A Piece of My Heart

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said "Why, your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine." The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart. It was beating strongly, but it was full of scars. It had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.

The people stared -- how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought? The young man looked at the old man's heart and saw its state and laughed. "You must be joking," he said. "Compare your heart with mine. Mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears."

"Yes," said the old man, "yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love - I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared."

"Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges -- giving love, is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man's heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his.

Author Unknown

The Teacher

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires..."

This quotation was posted on my Facebook wall by one of my friends, Bimal. I liked it and i thought to keep it to remind it just in case i may forget.

I think we can learn from everyone no matter that one is called teacher or not. Some call themselves teachers, but what do they teach? Well, as the quotation says...One must be lucky yo get a great teacher.
Anyway, Universe is giving us exactly what we need to learn our lessons and burn our Karma. Be aware!

Empowerment

Path of internal empowerment

What does it mean to choose internal empowerment? It means that who you are is more
important than what you do, and what you understand is more important than what others think. It
means you practice personal wholeness, a process by which individual integrity is maintained regardless of the external situation.
What do you gain from the process of internal empowerment? You gain freedom of personal
action. Since all decisions are based on your personal value system, the possibility of interference is removed. You are not dependent on external criteria or results. It is not what you do, but who you are in the processing of doing or not doing that is important. You maintain a goal of trueness to self. Inner calmness sets in and you are able to focus and not lose momentum. There is an efficiency of thought and deed. Power is not split between two courses of action, but used in a consistent manner. Emotional overreactions are eliminated and therefore complications based on fear are kept to a minimum. You easily release counterproductive situations and personality traits. You control yourself internally and remain fearless. You influence others indirectly through the power of your calm presence and example.
Issues are handled rationally by all parties. De-escalation occurs. Power is conserved.


Techniques for gaining and maintaining internal power
For internal empowerment to occur, growth and inner transformation must be emphasized over
external results. Those who are sensitive to inner transitions understand the movement taking place regardless of external circumstances. You detach from what others think. You accept conditions as they are. This is the way of no resistance and there is minimal pain when it is followed. If two people fight over a rubber band, the one who lets go first doesn’t get hurt. To truly practice the path of internal empowerment you must know when to let go and then do it with great regularity. The way of no resistance is the course of action to chose when there is nothing you can do which will make a difference in the long run. Matters are out of your hands. Any attempts at controlling outcomes lead to frustration and lost
power. This is also the course of action to take when you are in a very weakened state and have no more to give. You must focus inward on recover.
It is natural to want to fix things. But sometimes we try to fix things that are not our responsibility.
It might be better not to take action and allow situations to develop on their own. This conserves energy and power.

Internal loss of power

For some, gaining power starts with preventing the loss of power. Certain character traits can
erode personal strength. Reactionary blind spots get you in trouble. Psychological buttons bring forth an immediate response of a less than intellectual nature. As you get out of control, fears arise, tempers flare and conflicts escalate. Weaknesses must be recognized and corrected before someone uses them to his or her own advantage against you.
You can also lose power by remaining in circumstances which are nonproductive and draining.
These situations have no maintaining power of their own and are only preserved through the force and power of your own will or someone else’s. I am speaking specifically of relationships and positions which are passe. Healthy circumstances will be sustained naturally and will not require extraordinary methods or effort.
Some people use psychological insights to control and block their own growth. They set up a
negative pattern of stagnation wherein information is not accepted, but twisted to fit previously conceived notions about life and self. Insights become weapons against growth and understanding.
Contradictory realizations are suppressed or misinterpreted by the ego. A fixed mind-set is imposed on all information. In a very negative situation such as this, the power associated with increased Plutonian awareness and its creative potential is never realized.
Misuse of the inner Plutonian process creates an inability to continue on the life path until issues are resolved and lessons are learned. Stagnation occurs when the individual is afraid to progress to the next level of comprehension and misinterprets all available information.

