An excerpt from the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda

Read, think and meditate on the following excerpt from the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda. Try to go beyond the words and realize what he means. The more you can calm down the flow of incessant thoughts in your mind, the more you will be able to realize what Paramahansa Yogananda means in these words.

“Your being has two sides — one visible, the other invisible. With open eyes you behold objective creation, and yourself in it. With closed eyes you see nothing, a dark void; yet your consciousness, even when dissociated from form, is still keenly aware and operative. If in deep meditation you penetrate the darkness behind closed eyes, you behold the Light from which all creation emerges. By deeper samadhi, your experience transcends even the manifested Light and enters the All-Blissful Consciousness — beyond all form, yet infinitely more real, tangible, and joyous than any sensory or supersensory perception.”

Here is a quotation about the effect of being inspired, attributed to the Indian sage and philosopher Patanjali:

“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive and you discover yourself to be a greater person than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”

Here are some wise words and advice from the Indian sage Nisargadatta Maharaj about love, fear, alienation and self-realization:

“When you know beyond all doubting that the same life flows through all that is and you are that life, you will love all naturally and spontaneously. When you realize the depth and fullness of your love of yourself, you know that every living being and the entire universe are included in your affection. But when you look at anything as separate from you, you cannot love it for you are afraid of it. Alienation causes fear and fear deepens alienation. It is a vicious circle. Only self-realization can break it.”

(An excerpt from “I am that”, talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj.)

Read this paragraph again and again, and you will realize the deep truth within these words. 

I have always liked the sayings of Confucius. There is so much ageless wisdom and insight in them, and also practical tips you can apply to your own life.

Confucius (K’ung Fu-tzu) lived from 551 BC to 479 BC, during a time when imperial rule was breaking down in China. He was a Chinese social philosopher, whose teachings deeply influenced East Asian life and thought.

Confucius had a simple moral and political teaching: to love others, honor one’s parents, do what is right, rule by moral example instead of by force and violence and other similar teachings.

Confucius did not put into writing the principles of his philosophy. These were handed down through his disciples.

Here are a few of Confucius quotes:

~ Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

~ Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.

~ Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.

~ When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.

~ Those who are firm, enduring, simple and unpretentious are the nearest to virtue.

~ Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.

~ Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.

I have collected some of Confucius quotes. You can find them at:
Confucius Quotes Part One
Confucius Quotes Part two
 

Many wonder about the nature of the mind. Here is an excerpt from ‘Who Am I’, a little book with questions put to Sri Ramana Maharshi and his answers:

“What is the nature of the mind?”

“What is called the ‘mind’ is a wondrous power residing in the Self. It causes all thoughts to arise. Apart from thoughts, there is no such thing as mind. Therefore, thought is the nature of mind. Apart from thoughts, there is no independent entity called the world. In deep sleep there are thoughts, and there is no world. In the states of waking and dream, there are thoughts, and there is world also.

Just as the spider emits the thread (of the web) out of itself and again withdraws it into itself, likewise the mind projects the world out of itself and again resolves it into itself.”

Watch a video with Ram Dass and others, talking about the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi.