Raja Yoga and the subject of Depression, Suicide and Mental illnesses from the perspective of Vedanta...

This last week..the world was shocked at the suicide of Actor Robin Williams who was well known and well loved over the world.His death brought back the debate and awareness of many symptoms of mental illnesses such as depression, suicidal tendencies and Hopelessness....         

Swami Vivekananda.

 At the Vedanta Society of Toronto in Canada..a group of students gathered to study  Raja Yoga the ancient scriptures from India:  Using the example of Robin Williams as a background our spiritual teacher The Renowned Monk Revered Swami Kripamayananda Maharaj the Head of the Vedanta Society of Toronto Canada had a serious discussion with us the students about the questions of depression, mental health and suicide and related topics in relation to our scriptures. We the students asked him our questions and  He gave us the view of the mental health in relation to spirituality from the Vedas.Here is Patanajali's Yoga aphorisms from Raja Yoga chapter 4 and the explanation by Swami Vivekananda. which we have been studying over the last few years. We also refer to the book Meditation and Contemplation on Raja Yoga by Swami Sarvagathananda maharaj the late head of the Vedanta society of Boston USA.
Raja Yoga: Chapter 4 Aphorism 7

कर्माशुक्लाकृष्णं योगिनस्त्रिविधमितरेषाम् ॥७॥Patanjali in Sanskrit.

7. Swami Vivekananda : Works are neither black nor white for the Yogis; for others they are threefold — black, white, and mixed.

When the Yogi has attained perfection, his actions, and the Karma produced by those actions, do not bind him, because he did not desire them. He just works on; he works to do good, and he does good, but does not care for the result, and it will not come to him. But, for ordinary men, who have not attained to the highest state, works are of three kinds, black (evil actions), white (good actions), and mixed.

ततस्तद्विपाकानुगुणानामेवाभिव्यक्तिर्वासनानाम् ॥८॥  

Seek God in Sadness and Lonliness

Our Discussion : Our spiritual teacher Swami Kripamayananda Maharaj explained that while no one can work without motive, in the saints and higher souls it is a very great God induced motive to do good to the world..such as that in the life of the spiritual Masters such as Sri Ramakrishna , Swami Vivekananda, The Christ and other saviors had..Most people are bound by their action..which is either good or bad or mixed.On the question of Mental health : Reverend Swami Kripamayananda Maharaj explained it from the point of view of the Theory of Karma and our  natural character/qualities. Vedanta/ Hinduism/Sanathan Dharma teaches us that every being ( Including animals) are made of three qualities, Satva ( Pure and full of light), Rajjass ( Energetic and full of desire) and Tamas ( Inert, lazy, darkness, dullness.) We are all made of a mixture of these three ' Guna's 'but one dominates the personality of a person most of the time and determines his nature. However a person's nature changes with his actions and what he seeks and he can go into a higher frame of mind or fall into a darker lower one.

Light..and brightness qualities of Sattwa.

People who have more of sattva are " Light filled'' , full of goodness, goodwill, mild natured, gentle, happy, moderate , compatible, balanced, wise  and temperate in all they do and how they live their lives. They are not driven by greed or power but prefer the gentle way of life and whatever comes to them naturally. They are extremely upright, honest, selfless and God centered. The more spiritual a person is the more of this purity and sattva is manifested. .Many people who choose a spiritual call in life such as Sadhus and Sanyassinis ( Monks and spiritual seekers) are said to be of a very Sattvik ,pure nature.When a greater percent of Sattwa is mixed with some Rajjas then great activity for the good of mankind takes place such as establishing of Religion, morality and justice..the great works carried our by prophets and establishers of
 ' Righteousness' comes from a mixture of mostly Satwa and some Rajjass.

Action and Energy are Rajjas.