Path of external empowerment

What does it mean to choose external empowerment? It means to take action. If you have an idea
that can make the world a better place, you implement it. The emphasis in not on what you think or know internally, but the application of knowledge to an external situation with a specific purpose in mind.
Results are important and sometimes the ends justify the means. What you accomplish is more important than who you are. You establish a goal and go for it, holding to the highest good for all those involved.
Personal power is used to make things happen and if it is done correctly, empowerment occurs.
What do you gain from the process of external empowerment? You gain results, confidence and
position. The environment changes because you directly influence others and situations. You gain
freedom of action since you are the one in control. In the best of circumstances, many of the participating parties become stronger because of the empowerment process.

Techniques for gaining and maintaining external power

One way to gain external power while also conserving energy is to anticipate and circumvent
problems before they occur. Energy follows thought. There is a natural progression to every chain of events. Those who are perceptive can anticipate the next move and stay one step ahead of the game by using de-escalation techniques to defuse explosive situations. Respond to anger with calmness and intelligent insight. Create alternatives and negotiate compromises which are win-win situations. Provide avenues for the release of tension before things get out of hand.
To gain the most empowerment from this path, kinetic interactions must occur. This leads to
the creation of power for all those involved. Perhaps an example is the best way to clarify this process.
The Dalai Lama, who is an exile from his own country, preaches and practices nonviolence in all things.
Others have been drawn to his teachings and he has gained a following. He is a Nobel Peace Prize winner
and 1991 has been called “The Year of Tibet.” Many people are being empowered by his insights, but he is also gaining external empowerment from the kinetic interaction. Anytime anyone establishes a goal which is clearly good for all those involved, it catches fire and is embraced. Kinetic interactions create power for all those involved. To walk this path you must be as concerned with the welfare of others as you are with your own gratification. When others realize your good intentions, all fears abate and creative solutions arise. In daily living, seek out those situations of heightened power and kinetic interchange.

External loss of power
One reason for losing external power is a lack of concern for others. There is no respect for the highest good of anyone. You defend your territory only and do not care about the implications to others.
Others perceive a threat to their position and barriers go up. Fears magnify and defensive and offensive attacks begin. Power struggles ensue. No one is totally right and no one is totally wrong. Everyone is caught in a cycle of reactionary responses that only complicate issues. Always be aware of the interactive process and the role you play in any battle. Blaming others for your problems distorts perceptions of self.
The other reason you lose power is a lack of concern for self. You undermine your own position or surrender power to others. A world without struggle is an ideal, and not reality. At some point in your life it may be essential to take a stand. Certain injustices must be corrected for everyone to progress.
Sometimes the only viable option is to fight back. Always be aware of the struggle you take on. Go for the simplest task that gets the job done. It is usually easier to correct a situation than to convince your opponent he or she is wrong. It is easier to get forgiveness after the fact than permission before. Seek the quickest solution. Do not get locked into unnecessary long drawn out struggles. Do it up right and get the job done. Power struggles are expensive in terms of time and energy. Some are essential to growth, others are self-inflicted. Know the difference and don’t waste your time on unnecessary or nonproductive conflicts.
The most efficient use of power exists on the internal plane. It is much easier to use energy to
control your own reactions than to seek power externally. However, there are times when you must take action. In these instances, wield power wisely.

Excerpt from the book: MAKING CHOICES WITH THE OUTER PLANETS:URANUS NEPTUNE & PLUTO by Mary Fortier Shea

Book found and read while transiting Pluto over my Moon..

Mirroring

"When you realize that what you react to in others, is also in you (and sometimes only in you), you begin to become aware of your own ego."
Eckhart Tolle

Be a Sunflower!

A long time ago, a wise old man was visiting a garden.

He walked around, admiring every flower and enjoying their colors and shapes, till he came to a young sunflower that looked quite sad. He stopped and asked the sunflower:
“Why are you looking so sad, dear sunflower?”

