuses, Advisors of Kings, Musical Geniuses, Poets, Makers of the Law. For thousands of years these people, wielding amazing Siddhis or Psychic powers, have been recorded as healing of the sick, casting out mental sickness, coming in dreams, communicating through telepathy, the radiation of specialised energies, leaving the body, entering into the body of another, astral travel, telling the future, acting at a distance, raising Kundalini, Shaktipat, the ability to pass healing into amulets, temples, places of peace, pilgrimage sites, creating miracles, birds and beasts come to them in peace. Of this disciple Ramakrishna eagerly asked when he first saw him, "Tell me, do you see a light above your head when you are going to sleep?" "Doesn't everyone?" asked the boy, in wonder. He had indeed a consciousness of light so great, high up the antahkarana, that he took it for granted that someone had placed a bright lamp above his head. This man was the well-known student of Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda. Vivekananda asked Ramakrishna, "What proofs are there of God's existence?" And Ramakrishna said, "I am." A strange answer. Vivekananda had not expected that answer. You also would not have expected it, because when somebody is asking for a proof of God, then there are traditional, philosophical proofs. One expects those proofs. Vivekananda must have been thinking Ramakrishna would say, "Everything needs a creator. The world is, therefore there must be a creator. We may be able to see him or not, but the creator must be there because the world is." But no, Ramakrishna didn't say anything like that. He was not a philosopher: he was a Sufi. He said, "I am! Look at me. feel me! Go into me! I can take you into that reality that you are calling God. What name you give to it is irrelevant. I have been to those heights -- I can lead the way for you too. Are you ready to come with me?" Vivekananda was not prepared. He had come to argue. But this is not an argument. This is going to be risky, to follow this madman. One can never be certain where he will lead you. Vivekananda hesitated. And Ramakrishna said, "Before you ask a question, you should be ready to receive the answer! Are you a coward or something? Why did you ask in the first place?" And Ramakrishna jumped -- he was that kind of madman, -- and he hit Vivekananda with his feet on his chest, and Vivekananda fell into Samadhi. When after one hour he woke up, he was a transformed man. He bowed down, touched the feet of Ramakrishna, and said, "Excuse me, I am sorry. It was so childish of me to ask such a question. It is not a question -- it is an adventure. And thank you! You have given me a taste of something of which I was not aware at all." Yes, he did transmit something. But if you read further into the same story, Vivekananda could not retain the experience. Ramakrishna just gave him a little nibble. Then he said, "Don't depend on my touch every time. Now you know there is something beyond; work it out yourself." Then it took many years for Vivekananda to get that experience again. Ramakrishna gave even that little experience to him because Vivekananda was fit for it. Still, he said, "This is borrowed. I'm giving you a sample. It's something like if I am chewing some nice candy and you come along and say, "Hey, what is that? "Candy. "Ah, can I try some? "Okay, a little piece. "Ah, it's so nice. Where can I get some more? "Go, work, earn money, go to the shop and buy it. I just give you a taste; then you have to work for it. Sri Ramakrishna had several thousand disciples but he didn't give all of them even that little taste Vivekananda got. So the student should have the proper qualifications for such an experience. Otherwise, if it is just that easy Ramakrishna could have just touched everybody and said, "Come on, everybody is a Ramakrishna now. Finished. He was not really stingy. He could have done that to a thousand people. Why should he do it to only one, Vivekananda? That is the proof that there are certain qualifications necessary in the disciple even to perceive something like that. The Scriptures say that there are three aids to realize the Truth: the Scriptures themselves, the Guru, and your spiritual practice. The Scriptures tell you that sugar is sweet. The Guru will show you that sugar. Your practice will give you the taste. The Guru will not put the sugar in his mouth and say, "It is very sweet. You have to taste it yourself. Even if you open your mouth and he puts the sugar in, if your tongue is totally coated, you can't taste it. It will be bitter to you. So you have to clean your tastebuds. That is the reason we say the disciple must be fit to know the taste. How many people were able to perceive Jesus Christ when he ascended? Only the very few who really had that faith and devotion. So a good student needs a lot of sincerity, purity of heart and devotion - even to get a little glimpse. And even then, that just becomes a kind of small incentive to work with. The shaktipat, the radiation of psychic energies by the enlightened can awaken these abilities in all who come to them. This has been known and recorded in the Sacred literature for thousands of years. Indeed, some sacred literature states that only by access to the energies of the Masters, can enlightenment be passed on. The search for this next step in evolution comes from the enhancement, the increase, of energy. As fire is spread from candle to candle. As the sacred word resonates in both he who gives and he who receives. As Grace dropeth as the gentle dew from Heaven, twice blessed.. So a preparation of he who receives, the student, the candle, by the removal of Negative Energy, Energy Blockages, a lack of Energy Blockages allows more Spiritual Energy to be absorbed and used to crystalise, complete, finalise, create the Spiritual Body of another Master, another transmitter of the Truth! They say that Masters represents infinite power through a complete loss of the selfish ego - When the robe was touched no credit was claimed by the wearer, It was your faith which healed you! said the Master - and so the truism, It takes two to Tango, - the student must be purified and prepared by evolution and spiritual practice to accept the Force, the Energy transmitted by the Master. All energy blockages stopping the flow of energy through the system and preventing the buildup of psychic power in the system must be removed. Thus we learn and practice Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation, Samadhi, Samyama, the Kundalini Kriyas, Chinese Alchemical Taoism and the Micro and Macrocosmic Orbits, VITRIOL and The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus, The Grounding of Negative Energies, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Raja Yoga and the Eighteen Classical Yogas of the Bhagavad Gita. Thus the torch is passed on from Master to Student. Another candle is lighted up! And Masters have existed in every time period. They exist Now!! Satchidanand, Director of Energy Enhancement, is one of the leading teachers of Meditation.! He helps people worldwide reach further than they EVER thought possible, FASTER!!! By Swami Satchidanand Platinum Quality Author

Tribute to Sri Aurobindo -

Gospel Music Hall of Fame reveals latest class - Nashville Tennessean
Michael W. Smith, Dolly Parton, Dr. Bobby Jones, The Dixie Hummingbirds and Lari Goss will become the newest members of the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Each of the inductees has worked to bring gospel messages to audiences that extend beyond the

Snowed out on Saturday, area gospel artists perform Sunday - Alliance Review
Photo By Jeff Hendershot/The Review Sarah Wells of Alliance sings during a concert held Sunday afternoon at Second Baptist Church in Alliance. Photo By Jeff Hendershot/The Review The New Zion mime team of New Zion Baptist Church in Alliance performs

THE SAYINGS OF R�MAKRISHNA -

A Late-Night Search For The True Jesus - Connecticut Law Tribune

A Late-Night Search For The True Jesus Connecticut Law Tribune, Hartford - Jan 9, 2009 Last night, I opened a recent work on Jesus's parables, and it is as if blinders fell from my eyes. I saw no vision of the divine, and I heard no voice. ...