People who are of Rajass are filled with energy and activity..they are workaholics and action driven..they are also filled with passions and strong likes and dislikes..the effect of their work can be good or bad depends on how they use it..anger, passion, love of wealth, learning,lust , power driven and administrative abilities etc. It is  the characteristics of most people who live in the world and strive for success.When  Rajjass dominates and has some little Satva mixed then great activity such as building of education institutions, nations, wealth,industry and Scientific break through- take place. When Rajjas combines with Tamas then war , destruction, evil energy and the power of the darker forces rule.Just as individuals have character so do Nations and people of the Nations. 

The third is Tamas: Darkness, dullness, Laziness, sorrow, depression, decay, addictions,loneliness and all that is beastly , including violence,destruction,extreme  hatred and evil.The people who harass and abuse others and enslave others and  indulge in sense pleasures without control are people of extreme Tamas.
Our Nature and what we are is determined by our Karma ( Actions in word, thought and deed)..Vedanta also believes that Karma is carried from life to life ..so what we are today is the result of our previous works and actions in former lives. This is called Samskara ( the impressions and habits from previous births)  We are all carrying baggage..some of it is 'Light '(good) and some of it is heavy with darkness..to shed that `baggage'..and become free ..spiritually free..is the aim of human life.

Darkness. Disappears in Light and Hope...

What we know as depression and mental instability is a dominance of Tamas: Darkness :To fight it one must use " Light" which is spiritual light...seek true spiritual company, spiritual discipline such as meditation, spiritual music, learning the scriptures,selfless action in giving back to society..peaceful positive thoughts and staying away from isolation , loneliness and selfishness and negativity..A mixture of Rajas and greater Tamas leads to addictions, seeking false `uppers' such as alcohol and drugs , sense pleasures ,perversions and all the vices. 
False beliefs that harm the seeker as well as others. Truly evolved spiritual souls have the ability to `help lift' the fallen ( seen in the life Ramakrishna and of Christ and all the Spiritual Masters) . That is why the advise.." seek holy company" Sri Ramakrishna used to say.."One candle can light up a room that has been dark for centuries.".so if your " Light is Right" your darkness should  flee away instantaneously..light Destroys darkness !
 Fundamentalist beliefs that seek to harm and destroy people of other faiths than ones own is a manifestation of Tamas the dark side of human nature.That is why Vedanta stands of the principle that All True religions that teach peace, harmony, love and unselfishness come from that one true light of God. When religion is twisted to harm others and seek power for oneself..then it is not from Godliness...it is Tamasic. Especially today the Hate of the fundamentalists is destroying the world and in every great religion there is a sect that hates people of other faiths because theses people do not believe in what they 
( The fundamentalists want them to believe). This creates a great " Question " in the mind of most people of what exactly is spirituality and what is the root of "fundamentalism" in the name of religion.? why do some people walk out of  a Church or a Temple or a mosque and begin to hate and deride people of other faiths?...was that the message of their prophets and Gods?..Did Christ or Allah or Rama say go out and hate the non believers? 
Most people walk the middle path..they are not 'too religious' nor are they complete atheists..yet the ' shenanigans' of the fundamentalists and border line fundamentalists keep them away from seeking the spiritual path.

The shrine in the Vedanta Society of Toronto pays honour to all faiths.

  " Pure Faith" in your own spiritual ideal and respect for others and serious spiritual discipline such as prayer, meditation, Japam ( repetition of God's name with faith) self awareness in everything we do and non violence in thought, word and speech is pure action which takes us God word..and towards the "Light". Our Teacher reminded us that for those who truly believe in and depend on God ( in whatever name or form we choose) he is our true `counselor' our guide and comforter. " However spiritual discipline from your early age makes this possible" not seeking world name and fame and power and influence over others. In the elderly..it is the near and dear ones that can help them face their dark days and moments of hopelessness..Our teacher commented that often people of great wealth and fame and fortune are known to lose their balance and their stability at some point and that is because they perhaps do not have a spiritual anchor as a base in their lives and get carried away by the `Illusion' ( maya) of the world as true and God as untrue.

