Swami Sivananda 🕉️

May the Grace of Gurudev Swami Sivananda illumine this NEW YEAR with the brightness and radiance of Hope, Aspiration, and Inspiration.

God grant you all Auspiciousness, Blessedness, Prosperity and Success. I wish you Happiness, Health, Progress upon the spiritual Path, and triumph over troubles, tensions and problems of life.

May this New Year herald for you many more years of joy, peace, and plenty.

In a world where you can be anything, be kind.

What are your goals for 2025?

Challenge: When a negative thought enters your mind, think 3 positive ones. Train yourself to flip the script.

Be steady with your practice. Never stop the practice till the final beatitude is reached. Never cease Sadhana till you can constantly dwell in full Brahmic consciousness.

SWAMI SIVANANDA SARASWATI

Learn how to read the love letters sent by the wind and rain, the snow and moon.

Ikkyu

The practice is to find silence in
all the activities you do.

Thich Nhat Hanh

13 PARADOXES OF LIFE
1. The more you want something, the less likely you are to have it.
2. The less you care about others, the less you care about yourself.
3. The more you fear a negative, the less likely it is that the positive will manifest.
4. The more concerned you are about a problem, the less connected you become to the solution.
5. The less you trust something, the more untrustworthy it becomes.
6. The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know.
7. The more complete you feel through someone or something, the less complete you feel from within.
8. The more you’re afraid to fail, the more likely you are to fail.
9. Gaining control lies in your ability to let go of it.
10. The more you try to impress people, the less impressed they’ll be.
11. The more available something is, the less you will want it.
12. The only certainty is that nothing is ever certain.
13. The only constant is change.

Maybe if Indian cricketers followed this advice they wouldn’t have lost focus and concentration so easily. :)

In the proximity of a great master, the vasanas (Desires) cease to be active, the mind becomes still and samadhi results. Thus the disciple gains true knowledge and right experience in the presence of the master.

There is one thing we must remember in our lifetime. We weren't born in this world to suffer or feel miserable. We were born to be happy.

Our Blues -Kdrama

The teaching is simple. Do what is right. Be Pure.

Buddha

Meditation gives comfort, strength, peace, poise, success and develops your personality. Therefore meditate regularly

Your life is barren without righteousness, renunciation, meditation and self-realisation.

Meditation gradually offers you the eternal light and intuition.

With the mind illumined by the power of meditation know Brahman, the Immortal, attain HIM, O My Friend, the one Goal to be attained.

In higher meditative life the senses and the mind are completely subdued. There is no more use of the mind, emotions and imaginations. In higher meditation the Yogi withdraws himself completely and enters into the state of
consciousness above the mind and intellect. He is conscious only of Pure Being.

Commune with the indweller (God) through meditation and heartfelt prayer. Lay bare the troubles of your heart to Him. He will instil in you spiritual strength and Wisdom.

Gurudev Swami Sivananda

Enjoy this live spiritual discourse.

https://www.youtube.com/live/SiCRPownXZ4?si=csxyiJbGJ2nfD1jo

Swami Sivananda 🕉️ pinned «Would you like to contribute by sharing inspiring, uplifting and spiritual thoughts of Swami Sivananda and from around the world? Help change lives, create awareness, and spiritually awakened beings. »

To be alive is enough
reason to be Happy.

Osho

Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know. -Ernest Hemingway.

What is success?
It is being able to go to bed each night with your soul at peace.

Paulo Coelho

There will be a lot of posts soon from people sharing how much they achieved in 2024.

But, in case someone needs to hear this. It’s okay if the only thing you did this year was just get through it.

Fate is what you’re given, destiny is what you make of it.

‘It’s impossible,” said pride.
“It’s risky,” said experience.
“It’s pointless,” said reason.
“Give it a try,” whispered the heart.

-Unknown

Accept what you can’t change, change what you can’t accept.