Source: news.google.com

First in a series of Cape Cod Parables - Cape Cod Today

First in a series of Cape Cod Parables Cape Cod Today, MA - Jan 4, 2009 The way we were when - In this true vignettes from the Cape of the 1960's when ye olde editor worked at local newspapers. We would love to pass along your ...

Source: news.google.com

In Memoriam: The Unshakable Lagacy of James 'Brokenrail' Brunkenhoefer - Progressive Rail Roading

In Memoriam: The Unshakable Lagacy of James 'Brokenrail' Brunkenhoefer Progressive Rail Roading, WI - Jan 11, 2009 He sometimes spoke in parables, and his passion as an advocate — for rail labor, for rail, for people — spoke volumes about what he valued most in this ...

Source: news.google.com

Everyday Lord - ChristianityToday.com

Everyday Lord ChristianityToday.com, IL - 15 hours ago Peterson's argument about language comes through clearly in his discussion of the parables, which takes up the first half of the book. ...

Source: news.google.com

Inspiration for Meditation -
To a large extent we all experience fear at some times. It appears within modern society there are many things to fear. Often our fears are exaggerated or not even true. However our thoughts are very powerful. If we are fearful about certain situations it can often be the case we create a situation where these events actually occur. Therefore we should be very careful to avoid fear in our lives. To avoid fear we can consider the following suggestions 1. Avoid having a fear of failure. Often we set ourselves very high standards, but then we fear that we will not achieve perfection. We should not fear failure, instead we can look upon failure as a necessary experience in order to make progress. We can easily go from fear of failure to gaining happiness from making courageous steps at our own self-improvement. 2. Try to invoke a courageous attitude. If fear is torturing you try to develop the attitude that fear can and must be conquered. The indomitable spirit of Vivekananda voiced forth: �The earth is enjoyed by heroes��this is the unfailing truth. Be a hero. Always say, �I have no fear.� (1) 3. Don�t fear what other people may think. The root of fear often stems from separation. We fear others, or what they may think, because we separate ourselves from other people. �Fear is something that constantly tells us that we are entirely different or separate from others, that our existence is only for ourselves� (2) 4. To overcome this kind of fear we should use the power of love. With love we feel a sense of oneness. Therefore it is not possible to have the same fear. We no longer fear people because they are part of our own self. It is love that can conquer fear. As Sri Chinmoy says: �Where there is love, real love, there can be no fear.� (3) 5. Fear often spreads most readily in a passive mind. When we do nothing we feel helpless and hopeless. When we engage in fruitful action and encourage positive thoughts we can sweep away many of our anxieties and worries. 6. Always keep a sense of perspective. When watching the news we allow the whole world to enter us and the world feels a fearful place. However we should bear in mind news tends to be dominated only by bad events. Unfortunately good and positive events are not recorded because they are not as newsworthy. 7. Meditation can help to overcome fear. Meditation is the art of getting to know our real self. We dive deep within where we find a real sense of inner peace and happiness. These divine qualities are also not dependent upon events in the outer world. Footnotes: (1) Swami Vivekananda, Philosopher, Spiritual teacher and Indian patriot who definitely gave hope and faith to his fellow Indians in the late nineteenth century. (2) From �Failure and Fear� by Sri Chinmoy (3) Excerpt from Warriors Of The Inner World by Sri Chinmoy.By R Pettinger Platinum Quality Author

Spirituality � Bhagavan Nityananda, the Great Siddha of India -

Vivekananda Jayanti celebrations from tomorrow - Times of India
MYSORE: As part of the National Youth Day and Swami Vivekananda Jayanti, the Swami Vivekananda Youth Forum of the Sri Ramakrishna Ashram, Mysore, will host a four-day celebration in the city from Monday. Following are the programmes that will be held

The Learned Pandit - Indolink
Sri Ramakrishna needs no introduction to Indians. Through his renowned disciple, Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna's name was introduced to the west. He believed that the supreme power is one, call it Krishna, Christ or Allah. To convince himself of this

Deccan Herald » City Today - Deccan Herald
Karnataka State Government Pharmacist Association: Inauguration of State-level science conference by Chief Minister Yeddyurappa, release of souvenir by Medical Education Minister Ramachandra Gowda, Ambedkar Bhavan, Millers Road, Vasanthanagar, 10.30

The Fisherman who pretended to be a holy man - Indolink
Sri Ramakrishna needs no introduction to Indians. Through his renowned disciple, Vivekananda, Sri Ramakrishna's name was introduced to the west. He believed that the supreme power is one, call it Krishna, Christ or Allah. To convince himself of this

Thoughts Determine Your Success -
Swami Vivekananda presented the talk, Real Religion at the World's Parliament of Religions in 1893. With this speech, he introduced Vedanta (AKA Hinduism) to the West. It is more than 100 years later and the Christian West continues to struggle with the world's religions. This is a brief opportunity to comment on Vivekananda's speech. "Religion does not consist in doctrines or dogmas." What simple and wise words. However, the religion of the West, Christianity, is devoted to its doctrines and dogmas. Doctrines about Christianity as the exclusive path to salvation are the roots of Christian evangelization and, sadly, of Christian intolerance. Such intolerance extends to the ends of the earth. The Catholic hierarchy, for example, sets its gaze upon every religious tradition and judges. The proselytizing view of the Catholic Church and all of Christianity, peruses its own house. In Catholicism, for example, Catholic theologians who dare to present theological arguments for salvation in religions other than Christianity are silenced, taken from teaching positions, indexed. I agree with Vivekananda. Doctrine is not the same as the experience to which doctrine points. God-realization cannot be achieved by reading doctrines or encyclicals. The Christian Testament points to a reality that must be experienced. The purpose of the Gospels, for example, is to encourage faithful to embark on a journey home to God and to portray the unfathomable source of pure love that is God. But, the words are not the journey. "The raft is not the shore." If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him. This does not mean that doctrines, dogma, sacred texts are disposable and without real spiritual value. I merely suggest that the source of strife among the peoples of the world is inordinate reliance upon religious teachings at the expense of emphasis upon an experience of God and the consequent comprehension of the interrelationship among all people and the cosmos. For religious leaders in any religious traditions, why is it so incomprehensible to agree with Vivekananda: �As soon as a man stands up and says he is right or his church is right and all others are wrong, he himself all wrong.� Of course, in order to be consistent, I suppose I must admit that I could be wrong.By Sandi Fults

Inspiration for Meditation -

Vedanta Society in Boston.


