Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Yoga or Modern Science ?

An SRF publication " A World In Transition : Finding Spiritual Security in Times of Change"

(This article was written by Tara Mata ( SRF nun) in the early 1930s, before invention of the electron microscope.)

" Material science is more theoretical than true religion.Science is able to investigate, for example, the external nature and behaviour of atom. But, the practice of meditation bestows omnipresence; a yogi can become one with the atom." -- Paramahansa Yogananda
Modern invention merely copy nature. The telescope is only equivalent to a pair of abnormally bright eyes and brings us merely an extension of vision. It can not give us a new sense but simply enlarges the sense of sight we already possess. Knowledge of the electromagnetic world of atomic structure has opened to us universes so infinitely small that the microscope itself can not perceive them and we must represent them with mathematical equations. But we understand that, given a microscope of sufficient power, the atoms, being forms, could be seen. We see light, though it travels 186,000 miles a second. We see the Andromeda galaxy, and the inconceivably distant universes of stars, with the naked eye.

Because we cannot go beyond sensory perception (for even thought and imagination are forms perceived with the inward eye or the inward sight), the ancient Hindus, and doubtless every other great race of the past Golden Ages, built up their systems of mental science, Yoga (control), through which the senses are refined, broadened, and sharpened so that all natural phenomena lay open to their true-seeing gaze.

Inner Sight Needs No Spectacles

The whole body of scientific inventions that represents the genius of man at our present stage in this new cycle of upward evolution was unnecessary - like spectacles on a man of good vision - to Golden Age rishis (literally, seers). Red begins the spectrum of colours, and red ends it, but the intensity of one is not the intensity of the other. Though it is true that extremes seem to meet, and that both the most backward peoples, and those belonging to the highest civilizations, do not have inventions and observatories and scientific laboratories, yet in the first case it is due to the ignorance of Kali Yuga (Dark Age), an in the latter case to the perfected insight of Golden Age men. So we need not conclude , because the ancients left no records of inventions such as we have today, that they were ignorant men. Inventions are for Dwapara and Treta Yuga (the Bronze and Silver Ages), the midpoints between savagery and true civilization.

Thinkers of our own age are not failing to point out that our inventions are likely to lead us to ruin unless and until we are morally developed enough to direct and use them rightly. Without a better understanding of his own nature, man is unprepared for the responsibility of a knowledge of nature and her dynamic forces. So the golden Age men developed and perfected a science of man - Yoga - not a science of nature, for that follows automatically.

Note: If you like this article and would like to buy this book of great wisdom, place your order at: http://srfbooks.com/

or email me at : kalagara.suresh.kumar@gmail.com

The topics in this book are:
1. The New Millennium: End or Beginning?
2. The New Harmony Between Science and Spirituality
3. The New Religion
4.The New World
5.The New Humanity

Monday, October 22, 2007

Divine Love : Highest Goal of Religion and of Life

From SRF's new publication: The Yoga of Jesus

Though one must love God in order to know Him, it is equally true that one must know God, in order to love Him.No one can love anything of which he is entirely ignorant; no one can love a person who is completely unknown to him. But those who meditate deeply do "know," because the find the proof of the existence of God as the ever new Joy felt in meditation, or the Cosmic Sound of AUM heard in deep silence, or the Cosmic Love experienced while concentrating devotion at heart , or the Cosmic Wisdom that dawn as inner enlightenment, or the Cosmic Light evoking visions of Infinity, or the Cosmic Life felt during meditation when the little life is joined the greater Life in everything.

Any devotee who even once sensed God as anyone of His tangible manifestations in meditation cannot help but love Him when thus touched by His thrilling qualities. Most people never really love God because they little know how lovable the Lord is when He visits the heart of meditating devotee. This actual contact of the transcendental presence of God is possible to determined devotees who persist in meditation and continuous soulful prayers.