Life Learnings…

• The most destructive habit: Worry
• The greatest joy: Giving
• The greatest loss: Loss of self-respect
• The most satisfying work: Helping others
• The ugliest personality trait: Selfishness
• The greatest “shot in the arm”: Encouragement
• The greatest problem to overcome: Fear
• The most effective sleeping pill: Peace of mind
• The most powerful force in life: Love
• The most dangerous act: Gossip
• The world’s most incredible computer: The brain
• The worst thing to be without: Hope
• The deadliest weapon: The tongue
• The two most power-filled words: “I Can”
• The greatest asset: Faith
• The most worthless emotion: Self-pity
• The most beautiful attire: Smile
• The most prized possession: Integrity
• The most powerful channel of communication: Prayer
• The most contagious spirit: Enthusiasm

Every day should be a day of thanksgiving: for the gifts of life, sunshine, water, and the luscious fruits and greens that are indirect gifts from the Great Giver.

-Paramahansa Yogananda

Mindfulness is the act of bringing one's full attention to what is happening in the present moment. We bring our minds back to our bodies, and come home to the present moment. It begins with mindful awareness of our breathing: our in-breath and out-breath.

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Learn to let things go for your own good.

By complaining, you tell people how weak you are.

Although you may not always be able to avoid difficult situations, you can modify the extent to which you can suffer by how you choose to respond to the situation.

-H.H. The 14th Dalai Lama

Tell me: What are you grateful for today?

A beggar can be rich and an
emperor can be poor.
Richness is a quality of being.

Osho

"Anything that you resent and strongly react to in another is also in you."

- Eckhart Tolle

Peter’s Laws: The Creed of the Persistent and Passionate Mind.

1. If anything can go wrong, Fix it! To hell with Murphy!
2. When given a choice… take both!
3. Multiple projects lead to multiple successes.
4. Start at the top then work your way up.
5. Do it by the book … but be the author!
6. When forced to compromise, ask for more.
7. If you can’t win, change the rules.
8. If you can’t change the rules, then ignore them.
9. Perfection is not optional.
10. When faced without a challenge, make one.
11. “No” simply means begin again at one level higher.
12. Don’t walk when you can run.
13. When in doubt: THINK!
14. Patience is a virtue, but persistence to the point of success is a blessing.
15. The squeaky wheel gets replaced.
16. The faster you move, the slower time passes, the longer you live.
17. The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself!
18. The ratio of something to nothing is infinite.
19. You get what you incentivize.
20. If you think it is impossible, then it is… for you.
21. An expert is someone who can tell you exactly how it can’t be done.
22. The day before something is a breakthrough it’s a crazy idea.
23. If it were easy it would have been done already.
24. Without a target you’ll miss it every time.
25. Fail early, fail often, fail forward!
26. If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.
27. The world’s most precious resource is the persistent and passionate human mind.
28. Bureaucracy is an obstacle to be conquered with persistence, confidence, and a bulldozer when necessary.

I am the beginning of everything, the end of everywhere, the beginning of eternity, the end of space and time. What am I?

On the occasion of World Philosophy Day, sharing 20 powerful quotes from 20 world’s most influential philosophers:

1) “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
– Aristotle

2) “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”
– Heraclitus

3) “Reality is created by the mind, we can change our reality by changing our mind.”
– Plato

4) “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
– Confucius

5) “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.”
– Friedrich Nietzsche

6) “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.”
– Albert Camus

7) “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
– Socrates

8) “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”
– Soren Kierkegaard

9) “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”
– Marcus Aurelius

10) “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
– C.S. Lewis

11) “The more often a stupidity is repeated, the more it gets the appearance of wisdom.”
– Voltaire

12) “It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”
– Epictetus

13) “The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of past centuries.”
– René Descartes

14) “The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it.”
– Karl Marx

15) “We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.”
– Seneca

16) “We are not rich by what we possess but by what we can do without.”
– Immanuel Kant

17) “The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination embraces the entire universe.”
– Jean-Jacques Rousseau

18) “The more you struggle to live, the less you live. Give up the notion that you must be sure of what you are doing. Instead, surrender to what is real within you, for that alone is sure.”
– Baruch Spinoza

19) “We can ignore reality, but we cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.”
– Ayn Rand

20) “Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future, act now, without delay.”
– Simone de Beauvoir

Risk is the down payment of your success.