"Many Lives, Many Masters" is the true story of a prominent psychiatrist - Dr. Brian Weiss, M.D., his young patient, and the past-life therapy that changed both their lives. Unknowingly, it not only reinforces the Hindu concept of reincarnation, but does so with great conviction.

Swami Tyagananda on the 15th June, 2006 at the Vedanta Society in Boston.

Commentary on "Real Religion" by Swami Vivekananda -

Gospel Hankie Card † Pocket Witness † Wordless Ties
Gospel Hankie Card by Pocket Witness. Getting humanity to Christ, one witness at a time. Don t just give a gift, give a witness. Our Gospel Hankie Card can be a great witnessing
Source: gospelhankiecard.com

The Gospel Stars
The official homepage for the Gospel Stars of Austin, TX. We are a gospel quartet group that has been performing for almost twenty years all around the country spreading God's word
Source: www.gospelstars.org

Welcome to SC Gospel Quartets
Preserving : South Carolina's : Gospel Quartet : History and Music : You Are Listening To JESUS ON MY MIND by The Brewsteraires
Source: scgospelquartet.com

Astrological Guidance And Destiny -

Same Bible, same gospel, same chapter. - Minneapolis Star Tribune
I want to take a step away from the 12 Days of Christmas to get right at a central issue in the Christmas story. I want to respond to issues raised in comments following my Christmas entry. Because I raised the economic issues, I was immediately

Gospel Music Channel Reveals Top Music Videos of 2008 - Christian Post
Music videos by Flyleaf, Rascal Flatts, Marvin Sapp and Switchfoot were among the recently announced winners of the Gospel Music Channel Video Awards. Revealed during a special one-hour show over the weekend, the winners were voted for by viewers and

Nominations for Stellar Awards Leads Gospel Music Crossing Over into - PR Inside
2008-12-31 18:00:31 - Expect to hear more gospel music being played outside of the gospel music hour during secular radio airplay in 2009. (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) Gospel Recording Artist, R. Lee Bryant today announced in celebration of the Stellar

Holiday Of Thee Wise Men Or Epiphany - Javno
The Three Wise Men holiday is celebrated on January 6, at the end of the Twelve days of Christmas. On this day, also known as Epiphany, the birth of Jesus Christ was celebrated in early Christian tradition, the campaign of the Three Wise Men and all

Union Gospel Mission Temporarily Moving Into Salvation Army Site - Chattanoogan
The Union Gospel Mission, currently located at 1512 S. Holtzclaw Ave., is moving for the second time in less than a year. The mission will temporarily be operating out of the Salvation Army building at 800 McCallie Ave. Jon Rector, UGM's executive

The One Religion - The Religion Of Mankind -

Swami Vivekananda — Soulful Tributes
A detailed biography and selection of immortal utterances by Swami Vivekananda A detailed biography and selection of immortal utterances by Swami Vivekananda
Source: www.soulfultributes.org

Swami Vivekananda — Blogs, Pictures, and more on WordPress
With Pupils at a Phoenix School. Grade XI Learners attending Motivation Class conducted by Swami Vimokshananda I expected it to be an interesting experience when I accepted the
Source: wordpress.com

Siddha Medicine -

Katha Upanishad
Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 18th of January at the Vedanta Society in Boston.


Knowing the Knower
Lecture by Swami Yogatmananda on the 27th of May at the Vedanta Society in Boston.

Swami Vivekananda's Concept of Religion as the Unfoldment of the Inherent Divinity in Man -

If you choose to be a star this Christmas, spend time reading, reflecting and praying—then re-reading, reflecting and praying again—through the Gospels, so�you learn what it is to follow Jesus. more

The years rolled on, and Gadadhar (Sri Ramakrishna) was now five years old. He began to show wonderful intelligence and memory even at this early age. The precocious boy learnt by heart the names of his ancestors, the hymns to various gods and goddesses. His father surprisingly observed that after hearing the hyyms and tales from the great national epics just once, Gadadhar could recall majority of the hymm or the tale exactly as told to him previously. As he grew to be very restless, Khudiram (Sri Ramakrishna’s father) sent him to the village school. At school Gadadhar made fair progress, but he showed great distaste for mathematics. He directed all his attention to the study of the lives and characters of spiritual heroes. Constant study of those subjects often made him forgetful of the world and threw him into deep meditation. As he grew older, he began to have trances whenever his religious feelings were roused. Soon it was found that not only religious subjects but beautiful scenery or some touching incident was also sufficient to make him lose himself.


In the year 1843 Khudiram (Sri Ramakrishna’s Father) died, and the entire burden of the family fell upon the shoulders of Ramkumar, his eldest son. The death of Khudiram brought a great change in the mind of Gadadhar, who now began to feel poignantly the loss of his affectionate father as also the transitoriness of earthly life. Though very young, he began to frequent the neighbouring mango-grove or the cremation ground in the vicinity and pass long hours there absorbed in thought. But he did not forget his duty to his loving mother. He became less exacting in his importunities, and tried every means to lessen the burden of his mother’s grief, and to infuse into her melancholy life whatever joy and consolation he could. Gadadhar soon found a new source of pleasure in the company of wandering monks who used to stay for a day or two in the rest-house built by the neighbouring Laha family for wayfarers. One day Chandra was startled to find her dear boy appear before her with his whole body smeared with ashes and with pieces of cloth put on like a wandering holy man. Association with these itinerant monks and listening to their readings from the scriptures inclined the naturally emotional mind of the boy more and more to meditation and kindled in him the latent spirit of dispassion for all worldly concerns.

Source:

1. Sri Ramakrishnadev / Sri Ramakrishna Jivan Charitra by M (Vol. 1 of Complete works by Swami Vivekananda)
2. Life of Sri Ramakrishna by Swami Tejasananda more

Devotions describing angels who surprise us, give us direction, help us rejoice and minister to our needs, even when we’re unaware that they're around.
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Hari Om,

Dear Friend,

Usher in the New Year 2009, with the extremely popular Shri Hanuman Chalisa Talks by Swami Swaroopananda..