Malaysian Friends' Visit 2 My Home (in India) in 2006























































Sunday, October 21, 2007

Wisdom from The Gita : Point Of No Return / The State Of Non-Return

From GOD TALKS WITH ARJUNA: THE BHAGAVAD GITA : Royal Science of God-Realization - By Paramahansa Yogananda

Chapter 5 : verse 17

To reach The State Of Non-Return, there are 3 stages:

1. Thinking on THAT (God) : Holding the attention on the object of meditation

2. Merged in THAT : Oneness with the object of meditation ( Savikalpa Samadhi)

3. Established in THAT : Permanently and continuously abiding in the state of divine oneness ( Nirvikalpa Samadhi)

After passing the above three stages, we reach to the point of no return and do not have to come back to take part in Delusion (rather don't have to come to this tragic life on earth). The " living happily ever after" will happen after we reach The State Of Non-Return.

What a simple formula and yet it takes incarnations to perfect it.

Wisdom Of The Bhagavad Gita : Freedom = Meditation on God + Desirless Activity

My Master's pearls of wisdom (from The Bhagavad Gita).

The Gita advises the most effective way to free oneself from the bad and good karma.

When a aspiring yogi ...

1. eats, he/she should enjoy eating only as a pleasurable suty for preserving the temple of God.
2. sleeps, he/she should think the body is being quited that he may subconciously enjoy the restful presence of God.
3. meditates, he/she should feel God manifesting as Joy.
4. thinks, he/she should feel that the Cosmic Wisdom is working through his/her discrimination.

By living in this consciousness the yogi dutifully acts out the plan assigned to him by God on the stage of life and no matter what he/she does, he/she is free.

Isn't it a simple formula? But, of course, quite challenging as well.

So, folks.... who ever is looking for freedom, freedom is not in money ( as the so called rich people say that financial freedom gives freedom).....get busy by following the wisdom of Gita.

My Trip To Simla, The Summer Capital Of India (in 2006)

Last year (2006), when I went back to India (from Malaysia), I visited Simla.

Simla, is a city in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is also the capital of the state and a municipality within the Simla district. In 1864, Simla was declared the summer capital of the east while British Ruling in India. A popular tourist destination, Simla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills" (a term coined by the British). Located in north-west Himalayas at an altitude of 2,130 metres (6,988 ft), the city of Simla, draped in forests of pine, rhododendron, and oak, experiences pleasant summers and cold, snowy winters. The city is famous for its buildings styled in tudorbethan and neo-gothic architecture reminiscent of the colonial era. Simla is connected to the city of Kalka by one of the longest narrow gauge railway routes in India. Simla is approximately 115 km (71.4 miles) from Chandigarh, the nearest major city, and 365 km (226.8 miles) from New Delhi, the national capital. The city is named after the goddess Shyamala Devi, an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess Kali.

Our spiritual organization ( SRF/YSS) has built a beautiful spiritual retreat centre. The retreat building is about 10km away from Simla town. It is built on the slope of the hill. I really wonder how could they possibly built such a beatiful architecture on the sloppy hill. Indeed great! The retreat has about 16 rooms. The rooms are built with pine wood. The frgarance of the pine wood so nice that I used to sleep like a pine wood log. :) The retreat is taken care by a young devotee. He is a good cook. We enjoyed our meals everyday while enjoying the nature and meditations in the quite place far far away from the daily chaos of life. We were there for about 5 days.

The pictures below give you some idea about the place. I wish to go there again. Perhaps in near future. :)



































Saturday, October 20, 2007

My Dream To Play " Lawn Tennis "

It has been my dream, since childhood, to play " Lawn Tennis ". During my childhood days, I used to watch my father enjoying watching tennis game on TV. I learnt from him, how the game is played.

My favourite world tennis stars among men are : Ivan Lendle, Boris Bekker, Andri Agassi, Nadal. And among women are: (strong) Steffi Graff, (cute)Martina Hingis, (Sexy)Sharapova, (pretty)Capriati and the (wonderful) Williams sisters.

I and my brother used to play tennis with fake tennis racquets and balls.

It was always my dream to buy a real tennis racquet and play on a real tennis court.

A couple of years ago, I played tennis (only once) with a real tennis racquet with my friend in KL. Since then, I wanted to buy my own tennis racquet, but, never bought it. It has been just a dream all the while.

Then, finally, I bought two tennis racquets last week (Oct 2007) and waiting for a partner to play with me. Vilves, my good friend, wants to play tennis (as part of her fitness programme) with me, but, she fell ill now. I am praying for her daily and wish that she recovers soon.

Vilves, waiting for you to play tennis, lah ! ......... :)