InnerRealisation

Should you think of God only at the time of meditation and remain forgetful of Him at all other times?

Have you not noticed how during Durga Puja a lamp is kept constantly burning near the image?
It should never be allowed to go out. If ever it is extinguished, the house-holder meets with some mishap.

Similarly, after installing the Deity on the lotus of your heart, you must keep the lamp of remembering Him ever burning. While engaged in the affairs of the world, you should constantly turn your gaze inwards and see whether the lamp is burning or not.

• Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna

“Mataji often says: “If you live pure and dedicated lives, I shall keep good health. Your purity is my sustenance. Material food matters little.”

Someone asked: “What is the difference between a Divine Incarnation and a sādhaka? How can an ordinary person distinguish between the two ?”

Mataji sat in silence for a little while and then said: “An ordinary person cannot recognize an Avatāra for what He is unless He Himself chooses to reveal His identity.” A little later She added : “The sādhakas life is bound by self-imposed rules and regulations, while the Avatara is completely free. Although everything is accomplished spontaneously be Him as it should be done, He is not bound by anything. Those who are able to discriminate may know the difference. Of course for the average person it is difficult to understand.”

“Most smiles are born of good emotions arising out of good, or out of feeling sympathy, love and kindness, or mercy. But the most wonderful way to smile is to fill your heart with the love of God. Then you will be able to love everybody; you will be able to smile all the time. All other forms of smiles are evanescent because emotions flicker and pass away, no matter how good they are. The only thing that can last is the joy of God. When you have that, you can smile all the time.”

Conversation with people requires audible voice. Conversation with God requires silence. People who talk too much are not with God ; there is much less time in their thoughts for Him. Those who inwardly converse with God are outwardly more silent. No matter what their surroundings, they are habitually more quiet. Because the devotee has plenty to say to God, he has very little to say to others.When those who have much to say to God do speak, their words are of God,and are full of wisdom and understanding
When the perception of God begins, you have no time for useless things. You want to remain by yourself – God and yourself. And you do not want to waste a precious moment that could rather be spent with Him. Even when such devotees are active, that activity never diminishes their perception of love for God.
Sri Sri Paramhansa Yogananda

A man who has forgotten where he left his things in the house cannot recover them by weeping even for a hundred years. But he will get them only if he thinks the matter over and finds out.
The Self is realized directly by Knowledge which destroys forgetfulness (ignorance), the root-cause of all misery, but it cannot be realized by any amount of hard work, though extended over several aeons (Yugas).

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.

Proof of god’s response.
A common cause of spiritual discouragement is the devotee’s expectation that God’s response will come in a great blaze of awe – inspring inner illumination. This erroneous notion dulls the devotee’s perception of the subtle divine responses that are present from the very beginning of one’s meditative practices. God responds to the devotee’s every effort, every devotional call. Even as a novice, you will realize this in your own seeking if you learn to recognize Him as the quiet, inner peace that steals over your consciousness. This peace is the first proof of God’s presence within. You will know it is He who has guided and inspired you to some right decision in your life. You will feel His strength empowering you to overcome bad habits and nurture spiritual qualities. You will know Him as the ever – increasing joy and love that surges deep within, overflowing into your everyday life and relationships.
Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda – Where there is Light

Maintain a neutral attitude towards all things; do not get infatuated with anything; maintain equanimity whether in happiness or suffering; be the same to friends and enemies; treat alike a broken piece of mud pot and a piece of gold.

Know that a flawless yogi is one who does not ever
allow himself to be swayed by desire for the pleasures of the senses, who frees himself at heart from mamakara (treating things as ‘mine’), who has a steadfast mind, who is free from desires and fear, and who always revels in the Self.

“Why We Shout In Anger”

A  saint who was visiting river Ganges to take bath found a group of family members on the banks, shouting in anger at each other. He turned to his disciples smiled ‘n asked.

‘Why do people shout in anger shout at each other?’

Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, ‘Because we lose our calm, we shout.’

‘But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner.’ asked the saint

Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the other disciples.
Finally the saint explained, .

‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other to cover that great distance.

What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is either nonexistent or very small…’

The saint continued, ‘When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper ‘n they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other ‘n that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.’

He looked at his disciples and said.

‘So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, Do not say words that distance each other more, Or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.’

💡 Takeaway:
Anger creates distance between hearts, while love brings them closer. Speak gently, so your words heal instead of pushing someone away—because once hearts grow too far apart, the path back may be lost.

“Before you die, something must happen. If it doesn’t happen, you are wasting your life. And you are even beginning to waste my life !
If people do not put their all into their spiritual process, I would rather climb the mountain and sit there alone. Yes, that would be so much better for me.
I am doing all this because I believe that people are thirsty. Actually they are thirsty, but they are so stupid ! Inspite of their thirst, they have the foolishness to look here and there, still trying to make good deals. “

– Sadhguru

You do not go anywhere away from the Presence as you imagine.

The Presence is everywhere.
The body moves from place to place; yet it does not leave the one Presence.

So no one can be out of sight
of the Supreme Presence.

Since you identify one body with Sri
Bhagavan and another body with yourself, you find two separate entities and speak of going away from here. Wherever you may be, you cannot leave ME.

~ Sri Bhagavan