Swamiji will continue to expound on the miraculous powers of Hanuman Chalisa at talks across Mumbai (Nov '08 - Jan '09).

Discover how these simple verses can reveal the secrets of a living a successful life.
And how can you chant away your fears and face challenges head-on by invoking the Mighty Lord Hanuman!!!

Please find below the details of the talks on January 2nd & 3rd. (enclosed brochures).

" Sab Sukh Lahai Tumhari Sarana"
January 2nd (Friday) from 7.00pm to 8.30pm
Venue - Lokhandwala Graden, Lokhandwala, Andheri West


" Sankat Mochan Naam Tiharo"
January 3rd (Saturday) from 6.30pm to 8.00pm
Venue - Thakur Complex, Kandivli (E)


"because the miracles that it can create in your life is to make You a Miracle" - Swami Swaroopanandaji


All are welcome for these talks.
Please pass on this message to your friends, relatives & colleagues.

Visit www.hanumanhavan.com to download audio/video clips & articles on the Glory of Shri Hanumanji.
And Watch Hanuman Havan on YouTube for videos of Swamiji's previous talks!


For more details contact:-
Chinmaya Sagar, F3, Panchsheel building, C road, Churchgate, Mumbai – 400 020.
Ph: 22814646, 22884646 Cell: 93201 14646 /47/48/49/50

Hari Om!
Chinmaya Mission.
www.hanumanhavan.com

CHANT MUMBAI SHAANT MUMBAI !!!

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When devotion is at an immature stage, weakness is observed in a devotee. At the early stage of devotion, a devotee cannot imagine God as being the devoid of power. In course of the time, devotion deepens and love for God is established. Thinking of God as all-powerful then becomes an obstacle in the path of devotion; the mature devotee shuns that attitude. All devotional scriptures declare this repeatedly. It is well known that Yashoda, the foster mother of Lord Krishna every day, and yet she nurtured and disciplined Him as her own son. The gopis knew that Krishna was the creator of the Universe, yet they could think of Him only as their beloved. There are many such instances in the scriptures.

When devotees fervently asked Sri Ramakrishna to grant them the vision of a particular manifestation of God’s majestic power, he would tell them: “Look, it is not good to ask for that kind of vision. You will be terrified when you see His power. Serving Him food, dressing Him with clothes, and the loving ‘You and I’ relationship with Him will all cease.” Alas, many times we sadly thought the Master refused our request because he did not wish us to have visions. Sometimes a bold devotee would beseech him passionately, saying, “Sir, your grace can make the impossible possible. Please be merciful and grant me the vision of God.” At this the Master would say tenderly: “My child, can I bring about anything? What the Divine Mother wills, happens.” If the devotee would insist, saying, “Whatever you wish shall be the Mother’s will,” the Master’s usual reply was: “My child, I do wish that all of you would have all kinds of spiritual states and visions. But does it happen?” If the devotee still insisted with dogged faith, the Master would express his love for that devotee with an affectionate look and a sweet smile. Then he would either remain silent or say: “My child, what more shall I say? Let the Mother’s will be done.” Even when pressed with destroying his erroneous but firm faith. Quite often we saw the Master respond in that manner and heard him say repeatedly, “My child, never destroy another’s spiritual attitude.” more

After six years. residence in Kamarpukur, Khudiram got his son and daughter married. Ramkumar, his eldest son, in the meanwhile had become quite proficient in Hindu lore, and was able to relieve, to a certain extent, his father’s family burden by earning something. So Khudiram had now more time at his disposal to devote himself to religious practices. In the year 1824 he went on foot on a pilgrimage to Rameshwaram in South India, which lasted about a year. Twelve months later, in 1826, his wife Chandra gave birth to her second son, who was named Rameshwar. About eleven years later, in 1835, Khudiram went on another pilgrimage. This time to Gaya. Here, after the performance of the sacred rites, he had a divine vision at night. He dreamt that he was in the temple of Vishnu, where his forefathers were feasting on the sacred offerings he had made. Suddenly a flood of celestial light filled the holy precincts of the shrine, and the spirits of the departed fell on their kness to pay homage to a Divine Presence seated on a throne. The effulgent One beckoned to Khudiram, who, coming near, prostrated himself before Him and heard the luminous Person saying, .I am well pleased at your sincere devotion. I shall be born in your cottage and accept you as my father.. Khudiram awoke with his heart thrilled with joy. He understood that a Divine Being would bless his house very soon. About the same time Chandra Devi was also having strange visions at Kamarpukur. One night she dreamt that a luminous person exactly like her husband was lying by her side. Another day, while standing with Dhani (a village blacksmith woman and neighbour) before the Shiva temple adjacent to her house, Chandra saw a bright beam of divine effulgence dart from the image of Lord Shiva and enter her. Chandra was overpowered, and fell unconscious on the ground. Dhani nursed her back to consciousness, but from that time Chandra began to feel as if she were quick with child. On Khudiram.s return to Kamarpukur, Chandra narrated this event to her husband with her characteristic candour and simplicity. But Khudiram, who had already had the strange vision at Gaya, was now completely convinced that they were soon to be blessed with a divine child. He advised her not to speak of her visions to any one. Chandra was greatly consoled, and passed her days in complete surrender to the will of Raghuvir.

The blessed hour for which Khudiram and Chandradevi were anxiously waiting at last drew near. In the early hours of the morning, before sunrise, of February 18, 1836, Chandradevi gave birth to a boy whom the world was to know afterwards by the name of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa. Dhani, Sri Chandradevi’s neighbour who was with Sri Chandradevi for the whole night, as she was expecting a delivery any moment, helped in the delivery of the child. She saw the new born child in the dim lamp light and was surprised to see that the new born baby was very beautiful and as big as a 6 month old! She could not take her eyes off the baby. Just born baby was washed and kept down by Dhani. Later, after few moments she turned her face towards the baby, but she could not see the baby. The child was not in the place where she had left him.. Fear crawled from her spine. She desperately looked here and there. She was shocked to see that the new born baby has just rolled himself in the vessel filled with ash. The baby was happily playing in the ash and he was entirely covered with the ash. She ran towards her with mixed emotions and just picked him, cleaned him and returned him to his mother.

The Child was born in very auspicious time ‘tithi’ (Purva Bhadrapad Nakshatra). It was Siddhi Yog. Astrology says that such a person (born in this star sign) will be highly spiritual and he will be always respected and engaged in the divine karma. He will be encircled by many disciples and that person will stay in God’s Temple and he will initiate a new sect and that he will become very famous in the whole world as the part (ansh) of Lord Narayana. Khudiram was overjoyed that the prospective greatness of his son confirmed his previous vision and the experience of Chandra, which they had earlier before conception. According to the Star Sign, he named the child as ‘Shambhuchandra’. But in memory of the divine vision he had in holy Gaya, he named the child as ‘Gadadhar’.

Source:

1. Sri Ramakrishnadev / Sri Ramakrishna Jivan Charitra by M (Vol. 1 of Complete works by Swami Vivekananda)
2. Life of Sri Ramakrishna by Swami Tejasananda more

Christmas is not just a day or even a season of the year—an event on the calendar that arrives and passes. No, Christmas is much more than that. It is a permanent change that enters into our world for keeps. more

Origins of Yoga -

Sri RamaKrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Coimbatore, India is a major educational centre of the well known Ramakrishna Mission. It is 19 km from the Coimbatore city on the highway to more

Information about the Sri Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad and the Ramakrishna Order; biographies; schedule of discourses; the Vivekananda Institute of Human Excellence and the more

Thoughts Determine Your Success -

Swami Vivekananda — Soulful Tributes
A detailed biography and selection of immortal utterances by Swami Vivekananda A detailed biography and selection of immortal utterances by Swami Vivekananda

SVIT
Acronym Finder: SVIT stands for Swami Vivekananda Institute of Technology (Hyderabad, India) What does SVIT stand for? Swami Vivekananda Institute of Technology (Hyderabad

Swami Vivekananda - Swami Vivekananda Biography - Vivekananda Life
This biography tells us about Swami Vivekananda and his teachings. Have a look at the life history of Swami Vivekananda.

Indian Spiritual Teachers in the Last 150 Years -

Pancikaranam - 9
Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 18th May, 2006 at the Vedanta Society in Boston.

Panchadasi - 24
Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 19th of June at the Vedanta Society in Boston.

Panchadasi - 28
Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 9th of October at the Vedanta Society in Boston.

Amritabindu Upanishad
Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 20th of September at the Vedanta Society in Boston.

Fear of Death
Lecture by Swami Yogatmananda on the 28th of September at the Vedanta Society in Boston.

Marshfield Retreat Lecture by Swami Tyagananda
This lecture was�delivered at Marshfield�in the summer of 2006 by Swami Tyagananda.

Spiritual Transformation
Lecture by Swami Kripamayananda on 6th April, 2008 at the Vedanta Society in Boston.

Kathopanishad
Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 15th of March at the Vedanta Society in Boston.

The One Religion - The Religion Of Mankind -

Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 4th of October at the Vedanta Society in Boston.

more

Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 11th May, 2006 at the Vedanta Society in Boston. more

Lecture by Swami Tyagananda on the 17th of January 2008 at the Vedanta Society in Boston. more

Commentary on "Real Religion" by Swami Vivekananda -

Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical Science
Ms.P.Roshini, Our 2002-06 batch final year student secured all the 3 Gold Medals for Pharmacy from the Tamil Nadu Dr.M.G.R.Medical University for “Best Performance” in the B

The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture
The institute of culture, is a branch centre of the world wide Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1897.

Sri Ramakrishna
Sri Ramakrishna was a spiritual master and teacher who lived in India during the late 1800's. One of his followers, Swami Vivekananda, was one of the first to bring the

Sri Ramakrishna — AspiringIndia.org
Sri Ramakrishna was one of the greatest spiritual Masters India has ever produced, and to this day is deeply revered by millions of Hindus and non-Hindus

Sri Ramakrishna
Sri Ramakrishna (1836 - 1886) Sri Ramakrishna, well-known as the `Paramahamsa', is the brightest star that rose on the spiritual firmament of the India of the nineteenth century.

Astrological Guidance And Destiny -
Seek astrological guidance, but don't be totally dependent on it. The astrologer has many limitations. No astrologer has the final say in any matter. Plan intelligently, remembering the astrologer's advice. Any pariharas (remedies) suggested by the astrologer can be adopted as long as they are spiritually oriented and do not involve unnecessary expenditure. Such remedies (as per Parasara the father of Indian astrology) are prayers and chanting of Mantras. Other remedies, which involve huge costs are not reliable and are mostly suggested by dishonest astrologers. Accept your Prarabdha and do your duties cheerfully. Know that you cannot escape your Prarabdha. Even Yogic can help you only to postpone it, not avert it! But there is one area where you have total freedom. That is your current karma (Kriyaman). You can determine the course of action. You can bring in an anti-current of thoughts, a current of noble, spiritual thoughts, thoughts guided by Dharma. It is never too late to change the course of action. In the Kriyaman area, do good deeds. Let Dharma guide you. Some times there may be a conflict between free will (Kriyaman) and destiny (Prarabdha). However powerful Prarabdha is, DO NOT DESPAIR. Do your duties cheerfully without being excessively attached to the fruits of your actions. Surrender yourself to God and do your duties with a Nimitta Bhava. Great Yogic like Bhisma and Vasishta have placed Purushartha or exertion (free will) above destiny. Do not underestimate the role of Kriyaman Karma, your Free Will to change the course of action. Advanced people do not need astrology. They accept Prarabdha as God's will while the ignorant person develops pathological dependence on astrology, starts despairing, lapses into inaction or makes half-hearted attempts. It is perhaps for this reason that reformist thinkers like Swami Vivekananda and Swami Dayananda Saraswati were opposed to astrology. But saints like Sri Ramakrishna who was Swami Vivekananda's guru, spoke positively about astrology, because they had the attitude of a bhakta (devotee) and see all this as a 'play of the divine'. It all depends on how we take it. The devotee (bhakta) sees only Prarabdha. The vedantin (gnani) sees only Purushartha. Both are correct, because these are two sides of the same coin. The bhaktha (devotee) feels it is all Prarabdha only. Yet there is no fatalism in this. Prarabdha is only Purushartha (efforts born of free will) of previous births. Purushartha combined with Prarabdha brings effects. A man who is sick has to take the medicine (Purushartha) and leave the result to Prarabdha. Through Purushartha, Markandeya conquered death. Vasishta advocates Purushartha to Sri Rama throughout the Yoga Vasishta. We are neither totally bound by destiny nor are we totally free. We have limited freedom like a cow that has been tied to a post in a field with a rope. It can move freely, but only within the limits of the field. We have limited freedom depending upon how much we can stretch our Karma. Author Diwakar vashist is a senior consultant of Institute of vedic science, New Delhi, India. He is Head of faculty who conducts online live classes for vedic astrology , vedic vastu , Numerology , palmistry etc. He is working on the ancient vedic sciences Since last 20 years i.e. vedic astrology, vedic vastu, hatha yoga, meditation etc. By Diwakar Vashist