Returning to the subject of Karma : Our spiritual teacher Swami Kripamayananda Maharaj spoke about individual ' Karma' , as well as Collective Karma. Karma  is what is explained Biblically  "As you sow you reap" ..the other is the acts of one individual which can effect his family and his society. A good person brings honor and glory to his family and society while an evil one makes his family and society suffer for his actions...
On Suicide he said that it is not Love for death that drives one to suicide but Love for life.." When we do not get the life we hoped for..then people try to escape it by suicide..but Vedanta says..work out your Karma..set yourself free from your " Karmic debts" and the picture of life will change..suicide makes your " Karmic bondage worse;..you are not set free". Swami K further said that the truly free were truly spiritual..they worked for the good of the world..because they did not fear death of anything that happened to them..this Love for death was often reflected in the poems of Swami Vivekananda the greatest of Vedantic teachers and also in the poem from the Katha Upanishad ( What they saw... ..where does the soul go after de...)

Our beloved spiritual Teacher Swami Kripamayananda Maharaj also spoke of the very simple rustic words of wisdom from the lives of Sri Sarada devi the spiritual mentor of thousands and the wife of the Spiritual master Sri Ramakrishna " Sri Sarada Devi or Ma Sarada advised those who complained of depression to never be without work, but that they  be constantly active because idleness led to empty thoughts and negativity..she also consoled her devotees with the words that sometimes the mind was depressed because that was its nature just like water to flow downwards, however spiritual discipline, love towards all... meditation and seeking Holy company helped us overcome depression. Her others words of consolation were that evil times and hard times do not last forever..like clouds they blow away one day..and that `bad karma' and its effects can be counter acted with good karma and true spiritual yearning, discipline and heartfelt prayer.

Sri Sarada Devi..a light of Hope and Love...

In her own life she showed is how we also take care of those loved ones who may be facing dark times in their lives..in the ancient and very spiritual tradition of India...the " Family and Mother  "takes care of her less fortunate children, they are never rejected and sent off to asylums and `institutions' as long as the mentally ill are not a physical threat to society they are treated with all the love and respect that a `normal' person is given. lets not forget that all of us maybe just a hairsbreadth away from suicide and depression if some calamity or a series of tragedies overcome us.  For those who have enjoyed great honor, adulation, fame and wealth losing it can be more unbearable than many ordinary people who have walked the middle path can imagine. being .judgmental about another persons state of mind is unfair especially since we do not know what they have to face and what the tragedies and challenges in their life may be..so our Swami K  urged us to always have compassion and to serve others with Love and Faith and render selfless service to those we can....The Life of Sri Sarada Ma and her simple lessons of deep wisdom and spirituality are a worthy lesson to the world that tries to `Psycho analyse' the minds of those are walking through a dark tunnel but can be led to " Light and Happiness" with Love....compassion and understanding......

Cheers!: Here is a Picture that appeared in the Indian News Paper The Deccan Herald

A Muslim mother  in India with her son dressed like Sri Krishna the Hindu child God or Hindu baby " Krist"...They walk through the streets in peace..Religious harmony brings us closer to God and truth ..Not fundamentalism.

The Master Mind of the Universe and an ancient Theory on how the Masters- Mind control.. : Swami Vivekananda's Raja Yoga.

Ever Wondered how some people are able to lead others and seemingly control their minds? 
 How One Master becomes the " idol' of millions and they follow his every thought, command and step..while others cannot even get their own kids to obey them?

