April 2022 - Practicing What You Preach
Practicing What You Preach; Free Weekly Meditation Class; Support the Podcast; Association for Spiritual Integrity Member; Quotes; Spiritual Text; podcast episodes of March 2022; Guided Meditation
Practicing What You Preach
It is very easy to sometimes be inspired by something and get carried away by it. We hear some thoughts about kindness, about love, about positivity and we read scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita, Tao Te Ching, a few Rumi poems sprinkled in and suddenly they want to share with the whole world that they have discovered the secrets to a happy life forever.
However, this is not really the case. We may on the surface level appreciate the thoughts, we may be inspired and practice what we can, but the real transformation takes a lot of practice. It requires us to go within our own minds and see where we falter, where we go wrong and where we perform those actions that cause more harm.
In the 2nd Chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna guides to utilize our discernment, our viveka and here are some verses to contemplate upon:
Ch.2 v.15: The person who is not disturbed by the fluctuations of sukha and dukha is eligible to reclaim their own indestructible and immortal nature.
Ch.2 v.16: That which is asat will not endure, while that which is sat can never cease to exist. Both these states of being are known by the seers as that which is tattva ‘always true’.
Ch.2 v.17: Just try to see this tattva which is both indestructible and immortal. No one can accomplish the destruction of that unalterable reality.
It is clear that we have to analyze our thoughts, our feelings, our intentions, and we have to see where our blind spots are. We need to look at what makes us tick, what causes us to shudder in anger. What takes us for a ride when it comes to our desires and wants. These verses in the Bhagavad Gita aren’t merely to be read or heard but they must penetrate deeply within our mind so that we can get to the right understanding of who we are.
Once we receive this knowledge that we are That, which will never cease to be, that will always be here because it has no birth and death. This Being has no identity of any kind therefore, it will never go wild when praised and will never be angry when criticized.
There is only one way to practice this and that is to keep on remembering what we really are and who we really are. Once, we are able to transcend the remembering to Being then enlightenment is what is achieved, liberation whilst being alive is attained. Until then, keep on working on those areas that need the greatest improvement, good or bad, and put them under the microscope of self-inquiry. Look at what triggers our anger and see the cause and what it leads to.
Our practice should become so established within our mind that whenever a situation arises where we may be swept by the wave, we are able to center ourselves and then choose on the best response that will cause less suffering. The best way to ensure that we embody this practice is through meditation.
With a solid meditation practice, we are able to witness the thoughts of our mind. We can see where they travel to, what dark recesses of the mind do they reach. Or even positive thoughts, we don’t get carried away with the enjoyment of just reading and listening, we actually discern the message and see how how we can apply it to our lives and create karma that causes less harm to others and ourselves. Every spiritual teaching can be practiced as long as they make sense to you rationally and logically. Otherwise, we may practice something with blind faith but at the time, when our discernment needs to be used, we will falter and fall prey to reactions which cause more harm to ourselves and others.
Free Weekly Meditation Class
I hold a free weekly meditation class on Zoom every Saturday. The timings are shown below:
You can join The Bearded Mystic Meditation Class Whatsapp Group and get notified when they start or any other updates: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DcdnuDMeRnW53E0seVp28b
The link to the session is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84191992260?pwd=d1RkWlZDUld4U1dLcG0wNUpZcVhXQT09
Support The Podcast
As you know, running the podcast has some costs like hosting, software etc. and if you have enjoyed or benefited from the podcast, from this newsletter or my social media presence, then I would like to ask if you can support me on Patreon. With Patreon, you can pick a tier that you would like to support each month and you will get extra bonus content as a result. I would greatly appreciate your support. If you would like to know more, click here: https://www.patreon.com/thebeardedmysticpodcast
What I do vow as a content creator is that there will be transparency. At the end of every year, whatever I make from the Podcast, through Patreon, affiliate, or donations will be posted on my Patreon Page. Along with the costs, so you can see how much I earn from this. You can hold me accountable to this!
Association for Spiritual Integrity (ASI) Member
As you know, the spiritual marketplace is very busy and has a lot of people competing for your attention. When it comes to spirituality, it is very important to have a framework of ethics, of values and this is why I applied to be a member of the ASI. Although I am not a teacher or guru of any kind, I do offer spiritual advice as a friend to you all via the podcast, meditation classes, livestreams etc.
This implies that I have to follow an honor code, which I have to follow. This can be read here: https://www.spiritual-integrity.org/ethics/
The Bearded Mystic Poetry
My days spent with the One of Attributes, With This One, I would pray all night and day, With This One, I would focus on during meditation, With This One, I would bring to the forefront of my mind, During times whenever I felt pain was close at hand. The Mystics holds within their smiles, Deep pain and suffering that transcended, When they took the shelter the One of Attributes, At once, they were safe and sound. Then a day passed by during deep contemplation, Focusing upon those Attributes of the One, My awareness stuck to the One alone, And in all It's glory and beauty, It removed one attribute after another, Until there was no attribute left, Except the One Itself and the One alone, There was no longer a 'Me' that was experiencing this, and there was no longer a 'That', which I would experience.
Tell me what were you reading last month
So when the Vedantist has realised his own nature, the whole world has vanished for him. It will come back again, but no more the same world of misery. The prison of misery has become changed into Sat, Chit, Ânanda — Existence Absolute, Knowledge Absolute, Bliss Absolute — and the attainment of this is the goal of the Advaita Philosophy.
Swami Vivekananda. Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda . Kindle Edition.
According to the Advaita philosophy, then, this differentiation of matter, these phenomena, are, as it were, for a time, hiding the real nature of man; but the latter really has not been changed at all. In the lowest worm, as well as in the highest human being, the same divine nature is present. The worm form is the lower form in which the divinity has been more overshadowed by Maya; that is the highest form in which it has been least overshadowed. Behind everything the same divinity is existing, and out of this comes the basis of morality. Do not injure another. Love everyone as your own self, because the whole universe is one. In injuring another, I am injuring myself; in loving another, I am loving myself. From this also springs that principle of Advaita morality which has been summed up in one word — self-abnegation.
Swami Vivekananda. Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda . Kindle Edition.
Spiritual Text - Verse of the Month with commentary
6. Direct knowledge of that total identity between the individual Self and the universal Self, stemming forth from the Vaidika statements such as ‘You Are That’ and so on, is the immediate means to Liberation.
Vakya Vritti
This verse if it is contemplated upon and we soak in each and every word, we can go straight to the Formless Consciousness known as Nirguna Brahman.
The Direct Knowledge is known as Brahma Jnana in the Upanishads and this is when Brahman is directly seen for what It is. Most people need a slow path, they need their hand held, they need to be guided, they need preliminary practice and guidance. While some are ready to go directly to the Source, for them they can be shown this Formless Awareness directly. They simply are told a method to become aware of their awareness. Watch that awareness. Suddenly, they find that this watcher, this ground of Being is what they always were. This is formless, imageless, shapeless etc. They understand that their individual self is finite but this Universal Self is infinite This finite self is contained and is a content of this Universal Self.
Another way to reach this is by understanding, contemplating on ‘You Are That’ or better known as ‘Tat Tvam Asi’. When you can directly perceive what That is and you understand deeply, with complete conviction there is only this Formless Consciousness and you are That, every single thing is That, you are directly experiencing this Direct Knowledge.
Once you understand this then there is liberation, not that there is someone to be liberated but to understand that this Brahman is ever free.
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Guided Meditations
Thank you for reading!
Take care and do share this with others!
Aum Shantih Shantih Shantih. Aum Peace Peace Peace
Lots of love
Rahul