“Because I am,” said the sunflower in a grumpy voice. “Just leave me alone.”

But the old wise man continued talking, “Please tell me why you are so sad. Everything seems to be all right with you. You are growing well and you have good health and plenty of space to grow in. Then why are you so sad, O sunflower? Please tell me.”

The sunflower replied to the old wise man:
“Look over there near the entrance to the garden. Do you see the beautiful rose growing there? See how deep and dark its red colour is—that’s what I want to be like. My colour is all pale and yellow. The rose smells so good and strong while my smell is weak. No one likes me.”
“But you are very special,” said the wise man. “Everyone loves you just as much as they love the rose. You are special because you have such a unique bright colour that makes everybody feel full of joy and life. It makes everyone active. Your fragrance is also unique. No other flower can be just like you, you know,” said the old man, speaking from his many years of wisdom.



“But people come specially looking for the rose. They think it symbolizes beauty and love. They want it so that they can impress their loved one by gifting it to them,” complained the sunflower.
“If only you look at yourself and all that you have, you will always be happy, dear sunflower.

This is the secret of happiness. Look at your own self and see all that you have. See your beautiful abilities. You move every day with the sun…as the sun travels around the earth, you follow its path. And when it goes to sleep, so do you. The whole world believes you symbolize knowledge and wisdom, and everyone who understands life deeply appreciates you more than many other flowers for all your unique and special abilities.”
But the sunflower wasn’t really listening to the old man.

“As I said earlier, I want to be like the rose and that is why I am sad and unhappy. I want what it has got. Can you help me or not?” asked the sunflower.
“And as I said earlier my dear beautiful sunflower, if only you look at yourself and all that you have, you will always be happy. This is the powerful secret of happiness. On the other hand, if you always look at what others have got, you will make yourself unhappy and sad all the time. You will never feel that you have enough or are good enough; you will never be able to understand your strengths and you will never be able to be the best you can be. ”

“So the first thing is to stop wanting to be like any other flower and just to be yourself,” continued the old man. “Accept the fact that you are a sunflower; for this cannot be changed, even if you wish it to be otherwise. Accept also the fact that you are special and unique and that no other flower will be just like you, ever.
Once you have accepted this, then I can show you how to be happy and also become the best that
you can be.”

“You can be the best sunflower the world has ever seen, but you will never become a rose.
The choice of happiness and success is available to you and so is the choice leading to unhappiness and misery. Which one do you pick? Remember that looking at yourself and your special talents will keep you happy, but looking at others and wanting to be like them, or have what they have, will make you unhappy,” concluded the old man.

The young sunflower had been contemplating the words of the wise old man. They seemed to make a lot of sense, and so the sunflower decided to give it a try to see if it really could be happy and grow to become the best sunflower the world has ever seen. The sunflower no longer wanted to be the rose.
“Okay I am ready to become the best sunflower I can be “declared the sunflower.
With this statement, the sunflower stretched up tall and turned its face to the sun. As it looked into the golden light of the sun, it shouted “I am special because I am a sunflower. There is no other flower like me. I am Unique”
The whole garden was bathed in a golden glow and all the flowers started to smile.
The sunflower looked truly magnificent! The old wise man smiled too.
“You really are the best sunflower I have seen “he said.



“Its all thanks to you “smiled the sunflower “now I am VERY happy just being me. I will be the best sunflower that I can be!
Know who you are and be the best ‘you’ that you can be.

Focus on your strengths, and do not focus on what other people do.

Do not try to be something that you are not.

Be authentic! Instead of spending your energy comparing yourself to other people, put the energy into growing your strengths.

Every morning when you wake up, say to yourself ‘I am special!’… And remember the Sunflower story.

Note: Special thanks to Tayira for this post on Guru.