Monks of the Ramakrishna Math Belur India

Thousands of years ago in ancient India.....Patanjali the father of Yoga wrote about the Powers of the Mind in his book Raja yoga ( Sanskrit). 100 years ago the great Indian spiritual master Swami Vivekananda..translated , explained and brought these ancient texts to modern readers. At The Vedanta Society of Toronto a group of students of Vedanta study the works of Swami Vivekananda under the guidance of the renowned Monk Swami Kripamayananda Maharaj head of the Toronto Vedanta Society, belonging to the  Ramakrishna order of Monks India. We talk about The Huge Cosmic Mind which is that of God....we are all connected with him..by whatever name or means or paths we seek him..when we are in tune with that mind...our work is harmonious and virtuous and worthy.When we go against that..then disturbances, destruction, disharmony and mayhem come about. In Raja Yoga the only subject is Mind Control and being in harmony with the Spiritual Mind which is God. Here the others aspects of Vedanta such as Maya ( illusion etc) do not apply..we study the pure theory of Raja Yoga..the Royal Path of meditation. Mind control, can be used or misused...Our teacher Swami Kripamayananda explained it as Fire..a burning inferno and a small speck of fire are both made of the same matter..and have the same properties..that is how our disciplined and trained Minds can merge with the ultimate..
The Yogis or the Spiritual Masters have so tuned in their minds to the great mind of God that they begin to understand a tiny fractional part of that creative and Mind control power...from that comes the powers of the Mind..Some use it to lead others from darkness into light and some use it to lead others into further darkness and destruction...That is how you see Mass enlightenment  ( as when a spiritual incarnation or leader is born) or Mass destruction such as the one witnessed in Europe during Hitlers rule.( more details on discussion) to be updated) Also read :The Secret of Winning the Heart of the World from ...

From Raja Yoga by Swami Vivekananda ....Chapter 4.
प्रवृत्तिभेदे प्रयोजकं चित्तमेकमनेकेषाम् ॥५॥ Swami Vivekananda Explains the aphorism below...
5. Though the activities of the different created minds are various, the one original mind is the controller of them all.
These different minds, which act in these different bodies are called made-minds, and the bodies, made-bodies; that is, manufactured bodies and minds. Matter and mind are like two inexhaustible storehouses. When you become a Yogi, you learn the secret of their control. It was yours all the time, but you had forgotten it. When you become a Yogi, you recollect it. Then you can do anything with it, manipulate it in every way you like. The material out of which a manufactured mind is created is the very same material which is used for the macrocosm. It is not that mind is one thing and matter another, they are different aspects of the same thing. Asmitā, egoism, is the material, the fine state of existence out of which these made-minds and made-bodies of the Yogi are manufactured. Therefore, when the Yogi has found the secret of these energies of nature, he can manufacture any number of bodies or minds out of the substance known as egoism.


The Chapter 4 we have studied so far...

PATANJALI'S YOGA APHORISMS
CHAPTER IV
INDEPENDENCE निमित्तमप्रयोजकं प्रकृतीनां वरणभेदस्तु ततः क्षेत्रिकवत् ॥३॥
3. Good and bad deeds are not the direct causes in the transformations of nature, but they act as breakers of obstacles to the evolutions of nature: as a farmer breaks the obstacles to the course of water, which then runs down by its own nature.
The water for irrigation of fields is already in the canal, only shut in by gates. The farmer opens these gates, and the water flows in by itself, by the law of gravitation. So all progress and power are already in every man; perfection is man's nature, only it is barred in and prevented from taking its proper course. If anyone can take the bar off, in rushes nature. Then the man attains the powers which are his already. Those we call wicked become saints, as soon as the bar is broken and nature rushes in. It is nature that is driving us towards perfection, and eventually she will bring everyone there. All these practices and struggles to become religious are only negative work, to take off the bars, and open the doors to that perfection which is our birthright, our nature.
Today the evolution theory of the ancient Yogis will be better understood in the light of modern research. And yet the theory of the Yogis is a better explanation. The two causes of evolution advanced by the moderns, viz. sexual selection and survival of the fittest, are inadequate. Suppose human knowledge to have advanced so much as to eliminate competition, both from the function of acquiring physical sustenance and of acquiring a mate. Then, according to the moderns, human progress will stop and the race will die. The result of this theory is to furnish every oppressor with an argument to calm the qualms of conscience. Men are not lacking, who, posing as philosophers, want to kill out all wicked and incompetent persons (they are, of course, the only judges of competency) and thus preserve the human race! But the great ancient evolutionist, Patanjali, declares that the true secret of evolution is the manifestation of the perfection which is already in every being; that this perfection has been barred and the infinite tide behind is struggling to express itself. These struggles and competitions are but the results of our ignorance, because we do not know the proper way to unlock the gate and let the water in. This infinite tide behind must express itself; it is the cause of all manifestation.
Competitions for life or sex-gratification are only momentary, unnecessary, extraneous effects, caused by ignorance. Even when all competition has ceased, this perfect nature behind will make us go forward until everyone has become perfect. Therefore there is no reason to believe that competition is necessary to progress. In the animal the man was suppressed, but as soon as the door was opened, out rushed man. So in man there is the potential god, kept in by the locks and bars of ignorance. When knowledge breaks these bars, the god becomes manifest.