Know all theories, master all the techniques, but as you touch human soul be just another human being.
- Carl Jung

Take care of your body as if you were going to live forever, take care of your soul as if you were going to die tomorrow.
- Augustine.

ARE YOU WITH THE RIGHT PARTNER?

During a seminar, a woman asked, “How do I know if I am with the right person?”
The author then noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so he said, “It depends. Is that your partner?” In all seriousness, she answered “How do you know?” Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it’s weighing on your mind replied the author.

Here’s the answer.

Every relationship has a cycle… In the beginning; you fall in love with your partner. You anticipate their calls, want their touch, and like their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love wasn’t hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn’t have to DO anything. That’s why it’s called “falling” in love.

People in love sometimes say, “I was swept off my feet.” Picture the expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something happened TO YOU. Falling in love is a passive and spontaneous experience. But after a few months or years of being together, the euphoria of love fades. It’s a natural cycle of EVERY relationship.

Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse’s idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts. The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship; you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your partner might start asking, “Am I with the right person?” And as you reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when relationships break down.

The key to succeeding in a relationship is not finding the right person; it’s learning to love the person you found.

People blame their partners for their unhappiness and look outside for fulfillment. Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes.
Infidelity is the most common. But sometimes people turn to work, a hobby, friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances. But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your relationship. It lies within it.

I’m not saying that you couldn’t fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you’d feel better. But you’d be in the same situation a few years later. Because (listen carefully to this):
The key to succeeding in a Relationship is not finding the right person; it’s learning to love the Person you found.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. You have to work on it day in and day out. It takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it demands WISDOM.

You have to know WHAT TO DO to make it work. Make no mistake about it!
Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your partner), just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. If you know how to apply these laws, the results are predictable.

Love is therefore a “decision”. Not just a feeling.
Remember this always: God determines who walks into your life. It is up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let GO!

सर्वं संभव्यते त्वयि -Everything is possible by you.

The real spiritual progress of the aspirant is measured by the extent to which he achieves inner tranquility.

SWAMI SIVANANDA SARASWATI

You believe God looks at us from above but he actually sees us from the inside

— Shams Tabrizi

Being selective about who gets your precious time and energy is a form of self care.

Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.

Don’t Complain About Anything

The villagers had been coming to the local wise man every week, many complaining about the same problems each time.

One day he told them a joke and everyone roared in laughter. After a couple of minutes, he told them the same joke and only a few of them smiled. When he told the same joke for the third time, no one laughed.

The wise man smiled and said, “You can’t laugh at the same joke over and over. So why are you always complaining about the same problem?”

The lesson: Don’t complain about anything.

If it’s within your control, go do something about it. If it’s not, complaining is just a waste of energy.

When you complain, you’re giving too much power to the problem. Take back that power.

A man who lives never asks, "What is living?" and he has no theories about living. It is only the half-alive who talk about
the purpose of life.

Jiddu Krishnamurti

One definition of maturity is lengthening the gap between impulse and action. - Daniel Goleman.

1. Do your duty. Leave the rest to God. Have faith in Him.
2. A mind dedicated to selfless service is like a lamp which does not flicker in a place without wind.
3. Whatever happens, happens for good. We may not understand it now, but it will be clear in the future.
4. The peace you find in silence is unmatched. Take time to sit quietly, listen to your inner voice, and connect with the Divine.
5. True knowledge is to know one’s own Self and to see oneself in all beings.

-Kanchi Mahaperiva

Truthfulness is the first pillar in the Temple of God-realization. Truth is the gateway to the Kingdom of God. Truth is like a ladder. It leads you to the Kingdom of Immortal Bliss.