To join Guru community please click  GURU

True friends

Having friends is a very common thing in ones life, but there are types and types of friends and friendships.
What makes one to consider another as being a friend or not?
Can we distinguish which is a true friend or not?
Which is the meaning of friendship?
Do we need friends or not?

Many of you might thought on above questions, anyway i was thinking to share a short paragraph from the Yogoda Lessons (1930) by Paramahansa Yogananda, which i hope will help.

What Is True Friendship?

Friendship is a manifestation of God’s love for you, expressed through your friends. Friendship is the purest of all love. In filial love, in the love of parents for their children, and in the love of lovers there is compulsion. But in true friendship there is no compulsion.

If you open the door to the magnetic power of friendship, souls of like vibrations will be attracted to you. The friendlier you become toward all, the more real friends you will have. Cultivate true friendliness, for only thus do you attract true friends.

The divine law of self-expansion

There are people who do not trust anyone, and utterly doubt the possibility of ever having true friends. Some, in fact, actually boast that they get along without friends.

If you fail to be friendly, you disregard the divine law of self-expansion, by which alone your soul can grow into oneness with Spirit. Friendship is God’s trumpet call, bidding us to destroy the partitions that separate us from all others, and from Him.

No one who fails to inspire live in other hearts can hope to expand his consciousness into cosmic consciousness. If you cannot conquer human hearts, you cannot conquer the Cosmic Heart.

Extend the boundaries of your friendship

True friendship is broad and inclusive. Family love is merely one of the first lessons in the Divine Teacher’s “Course in Friendliness,” intended to prepare your heart for an all-inclusive love. Extend the boundaries of your love to include your neighbors, your community, your country, and all countries.

Consider no one a stranger. Feel that the life-blood of God is circulating in the veins of all races. We are Americans or Hindus for just a few years, but we are God’s children forever. The soul cannot be confined within man-made boundaries.

Be also a cosmic friend, imbued with kindness and affection for all of God’s creation—flowers, birds, animals and all sentient creatures. Such was the example set by Jesus Christ, Swami Shankara, and my Masters.

Friendship should not be influenced by people’s relative positions. Friendship may exist between lovers, employer and employee, teacher and pupil, parents and children, etc.

Mutual service: keynote of friendship

Love is real only when it is useful. To win the love of friends, you must be useful to them; the greater the mutual service, the deeper the friendship.

True friendship consists in offering good cheer in times of distress, sympathy in sorrow, advice in trouble, and material help in times of real need. Friendship gladly forgoes self-interest for the sake of a friend’s happiness, without consciousness of loss or sacrifice.

Why does Jesus have such a wide following? Because he, like the other great masters, was unequaled in his service to humanity.

An enemy disguised as a friend

True friendship cannot witness with indifference the false, harmful pleasures of a friend. Do not agree with your friend when he is wrong. If you encourage a friend in his vices, you are an enemy disguised as a friend.

This does not mean that you must quarrel. Send suggestions mentally, or if your advice is asked, give it gently and lovingly. Help your friend also by being a mental, esthetic, and spiritual inspiration. Never be sarcastic to a friend and never flatter him, unless to encourage him.

Finding friends of past incarnations
There are people you meet who give you the immediate feeling that you have known them always. This indicates that they are friends of previous incarnations.

Do not neglect them, but work to strengthen the friendship between you. Be on the lookout for them always, as your restless mind may fail to recognize them. Often they are very near you, drawn by the friendship born in the dim, distant past.

Do not be deceived by physical beauty

Overeating and lack of exercise will often distort a friend’s features, and he may thus escape your recognition. A fat, distorted body may harbor a real friend. Sometimes a beautiful woman will fall in love with an ugly man, or a handsome man, with a physically unattractive woman, due to the loving friendship of a past incarnation.

Therefore, do not be deceived by physical beauty. It is more important to ascertain whether you and the other person are mentally and spiritually congenial, whether your tastes and inclinations essentially agree. Delve deeply into the other person’s mind and guard against being prejudiced by little peculiarities.

Bright soul galaxies

Seek your friends of past incarnations so that you may continue your friendship in this life and perfect it into divine friendship. One lifetime is not always sufficient to achieve such perfection.

Friends of past incarnations constitute your shining collection of soul jewels. Add to it constantly. In these bright soul galaxies you will behold the one Great Friend radiantly smiling at you.

The antidote to all hatred

There are people you see each day for whom you feel no sympathy. Learn to adapt to them, and to love them. Always practice loving those who do not love you, feeling for those who do not feel for you, and being generous to those who are generous only to themselves.

To be a true friend to all, you must learn to see that God is just as much in your enemy as in your closest friend. Constant contact with the Infinite in meditation will fill you with divine love, which alone enables you to love your enemies.

The heart’s love is the antidote all hatred. If someone is broadcasting hatred to you and you are tuned to that hatred, you will receive it, but if you are tuned to love, the hateful vibrations will not touch you.

You need not fawn on your enemy, but silently be of service to him whenever he is in need. If humility and apologies on your part bring out your enemy’s good qualities, by all means apologize.

The person who can do this will have attained a certain spiritual development, for it takes character to be able to apologize graciously and sincerely. Do not, however, encourage a wrong doer by being humble and apologetic.

To be a true friend to all, you must learn to see that God is just as much in your enemy as in your closest friend. Constant contact with the Infinite in meditation will fill you with divine love, which alone enables you to love your enemies.

The canopy of perfected friendship

True friendship lies in seeking soul progress together, culminating in perfect divine friendship. Perfect friendship between two individuals, or among the members of a spiritual group, becomes an open door of unity through which other souls can enter and evolve toward perfection.

When the canopy of your perfected friendship includes all souls and all creation—the busy stars, the whippoorwill, the nightingale, the amoeba, the dumb stones, the shining sea sands—you will lift the veils that hide God from your sight.

The Divine Friend will then rejoice to welcome you home after the wanderings of countless incarnations, and you and He and will merge in the bliss of eternal friendship.

What is wrong and what is right...

Good, bad, right, wrong are common words and expressions used in daily life.
Most of us are trying to do good and right things, helpful actions, but good and right for whom? For ourselves, obviously.

When we consider some incidents as good or bad, that is a kind of value judgment. Such value judgments may not always be valid. Why? Because of different values and judgment.

But which is the general signification of wrong, bad, evil...? Let's make some researches and find...
"A wrong or being wrong is a concept in law, ethics, and science. In a colloquial sense, wrongness usually refers to a state of incorrectness, inaccuracy, error or miscalculation in any number of contexts. More specifically, being "wrong" refers to a situation where in an individual has made an error or misjudgment."(Reference)

But misjudgment might be both ways, right?Nobody is perfect and it is humanly to do mistakes...




So goodness or badness is only a matter of our understanding of the general scheme of life.

Some things we do and consider to be good, for us (and not only for us if we care, but also for our friends), might be appreciated as bad or wrong by others. How is this possible?

A deep contemplation over the events and experiences of life necessarily follows the experiences of deprivation or abundance.

Sometimes we are trying to help people around us without being asked for help, but the result might not be all the times kind and as we expected. Even we are are not asking for anything in return for helping, we are judged as being wrong...still we try to help...

Some of us might be aware on things others are not aware and here comes our feeling of offering unasked help.

Most of the times we don't see our shadows, our inner weakness, because of Ego or blindness, but mirroring in others we can find out our inner selves.


Spiritual Connections & Graphics
Divine Love Pictures
World of Art Images

What we should learn from this advice above given by Rumi?
I think first we have to not judge and if we need to conclude, we should to think detached ...


"WRONG"-Depeche Mode



"I'm not guilty" - George Harrison



Still trying to find out more on what is wrong and what is right...

Any help, or comment would be appreciated ...

Thank you!

Read also:
Are you prepared to Love Divinely?
Wisdom of Love
Love Sayings in words and Images

Awareness on Light!

"It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."

"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle."



Which can be the meaning of these quotations?
Briefly, i can say when we are aware on our inner Light, our Divine nature, then we are meant to share this Light , to help others to become aware about their inner Light. Or in simpler words, to contribute to the awareness of others.
Nothing is wrong in trying to help others. Some might not be aware they need help or can be helped and even rejecting help. If this is your case, let the time show your good intention.
Sometimes we want to help but we have not been requested for help. Then we might be denied in our good intention. It is painful to find you want to help but your help is denied. But do not worry, and don't be upset, there are many other places you can help, unconditionally...

Give power to Light and believe in Light, and then darkness will have no more power.




Advice to follow: Be Light and share Light!

Logic and Intuition

The eternal quest: Which is better to follow, Logic or Intuition? How do we know?
There are some tools we can use, so called Divination tools. Astrology and Tarot are only few of these.
Can anyone become an astrologer or tarot card reader? Yes, as long as there is a training of intuition, a close relationship to Divinity.
We are sent different messages and alerts from time to time, but are we able to understand their right meanings?Yes, we can. There has to be a balance between logic and intuition and we can't be wrong being balanced.




There is no logical way to the discovery of these elemental laws. There is only the way of intuition, which is helped by a feeling for the order lying behind the appearance. (Albert Einstein)


Can we improve our intuition? Yes, we can.
Some guidelines are given in the document below. Scroll down to read.

The Law of The Seed

The Law of the Seeds can be included in Laws of Karma. Whatever we get in one life time is the result of our previous lifetimes actions and thoughts.

When we have been born we have been given some qualities which can be considered as seeds for coming actions of our lives.

The seeds need to be grounded in a fertile place, give them warmth, water, light, and love.
With patience, in time we will see the seeds becoming beautiful plants, blossoming, and offering to us their good smelling and tasty fruits.

The same way we need to explore and use rightly our qualities. To be aware about our qualities we need to see within us, listen our inner voice and following the callings of our souls which are the Divine side of us.
Self inquiry and meditation can help us to see and use in the best way our qualities. After we got aware on what we posses the best thing is to improve.
Example given on what to do with the seeds to get fruitful apple trees, is a great metaphoric example we can use, learn and grow.

Enjoy!

Law of the Seed

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Mudra Yoga in Your Hands

Mudras are symbolic gestures that, as asanas, create resonances with certain subtle energies of the macrocosm.

Mudras are practiced mostly with the hands but also with certain parts of the body.

"Mudra is a term with many meanings. It is used to signify a
gesture, a mystic position of the hands, a seal, or even a
symbol. However, there are eye positions, body postures,
and breathing techniques that are called mudras. These symbolic finger,
eye, and body postures can vividly depict certain states or processes of consciousness.
Conversely, specific positions can also lead to the states of consciousness
that they symbolize. What does this mean in concrete terms?
For example, a person who frequently and fervently does the gesture of
fearlessness, which can often be seen in the depiction of Indian deities, will
also be freed from fearfulness with time. So mudras engage certain areas
of the brain and/or soul and exercise a corresponding influence on them.
However, mudras are also effective on the physical level. I discuss this in
the section called "Mudras and Other Hand Therapies."
We can effectively engage and influence our body and our mind by
bending, crossing, extending, or touching the fingers with other fingers.
Isn't this wonderful?"

(excerpt from the book Mudra Yoga in your hands by Gertrude Hirschi)

More about this book and download HERE

Tantra Sacred Loving Step by Step

An useful book for Tantra beginners. Scroll down to read more and enjoy!

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Poetry Humanities Books Non-fiction tantra Sacred Sex

What is Dharma ?

Dharma is the path of righteousness and living one's life according to the codes of conduct as described by the Hindu scriptures.

Moral Law of the World
Hinduism describes dharma as the natural universal laws whose observance enables humans to be contented and happy, and to save himself from degradation and suffering. Dharma is the moral law combined with spiritual discipline that guides one's life. Hindus consider dharma the very foundation of life. It means "that which holds" the people of this world and the whole creation. Dharma is the "law of being" without which things cannot exist.

According to the Scriptures
Dharma refers to the religious ethics as propounded by Hindu gurus in ancient Indian scriptures. Tulsidas, author of Ramcharitmanas, has defined the root of dharma as compassion. This principle was taken up by Lord Buddha in his immortal book of great wisdom, Dhammapada. The Atharva Veda describes dharma symbolically: Prithivim dharmana dhritam, that is, "this world is upheld by dharma". In the epic poem Mahabharata, the Pandavas represent dharma in life and the Kauravas represent adharma.

Good Dharma = Good Karma
Hinduism accepts the concept of reincarnation, and what determines the state of an individual in the next existence is karma which refers to the actions undertaken by the body and the mind. In order to achieve good karma it is important to live life according to dharma, what is right. This involves doing what is right for the individual, the family, the class or caste and also for the universe itself. Dharma is like a cosmic norm and if one goes against the norm it can result in bad karma. So, dharma affects the future according to the karma accumulated. Therefore one's dharmic path in the next life is the one necessary to bring to fruition all the results of past karma.

What Makes You Dharmic?
Anything that helps human being to reach god is dharma and anything that hinders human being from reaching god is adharma. According to the Bhagavat Purana, righteous living or life on a dharmic path has four aspects: austerity (tap), purity (shauch), compassion (daya) and truthfulness (satya); and adharmic or unrighteous life has three vices: pride (ahankar), contact (sangh), and intoxication (madya). The essence of dharma lies in possessing a certain ability, power and spiritual strength. The strength of being dharmic also lies in the unique combination of spiritual brilliance and physical prowess.

The 10 Rules of Dharma
Manusmriti written by the ancient sage Manu, prescribes 10 essential rules for the observance of dharma: Patience (dhriti), forgiveness (kshama), piety or self control (dama), honesty (asteya), sanctity (shauch), control of senses (indraiya-nigrah), reason (dhi), knowledge or learning (vidya), truthfulness (satya) and absence of anger (krodha). Manu further writes, "Non-violence, truth, non-coveting, purity of body and mind, control of senses are the essence of dharma". Therefore dharmic laws govern not only the individual but all in society.

The Purpose of Dharma
The purpose of dharma is not only to attain a union of the soul with the supreme reality, it also suggests a code of conduct that is intended to secure both worldly joys and supreme happiness. Rishi Kanda has defined dharma in Vaisesika as "that confers worldly joys and leads to supreme happiness". Hinduism is the religion that suggests methods for the attainment of the highest ideal and eternal bliss here and now on earth and not somewhere in heaven. For example, it endorses the idea that it is one's dharma to marry, raise a family and provide for that family in whatever way is necessary. The practice of dharma gives an experience of peace, joy, strength and tranquillity within one's self and makes life disciplined.

(From Hindu Tenets and Concepts)

Weekend Lecture

Desire

An emperor was coming out of his palace for his morning walk when he
met a beggar. He asked the beggar, "What do you want?"

The beggar laughed and said, "You are asking me as though you can
fulfill my desire!"

The king was offended. He said, "Of course I can fulfill your desire.
What is it? Just tell me."

And the beggar said, "Think twice before you promise anything."

The beggar was no ordinary beggar, he was the emperor's past life
master. He had promised in that life, "I will come and try to wake
you in your next life. This life you have missed but I will come
again." But the king had forgotten completely -- who remembers past
lives? So he insisted, "I will fulfill anything you ask. I am a very
powerful emperor, what can you possibly desire that I can not give to
you?"

The beggar said, "It is a very simple desire. You see this begging
bowl? Can you fill it with something?"