निर्माणचित्तान्यस्मितामात्रात् ॥४॥
4. From egoism alone proceed the created minds.
The theory of Karma is that we suffer for our good or bad deeds, and the whole scope of philosophy is to reach the glory of man. All the scriptures sing the glory of man, of the soul, and then, in the same breath, they preach Karma. A good deed brings such a result, and a bad deed such another, but if the soul can be acted upon by a good or a bad deed, the soul amounts to nothing. Bad deeds put a bar to the manifestation of the nature of the Purusha; good deeds take the obstacles off, and the glory of the Purusha becomes manifest. The Purusha itself is never changed. Whatever you do never destroys your own glory, your own nature, because the soul cannot be acted upon by anything, only a veil is spread before it, hiding its perfection.
With a view to exhausting their Karma quickly, Yogis create Kāya-vyuha, or groups of bodies, in which to work it out. For all these bodies they create minds from egoism. These are called "created minds", in contradistinction to their original minds.

This teaching is based on the Theory presented by Patanjali the father of Ancient Yoga. We study the Raja Yoga of Swami Vivekananda with an open and eager mind..many questions and arguments are obviously posed and will be presented in future posts on this blog.The one fundamental rule of Vedanta and that of our teacher and our fellow disciples is that we believe that God is one and that all great teachers and incarnations came from that same God..Vedantists have respect and openness towards all great faiths though they understand that to `Each his own'..and that is why Vedanta respects all Paths..all views and all Teachers and we come to the Class with open minds on a journey through Time..Space..the Heart..the Soul and the pure invincible Mind that is directed towatrds God as the final and only goal.......

From Dakshineshwar with Love..the message of a Mother's Heart to Canada. ...Sri Sarada Devi