SWAMI SIVANANDA SARASWATI

Here, start living moment to moment totally and intensely, joyfully and playfully — and you will see that nothing goes out of control; that your intelligence becomes sharper; that you become younger; that your love becomes deeper.

And when you go out into the world, wherever you go, spread life, playfulness, joy, as far away as possible — to every nook and corner of the earth.

Osho

Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.

Albert Einstein

Whatever you do, as long as you operate with honesty, integrity, and intelligence, the universe will have your back. Always.

Adopt a traveler’s mindset for life. Carry only what you need for the journey.

Weep sincerely, call on Him ardently and piteously; feel the sorrows of the world as deeply as you can; be on fire as it were; and then only will realization come.

MAHAPURUSH SWAMI SHIVANANDA

“Unlike the stomach, the brain doesn’t alert you when it’s empty.”
– Arabic Proverb

This morning, I accidentally changed the GPS Voice to “Male."

Now it just says, “It's around here somewhere. Keep driving."

To inspire people don’t show them your super powers, show them theirs.

The greater the outward show; the greater the inner poverty.
-Krishnamurti

You are bound in this world by desires, actions, and manifold anxieties. Therefore, you don’t know that life is slowly decaying and is wasted away. Therefore, wake up! wake up!!

SWAMI SIVANANDA SARASWATI

Learn to heal without venting to everyone.

Small and hidden is the door that leads inward, and the entrance is barred by countless prejudices, mistaken assumptions, and fears.

Carl Jung

Work without attachment to the result and you will attain the Supreme.

Explore the Cycle of Creation, Sustenance, and Destruction: The Four Yugas

◆ In Satya Yuga:
Good and evil existed in two separate worlds: Devlok and Asurlok.

◆ In Treta Yuga:
Good and evil lived in the same world, exemplified by Shri Ram and Ravan.

◆ In Dwapara Yuga:
Good and evil were found within the same families: the Pandavas and Kauravas.

◆ In Kali Yuga:
Good and evil have become the same person, highlighting the complex nature of morality in this age.

◆ Each Yuga represents a distinct era of cosmic evolution:

🔸Satya Yuga: The era of purity.
🔸Treta Yuga: The era of righteousness.
🔸Dwapara Yuga: The era of heroism.
🔸Kali Yuga: The era of trials and tribulations.

These cycles shape humanity and the universe, guiding us through the eternal dance of life and time. 🙏

Swami Sivananda 🕉️ pinned «Correcting oneself is correcting the whole world. The sun is simply bright. It does not correct anyone. Because it shines, the whole world is full of light. Transforming yourself is a means of giving light to the whole world. Ramana Maharshi»

Correcting oneself is correcting the whole world. The sun is simply bright. It does not correct anyone. Because it shines, the whole world is full of light. Transforming yourself is a means of giving light to the whole world.

Ramana Maharshi

The Art of Quieting the Mind: Methods from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta ☸️

Vitakkasanthana Sutta is recorded in The Majjhima Nikaya scripture of The Pali Canon. In this Sutta, Shakyamuni Buddha gives Methods on how to deal with distracting or unwholesome thoughts. These methods taught in this Sutta are as below:

Method 1. Replacing the unwholesome thought with a wholesome one – The Buddha teaches us to replace unwholesome or negative thoughts with more positive ones - like swapping a thorn for a flower. For example, if one is consumed by anger, reflecting on compassion can help soften the heart. It’s a subtle but powerful way to shift the mind's focus toward something wholesome.

Method 2. Reflecting on the dangers of the unwholesome thoughts – seeing how they lead to suffering. Just as a fire burns anything it touches, allowing anger, greed, or delusion to persist in the Mind leads only to suffering. This reflection helps us see clearly how damaging certain thoughts can be.

Method 3. Ignoring the unwholesome thought – paying no attention to it, thus letting it fade - like letting a passing cloud drift by. Rather than engaging with every mental disturbance, The Buddha advises us to watch it, but not be drawn into its narrative.