The emperor said, "Of course!" He called one of his viziers and told
him, "Fill this mans begging bowl with money." The vizier went and
got some money and poured it into the bowl, and it disappeared. And
he poured more and more, and the moment he would pour it, it would
disappear. And the begging bowl remained always empty.

The whole palace gathered. By and by the rumor went throughout the
whole capital, and a huge crowd gathered. The prestige of the emperor
was at stake. He said to his viziers, "If the whole kingdom is lost,
I am ready to lose it, but I cannot be defeated by this beggar."

Diamonds and pearls and emeralds, his treasuries were becoming empty.
The begging bowl seemed to be bottomless. Everything that was put
into it -- everything! -- immediately disappeared, went out of
existence. Finally it was the evening, and the people were standing
there in utter silence. The king dropped at the feet of the beggar
and admitted his defeat. he said, "Just tell me one thing. You are
victorious - but before you leave, just fulfill my curiosity. What is
the begging bowl made of?" The beggar laughed and said, "It is made
up of the human mind. There is no secret. It is simple made up of human desire.

This understanding transforms life. Go into one desire -- what is the
mechanism of it? First there is a great excitement, great thrill,
adventure. You feel a great kick. Something is going to happen, you
are on the verge of it. And then you have the car, you have the
yacht, you have the house, you have the woman, and suddenly all is
meaningless again.

What happens? Your mind has dematerialized it. The car is standing in
the drive, but there is no excitement anymore. The excitement was
only in getting it. You became so drunk with the desire that you
forgot your inner nothingness. Now the desire is fulfilled, the car
in the drive, the woman in your bed, the money in your bank account -
again excitement disappears. Again the emptiness is there, ready to
eat you up. Again you have to create another desire to escape this
yawning abyss.

That's how one moves from one desire to another desire. That's how
one remains a beggar. Your whole life proves it again and again --
every desire frustrates. And when the goal is achieved, you will need
another desire.

The day you understand that desire as such is going to fail comes the
turning point in your life.

The other journey is inwards. move inwards, come back home.

Meditate on this story and and use properly the power of your mind!

Namaste.

Awareness of Simplicity

God has always created and creates things simply, but are we aware of this? The light of our eyes might be one of the most valuable treasures we have as human beings.

Did you ever think about the relationship between your two eyes? They move together, see things together, cry together, sleep together, and go blind together...even though they never see each other... but they are connected in a deep silent way, in oneness...(as twin flames maybe)

Why are we not aware of these simple things God created for us, within us, to simplify our understanding? Perhaps it is because of impure minds, thoughts we create, fear, pain, anger, desires and the need to control and domineering.

How can we be aware of the simple things around us? Freeing our selves from material attachments, frustrations and pains, in order to open our eyes more and observe things around us. Seeing the beauty God created for us, His children, so that we may enjoy our journey on earth. All this beauty is part of the Divine creation and it is our duty to keep it pure and uncomplicated.

Simplicity means freedom from hardship, effort or confusion and reflects beauty, purity and clarity of sight.

Your eyes can not see each other, but they can see their reflection in another person's eyes, in the water of a lake, when looking at the mirror ... and at that time when your eyes can see each other, let them take a look within, so that you can see your inner beauty admiring, appreciating, respecting and being graceful to God for His Divine Creation.


Quotes on simplicity:


"Simplicity means the achievement of maximum effect with minimum means." — Koichi Kawana, architect of botanical gardens
"Things should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." — Albert Einstein (1879–1955) "Simple things should be simple. Complex things should be possible." — Alan Kay
"You can always recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity." — Richard Feynman (1918–1988)
"Our lives are frittered away by detail; simplify, simplify." — Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." — Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
"If you can't describe it simply, you can't use it simply." — Anon
"Simplicity of character is the natural result of profound thought." — William Hazlitt
"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." — Antoine de Saint-Exupery