Sri Sarada Devi

Ma Sarada Devi  was an Indian Mother who lived almost a hundred years ago. ( ( 1853-1920) She represented the essence of the best in Indian Motherhood, which is unselfish Love that does not expect or demand...simplicity, contentment, loving sacrifice, , kindness to total strangers, a love of giving and caring for her children and all who come to her, modesty, chastity, kindness, courage ,generosity, patience, forgiveness and spiritual realization to name a few. One then wonders if the Great Goddess Ma Durga was to walk amongst humans as an ordinary human being what would she be like and who would she look like.?would she be a bewitching beauty ..enticing men with her celestial outer beauty..? Would she want to attract humans by power, riches and glitter..or would she walk incognito ..arising the beauty, kindness, purity, spirituality and divinity in the hearts of all men and women? Maybe she would be the simplest of the simple and the humblest of the humble...The incarnations always choose the abode of the poor and the humble in heart.
Sri Ramakrishna the great spiritual mystic of India  and  The Spiritual Master of the age who saw the divine truth of all religions and the presence of the divine Mother in all women worshiped his own wife Sri Sarada Devi as Shodashi the great divine Goddess..she became the living symbol of inner beauty, the essence of Mother hood , kindness , tolerance and magnitude in heart and spirit. Her outer beauty was hidden from the world as her inner beauty blossomed and touched the life of millions even after her passing.. Her qualities are depth, kindness, patience, spirituality, kindness, wisdom, inner strength, foresightedness and motherly love towards all creatures..to name a few..
"Can you feel the spiritual atmosphere, the peace giving and divine presence of Ma Sarada Devi here in Toronto Vedanta Society today" can you feel her love and serenity deep in your heart..?" Asked the very soft spoken and gentle, yet highly intelligent , learned and spiritually acclaimed Nun( Sanyassini) - The Reverend Pravarajika Sachitprana Mataji of Sri Sarada Math Head quarters Dakshineshwar. She had a message for North America that day....
That message was conveyed through the  two day retreat from the 28th the 29th of June at the Vedanta Society of Toronto Canada by Reverend Sachitprana Mataji : The Title of the Talks : The teachings from The Life of Sri Sarada Devi the consort of Sri Ramakrishna and the relevance of her life and its meaning to people around the world today.The spiritual head of Vedanta Society  Canada Swami Kripamayananda Maharaj welcomed her and also  co-conducted the retreat .(Related article on Sarada Devi:)
....When the Goddess's visit Earth-..Humankind can.......
 Reverend Pravarajika Sachitprana Mataji 's serenity, gentleness, affection and the depth of her spiritual insight touched young and old alike. I remember first meeting her when I was a School girl ( and the Family Brat) back in 1980 on our visit to Dakshineshwar Kolkatta and then often in our city Poona. Each time she blessed us with her visits to our home and family.  Her sweetness, gentleness, depth and under standing and ability to connect with people of all ages and all walks of life within minutes made her very special. She was with our Spiritual Guru Ma Moksha Prana Mataji ( The second President of Sri Sarada Math) when our Guru spoke with my Father and gave him the last blessings over the phone a few minutes before he passed away..It was Revered Sachitprana Mataji who described the spiritual experience from the Sacred precincts  of Sarada Math..My Guru's  words in my father's last hour and her assurance that indeed he had `crossed forever beyond this life onto the other shore of light and peace which we understand as  Sri Ramakrishna Loka forever'.The last exchange between our Guru Ma and my Father and all who witnessed his passing that day in November 2nd 1990 . ( Kartik Purnima) has been described by many Sanyassinis as profoundly spiritual and unique.  I remember again the unforgettable journey and pilgrimage with Sachitprana Matji to Nashik and Trimbakeshwar ( India) in the winter of 2000 just a few months before I left my home in India  for Canada. The years have passed..I am no longer a school girl..but she is still almost unchanged, the sweet, calm, serene, keenly intelligent and affectionate Nun who was and is friend to all..She was here to speak about Mother Sarada Devi..a woman who represents the highest ideal of Motherhood and Spiritual wisdom to thousands of people through the last hundred years. Sri Sarada Math, Dakshineswar, Kolkata