Method 4. Analyzing the origin of the thought – understanding where it arises from helps weaken its grip. Where does it come from? What craving or attachment is driving it? When we investigate our thoughts with this level of curiosity, we begin to see the underlying patterns that keep us stuck.

Method 5. Forcibly suppressing the thought if necessary – using one’s willpower to stop it. If all else fails, The Buddha teaches that we can use sheer willpower to suppress a negative thought. It’s like holding down the lid of a boiling pot. While this may seem forceful, sometimes it’s necessary to regain control of the Mind.

In modern life, these teachings are just as relevant. Whether it's during meditation, at work, or in relationships, we constantly face distractions and unwholesome thoughts. The Vitakkasanthana Sutta offers practical tools to regain inner peace, helping us navigate the stormy seas of our Mind and steer toward the shore of calm and clarity.
🙏🙏🙏

Seeing God without seeing the Self, one sees only mental image. Only he who has seen himself has seen God, since he has lost individuality, and now sees nothing but God.

Ramana Maharshi

People are prisoners of their phones. That’s why they are called cell phones! 😄

No anger inside means no enemy outside.

When we avoid difficult conversations, we trade short-term discomfort for long-term dysfunction.

The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph. Self-realization demands a very great struggle.

SWAMI SIVANANDA SARASWATI

When you meditate, you go beyond the mind. When you go beyond the mind, you are no more a Christian, no more a Hindu, no more a Jain, no more a Jew.

You are simply a consciousness, a pure consciousness, a mirror-like clarity.

The Vedas say यथा पिण्डे तथा ब्रह्माण्डे - Yatha Pinde Thatha Brahmande means: “As in the microcosm, so in the macrocosm.”

It expresses a key principle in yoga and tantric philosophy. The idea is that whatever exists within the human body (pinda), also exists in the universe (brahmanda). The microcosm of the human being reflects the macrocosm of the cosmos.

This highlights the belief that the structure and principles governing the universe are mirrored in the individual, and understanding oneself is a path to understanding the universe. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of the self and the cosmos.

Swami Sivananda 🕉️ pinned «30 Ways to Level Up Your Life 1. Declutter your space 2. Meditate daily 3. Practice self-discipline 4. Develop a new hobby 5. Network with others 6. Eat a balanced diet 7. Hydrate well 8. Take regular breaks 9. Visualize success 10. Practice empathy…»

30 Ways to Level Up Your Life

1. Declutter your space
2. Meditate daily
3. Practice self-discipline
4. Develop a new hobby
5. Network with others
6. Eat a balanced diet
7. Hydrate well
8. Take regular breaks
9. Visualize success
10. Practice empathy
11. Limit screen time
12. Cultivate resilience
13. Spend time in nature
14. Learn new skills
15. Practice patience
16. Travel often
17. Embrace change
18. Prioritize sleep
19. Cook at home
20. Seek feedback
21. Manage stress
22. Stay curious
23. Take on challenges
24. Practice generosity
25. Stand tall
26. Stay organized
27. Maintain a journal
28. Save money
29. Use affirmations
30. Plan your day

A cat that dreams of becoming a lion must lose its appetite for rats.

Meaning
To achieve greatness, you must let go of old habits that could hold back your progress.

African Proverb

Don’t fight – because who will fight? Who are you? Just a thought, so don’t make yourself a battleground of one thought fighting another. Rather, be a witness, you just watch thoughts floating. They stop, but not by your stopping. They stop by your becoming more aware, not by any effort on your part to stop them.

Osho

The mind is Maya. Reality lies beyond the mind.

-Ramana Maharshi

Short Information about Shri Pandurang Shastri Athavale (Dadaji) of Swadhyay Parivaar on his Birth anniversary celebrated as Manushya Gaurav Din (Human Dignity Day) 🪔🌺🕉️

https://ameetkothari.wordpress.com/2018/10/19/manushya-gaurav-din-human-dignity-day/