Ayurveda and Siddha Vaidya -

Swami Nikhilananda. Life and teachings of Holy Mother, Sri Sarada Devi (1853 - 1920), wife of Sri Ramakrishna and helpmate in his mission. more

Sri Sarada Devi The Holy Mother. Worshipped during her lifetime as a manifestation of Divine Motherhood, Sri Sarada Devi's throne was the earthen floor. more

HOME GENESIS ACTIVITY APPEAL CALENDAR LINKS SRI RAMAKRISHNA SRI SARADA DEVI Sri Ramakrishna Math, Nattarampalli, Vellore District is one of the old more

The history, activities, and events of the religious institution established to promote Vedanta as exemplified by the life and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Sarada Devi, and more

Swami Nikhilananda (1895-1973), was an initiated disciple of Sri Sarada Devi. In 1933, he founded the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York, a branch of Ramakrishna Mission more

Experiences of Meditation - Samadhi -
Sri Ramakrishna lived on earth for 50 years between 1836 and 1886. He was a God-intoxicated Saint who taught several very devoted disciples including Swami Vivekananda. One of Sri Ramakrishna�s great achievements was to show through practical example the unity of the world religions. After realising God, Sri Ramakrishna practised the spiritual disciplines of the main religions and their main branches. For example he went through a period of praying like a Muslim 5 times a day. He also meditated on the ideals of Jesus Christ. Sri Ramakrishna affirmed that all these different spiritual practices led to the same transcendental goal of union with the Absolute. "Many are the names of God and infinite the forms through which He may be approached." Ramakrishna said that God could be reached by all religions but at the same time God could not be confined by any religion. The Supreme consciousness is far beyond the domain of man�s intellectual understanding. It is no coincidence that his foremost disciple Swami Vivekananda would make such a lasting impression at the World Parliament of Religions in 1897. Vivekananda spoke most eloquently on Sri Ramakrishna�s ground breaking testimony on religious unity and religious tolerance. Reading the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna one cannot help but be inspired by Sri Ramakrishna�s intense devotion. Ramakrishna cared little for intellectual explanation. His was not the way of the Jnani yoga. He was the supreme Bhakti yogi, his chosen deity being Mother Kali. In the Gospel of Ramakrishna M recounts how Ramakrishna was so desperate that he could not see his beloved Mother Kali he went to pick up a sword that was hanging on the temple wall. He was about to strike himself with it, when he saw light waves coming from the temple image. He fell unconscious on the floor and was inundated with the bliss of Mother Kali. Sri Ramakrishna�s philosophy was in essence simple; pure untainted love of God "Unalloyed love of God is the essential thing. All else is unreal." * Sri Ramakrishna �If you must be mad, be it not for the things of the world. Be mad with the love of God�� * Sri Ramakrishna Although Ramakrishna was uneducated his fame spread and often people from all walks of life would come to visit the �God intoxicated Saint of Calcutta. Many illustrious people came to visit and were often unexpectedly surprised at how he was able to answer spiritual questions so profoundly and clearly. Ramakrishna said all his wisdom and knowledge came from within. One prominent figure who became attracted to Ramakrishna was Keshab Sen leader of the Brahmo Samaj, at the time a key figure in Bengali culture. Sri Ramakrishna, however was often disdainful of outer wealth and prestige, he was only interested in a man�s heart and whether he was genuine, in his love of God. During the last years of his life he developed a group of very dedicated disciples who he trained through his own unique blend of devotional singing, meditation and humorous parables. 2 Books �God lived with Them� and �They lived with God� tell the stories of Ramakrishna�s close monastic and non monastic disciples. They are a testament to Ramakrishna�s spiritual power and magnetism. As soon as Sri Ramakrishna saw Naren (Vivekanada) he knew him to be a great Soul, a Liberated soul, who would work tirelessly for the Mother. However at the time Naren was quite rebellious and doubted the realization of Ramakrishna. Despite Vivekananda�s initial scepticism Ramakrishna was the first to recognise his spiritual greatness. Ramakrishna never wavered in his praise of Vivekananda, even when people came to him saying Naren was an atheist. Later whilst in America, Vivekanada said something most profound. He said he felt unable to speak about his Spiritual Master Ramakrishna because people would not understand or appreciate his spiritual height and depth. Vivekananda never forgot his debt to his Spiritual Master Ramakrishna. He felt it was Ramakrishna and the spiritual force of Mother Kali which was responsible for all his success. Vivekananada here states how his initial skepticism of Mother Kali was imperceptibly changed by Ramakrishna. �But I had to accept Her at last. Ramakrishna Paramahansa dedicated me to Her, and now I believe that She guides me in every little thing I do, and does with me what She wills.� Richard lives in Oxford where he works as an economics teacher and also a member of the Sri Chinmoy Centre. He studies meditation under the guidance of Sri Chinmoy and gives meditation classes in his home town of Oxford. He enjoys writing biographies of inspirational spiritual people. By R Pettinger

Tribute to Jesus Christ -

Sri Ramakrishna Sevaashrama, Pavagada - Home
Swami Vivekananda Integrated Rural Health Centre Shree Sharadadevi Eye Hospital, Sri Ramakrishna Sevaashrama, Pavagada
Source: www.vivekaseva.org

The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture
The institute of culture, is a branch centre of the world wide Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1897.
Source: www.sriramakrishna.org

Vivekananda: An Ancient Silence-Heart And A Modern Dynamism-Life
Vivekananda: An Ancient Silence-Heart And A Modern Dynamism-Life. by Sri Chinmoy Swami Vivekananda, Calcutta, 1897; The Disciple And The Master. Vivekananda The Wonder-Warrior
Source: www.srichinmoylibrary.com

Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda
All the nine volumes of Swamiji's published works available on line.
Source: www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info

Swami Vivekananda — Blogs, Pictures, and more on WordPress
With Pupils at a Phoenix School. Grade XI Learners attending Motivation Class conducted by Swami Vimokshananda I expected it to be an interesting experience when I accepted the
Source: wordpress.com

Inspiration of Sri Ramakrishna -

Staging an emphatic beginning - Times of India

Staging an emphatic beginning Times of India, India - Dec 20, 2008 The performance unfolded with a scintillating transformation of the protagonist from a talented, willful youth Naren Dutta to Swami Vivekananda through ...

How To Overcome Fear Using Power Of Love -
1. Music for Meditation. If music is soulful and peaceful it brings our soul to the fore. When we hear soulful meditative music our inner being begins to aspire for a deeper and more meaningful reality. This aspiration to reach a more fulfilling, expansive consciousness is the real secret of meditation. When we have a burning inner flame then our meditation technique becomes of little importance. When we are inwardly aspiring for peace, light and joy our soul meditates spontaneously on our behalf. Music can definitely awaken our slumbering inner spirit. "Each time we hear soulful music, we get inspiration and delight. In the twinkling of an eye, music can elevate our consciousness." (1) Music for meditation can give us real inspiration but we should make sure the music is composed and played in a meditative consciousness. If the music creates restlessness and excitement then this will not help in any way our meditation. 2. Meditate on Nature. Nature embodies a dynamic peace. The beauty, expanse and scale of nature are very conducive to meditation. The Spiritual Master Sri Ramakrishna told his disciples to always meditate when they came across an expanse of water. Water signifies consciousness and purity; this consciousness and purity are the essence of meditation. If we can meditate at the ocean's edge we will also feel a sense of infinity and expanse. It is hard for the human mind to conceive of concepts like infinity and immortality, but when we see the ocean stretching into the distance we can definitely be inspired by this concept of infinity. 3. Meditate with an adept of Meditation. If we can have the opportunity to meditate with a real expert in meditation we will definitely feel something in their meditation. When we meditate in the presence of a real Spiritual Master we can benefit from the peace and light that they bring down. If we do not have the opportunity to meditate in the presence of a living spiritual master we can meditate on the photo of some Teacher, whom we have the utmost faith. If the photo was taken during meditation the picture will embody a meditative consciousness. If we can enter into this meditative consciousness it will bring our own inner meditative power to the fore. This consciousness is the secret of meditation. 4. Meditate with others. If we meditate in a group with other like minded people who enjoy meditation we will gain increased inspiration and confidence in the power of meditation. If we only meditate on our own it can feel like we are battling against the world. However when we meditate in a group our own meditation will be heightened because we benefit from the meditative consciousness that occurs in a group meditation. 5. Regularity. If we meditate on a regular basis then we will gain an increased meditative capacity. We should not be in a hurry to judge our own meditation. If we feel we have meditated badly and start feeling we are hopeless then we will definitely lose inspiration. Instead we should feel that each time we meditate there is a golden opportunity to feed our inner being. Even if we don't feel as if we are making much progress, we should remember that each time we meditate, we are taking an important and necessary step to improving our own meditation. References (1) From: Music: God's Universal Language by Sri Chinmoy Tejvan became interested in meditation and eastern mysticism whilst studying at University in Oxford. After studying various spiritual traditions he became a meditation student of Sri Chinmoy. Tejvan now offers meditation classes on behalf of the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Oxford. By Tejvan Pettinger

Siddha Medicine -
Ardent lover of India, here is a quote from Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore: If you want to know India, study Vivekananda. In him, there is nothing negative, everything positive. His inspirational words have moved millions of Indians and are still inspiring the people of the world at large. He declared the Vedic call: Charaivethi; charaivethi; charaivethi meaning March on; March on; March on; Stop not till the goal is reached! He defined manhood thus: They alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive! He assured the mankind thus: �Work unto death�I am with you, and when I am gone, my spirit will work with you. This life comes and goes�wealth, fame, enjoyments are only of a few days. It is better, far better, to die on the field of duty, preaching the truth, than to die like a worldly worm. Advance!� Mahatma Gandhi visited Belur, Kolkata in 1923 during the birthday celebration of Swami Vivekananda and said: �I have come here to pay my homage and respect to the revered memory of Swami Vivekananda, whose birthday is being celebrated today. I have gone through his works very thoroughly and after having gone through them, the love that I had for my country became a thousand-fold. I ask you, young men, not to go away empty handed without imbibing something of the sprit of the place where Swami Vivekananda lived and died�. Swami Vivekananda�s relationship with Americans is unique. �Columbus had discovered the soil of America, but Vivekananda her soul�, said the famous writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. Romain Rolland, the great scholar has said: �I cannot touch these sayings of Swami Vivekananda, scattered as they are through the pages of books at thirty year�s distance, without receiving a thrill through my body like an electric shock. And what shocks, what transports must have been produced when in burning words they issued from the lips of the hero.� Men of the world, read Swami Vivekananda in order to understand India and the real YOU.By Santhanam Nagarajan.

Commentary on "Real Religion" by Swami Vivekananda -

Ancient Greek was all Greek to Trevor Hewitt — until he learned the Biblical tongue and created a hand-written manuscript of 16,000 words, spelling out the Gospel of St John in letters of gold on a purple background. And when news of the more

Yoga and Weight Training - Never the Twain Shall Meet? -

Who's A Guru?
Guru is the God, say the Hindu scriptures. The English word 'guru' has its etymological origin in the Sanskrit term and means a "Hindu spiritual teacher or head of religious sect; influential teacher; revered mentor." Let's delve deeper for the real meaning of guru...
Source: hinduism.about.com

Yogi Ashwini’s Sanatan Kriya
"Creation emerged from stillness. The ultimate purpose of yog is to gather that stillness inside because it’s the stillness which is the ultimate strength and power, for it holds the complete Creation in it”, says Yogi Ashwini, the guiding light of Dhyan Foundation.

The strength and persona that He commands and exudes, and the experiences one gets, just by being around Him are enough proof that these are not empty words. A living master and a modem day yogi, who has taken the initiative of bringing “Yog” back to its original glory and presenting “Yog” to today’s world the way it used to be taught in ancient times. He has laid the foundation of Dhyan Foundation and His teachings are strictly based on the ancient principles of Yog. The uniqueness of Yogiji’s teachings is the “Guru - Shishya Parampara”, where each one is taught as a unique individual and is put on to the practices on a one to one basis.

He was initially a ‘Pranic Healing’ teacher and has also been associated with various Himalayan Masters. He spent some time alone in silence for a while, doing his practices and helping others around him. The sublimating effect he had on others eventually saw the informal birth of the Dhyan Foundation. He has an honours degree in Economics from Delhi University and a masters is management. He is widely traveled and has students in various countries. He has been teaching for many years.

For him Yog is not business, but complete sadhana and it is NOT yog if any aspect of it is adulterated or modified according to one’s requirements. It is with this purity of thought He formulated Sanatan Kriya, which encompasses all eight limbs of Ashtang Yog, without any dilutions and modifications. Yogi Ashwini emphasizes on Yoga as a subject of experience and not intellect, and it is by no means certain rapid movements, picked up from aerobics and other sports which are being termed as asanas and breathing techniques called pranayamas, these days, which promise to give you beautiful healthy body. In fact Patanjali, the fountain of yog explains asana as “Sukham sthiram asanam”, that posture which is still and which gives bliss is an asana Patanjali nowhere talks about asanas in the entire Yog Sutras. In the race to gather more and more students and make more and more money most of the present day. yoga teachers have forgotten the basic principles of Patanjali Ashtang Yog. For the masses it is difficult to comprehend that how stillness can give you that beautiful glow and strength in the body, and the ones who are selling yog obviously do not have the capacity to make that happen, for they do not themselves know what yog is, so to please these masses yog is being misrepresented and wrongly shown.

The effect of rapid asanas and/or improper breathing techniques, in a majority of case, may lead to mental / physical injuries and imbalances (chemical and hormonal).Yogi Ashwini says that this is the reason for Maharshi Patanjali not giving asanas to the masses. Asanas require the body to be in balance before they are practiced. And SANATAN KRIYA helps bring this balance. Some so-called yogacharyas have commercialized YOG and have taught them to anyone who offer good cash.This is the reason for YOGI ASHWINI’S coming out in the open. Dhyan foundation is just dedicated to make the people aware of pure yog and pranayam, as instructed by Maharshi Patanjali.

Dhyan Foundation volunteers teach Sanatan kriya to every new seeker, every Sunday in New Delhi.

Dhyan Foundation also runs regular weekly sessions at Ludhiana, Mumbai, Bangalore, Lucknow, Dehradun and will soon be starting sessions at Boston, Frankfurt and London.

For more details and to contact Dhyan Foundation, visit www.dhyanfoundation.com.

Adapted and modified from Mystic India Page (12) May - June 2oo8
Writeup by:
Shri Hari - Volunteer / member / teacher in Dhyan Foundation,
Edited by indiaspirituality

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Navaratri: The 9 Divine Nights
Hindus mark the advent of winter with 9 nights/days of fast and prayer to Durga, the Mother Goddess who embodies all the power of the universe. What's the significance? Why Durga? Why this time of the year? Why 9 nights? Find out...
Source: hinduism.about.com

"Awake, Arise and Stop Not Til Thou Goal is Reached" - Swami Vivekananda

"Only God is True, Everything Else is False" - Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa

"To Disconnect the mind from the SELF and to become aware of anything else is nothing but Unhappiness" - Sri Ramana Maharshi

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Pongal: Great Indian Thanksgiving! (Part 1)
Pongal is a great Indian harvest festival, celebrated every year in mid January to mark the reaping of crops and a special thanksgiving to God, the sun, the earth and the cattle.
Source: hinduism.about.com

Ramana Maharshi - A Selected Story

An Astounding Astrologer

Sri Venkateswara Sarma (Sastrigal Mama) was an exceptional and astounding astrologer. From childhood he exhibited a rare genius in this field. While still very young, his extraordinary intelligence enabled him to master the most abstruse and difficult branch of astrology. All, including his guru, declared him as the wisest student.

Prasna is an astrological science based on a perfect fruition between mathematics and intuition. With just some meager information from the questioner, which includes only the first word of the question, a Prasna astrologer can, within seconds, draw up mentally a horoscope. This requires great mathematical precision and perfection. Having drawn the horoscope within his mind, and in a flash also having studied it, the astrologer will have to wait, prayerfully. Then, from the depths of his inner intuition words gush forth, forming the astrological predictions for the questioner. As this Prasna process is not merely based on mathematical horoscopes, it culminates in intuitional revelation, and the predictions are said to be amazingly accurate and correct to the minutest detail. Sri Sastrigal Mama was highly proficient in this system of astrology.

He once described it to me by citing this example: One day a merchant came to his house while he was engaged offering worship in his puja room. His wife informed him that one Nagappa Chettiar was waiting on the verandah and that he seemed worried about some urgent matter. Not willing to interrupt his worship, and by merely listening to the name and the few details given by his wife, Sri Sastrigal Mama, within a minute, began giving the following prediction:

"Tell Nagappa Chettiar that he has come to inquire about his lost, costly diamond ring. He suspects his servant. Assure him that no one has stolen it. In his gardn, near the well, there are two rows of plantain trees. On one side there are only two trees; on the other there is a cluster of trees. Let him search under the two trees and the diamond ring will be found there. While he was cleaning his clothes on the washing stone the ring slipped off his finger and fell to the ground."

Nagappa Chettiar returned home and found the ring exactly where Sri Sastrigal Mama had said, and because of this and similar astounding predictions Sri Sastrigal Mama became quite famous. He also became convinced that the Prasna branch of astrology was the most perfect science.

At the height of his career he heard about Sri Ramana Maharshi. When he first saw Sri Bhagavan's picture he was immediately captivated and traveled to Arunachala to see the Sage. He climbed up to Skandashram, where Bhagavan then resided. On the very first look that the Maharshi gave him, Sri Sastrigal Mama became his slave. He had a strong desire to stay with the Maharshi permanently, renouncing everything he held dear. Yet, there was still his lifelong attraction to the science of astrology. He felt distracted by it and did not know how to proceed.

One day, gathering courage, he approached Sri Maharshi in all humility and said, "Bhagavan, is not astrology the best and most accurate of all sciences?"

In silence Bhagavan looked at him deeply for some time. Then, slowly but firmly, he replied: "The science of the Self is superior to all other sciences."

It was the peak period in Sri Sastrigal Mama's life. For every prediction he was richly rewarded and was consequently acquiring immense wealth. Nevertheless, the words from the Master convinced him immediately to renounce his lucrative profession and pursue the science of the Self. His wife too fully supported him in this decision. The remainder of their life they lived in utter poverty at the holy feet of the Sat-Guru, under the protective shade of the Sacred Mountain, Arunachala.

V. Ganesan

Source: http://www.cosmicharmony.com/Sp/Ramana2a/Ramana2a.htm

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