Pravarajika  Sachitprana Matji's First speech was about the goal of human life for Everyone..since we all knowingly or unknowingly have a  spiritual hunger within ourselves. She stated that as spiritual aspirants The Aim of our lives was God realization which means total freedom from all bondage ..bondage of the heart, mind and soul.. . This realization is not limited to people of any ONE religion or path but to people of EVERY Faith and to which ever path and religion they wish to follow. Spirituality is the right of every human being because we are all from the same God and part of him.
 The way we attain to this aim was by - seeking Spiritual and Holy company. By regularly practicing our spiritual exercises such as prayer, meditation, Japam ( repetition of the Sacred name of God) , reading our scriptures and contemplation. Some helpful tips included examining our minds and actions and thoughts and being constantly self aware and alert.
 Spiritual practice is not separate from our `Other' life. If we make each task a prayer and spiritual offering we are constantly reconnecting with God. She gave the examples from the teachings of the Christian Saint Brother Lawrence Brother Lawrence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia who said we need to bring God into everything we do and say and think so for example even if you are having a problem or need a solution talk with God and ask him to solve that problem for you.Make God your best friend.
The Spiritual Master Sri Ramakrishna taught his wife Sri Sarada Devi every thing from trimming the lamps to packing a bag. He taught us that our work must be meticulous, neat and perfect and that finally we must have our minds fixed on our spiritual ideal at the same time. The more spiritual we are, the less effort we need to do our work well..because God himself helps us in that.
Finally she said our spiritual Life is not compartmentalized but should be a seamless connection with every other part of our day..so from each waking moment to our deepest sleep and even in our interaction with other people we are connected with the thought of God upper most.  The Second Lecture was about  Sri Sarada Ma's teachings about our interactions and behavior with people around us especially in a social setting, a family or in organizations where people meet often. How we can exercise the most noble and fine character even in a negative set up.She strongly cautioned against Gossip, Targeting and harassing others and finding fault with the people around us. Sri Sarada devi lived in a complex society in 18h and 19th century India. ( 1853-1920) First she was a beloved daughter who helped her parents even as a young girl, then the wife of a spiritual Mystic who was often misunderstood by the world, but treated her with the highest respect and love. She faced many adversaries and hurdles, enemies and criticism after she became a widow. Yet she was known for her serene, calm and loving nature.After her widow hood she returned to her Mother's home where she took care of her aged Mother and the families of her brothers. Some of the members of the family had severe addictions and mental illnesses and yet she showed them the most love, respect and compassion. Some of her reactions to the negativity of others were, silence and prayer when deeply insulted  by others and turning to God for help against enemies. ( in one case as the story of her and Hriyanath who insulted her, it so happened that Hriday was eventually expelled from his job and lived his life in terrible hardship, though Ma Sarada devi did not utter  a single word against him.)                  She believed in seeing the best and positive in other people which enabled her to see and bring out the best in some of the  most fallen of men who were her devotees . This included a Dacoit ( highway man) and an Alcoholic. Both of them were outcast and rejected by society however she saw the true good in them and showed it to others . This made them her loyal followers and they were devoted to her in love and respect till their deaths. The lesson : We are no body to judge others..We are not perfect ourselves and our judgements may be wrong. As a leader in her family and spiritual head of the Ramakrishna Order after Sri Ramakrishna passed away she was just and fair and had no " favorites' .( Her words: "My son the dacoit and my son the Monk are both equal to me). This is a lesson for people in positions of leadership. Favoritism eventually leads to the break up of the best teams because the leader is perceived as  unjust and unfair. At the same time she reiterated that we have every right to protect our selves and others against evil men and women and to stay away from those who harm us, threaten our families, our peace and our honor. However the characteristics of Sri Sarada Devi's life were : Love, forgiveness, fortitude, patience, generosity, purity, motherliness,compassion, Courage, intelligence , spiritual discipline, faith, silence, justice and equality to all. She was able to even handle the mentally imbalanced ( challenged) members of her family and the people who were rejected by society and make them her own. The Story of Sri Sarada Devi and her life can be followed on the web site ( Sri Sarada Devi: The Holy Mother - Belur Math).
Question which Sister Nivedita ( Margaret The Final Public Lecture was a study on the Question posed by Sister Nivedita (  Margaret Noble) Was the Mother the last of an old order or the beginning of a New order? " (Sister Nivedita - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
Sri Sachitparna Mataji spoke in depth on this subject and explained how Sri Sarada Devi was cultured, civilised and belonged to both the old and the new. She was courageous and bold to step beyond social taboos of caste and rigidity and accept and welcome the western disciples of Swami Vivekananda such as Nivedita, Mrs Sarah Bull and many others warmly and lovingly into her family. She taught a " xenophobic society' that all humankind as one..we are one race and one caste of human kind.The true meeting of the East and West became possible because of her board vision and love for humanity as a whole.Her greatness and nobleness in how she never put others down even those who had betrayed her or hurt her showed her highly civilized and noble mind.  Reverend Sachittprana Matajis Most power words from the ancient scriptures were : The Three Demonis quailities which the Goddess destroys are Rudeness, which includes harshness, cruelty and meanness ( abusive behavior) as  is the Habit of Fault finding, seeing evil in others and instigating people to harm and hurt others. She spoke about the example of Swami Niaranjananda. 

Sri Sarada devi's image at the Vedanta Society of Toronto

"Simple, guileless and straight forward behavior is a very high spiritual quality which pretentious, superficial and cunning worldly minds cannot ever understand " she stated.The greatness of Sri Sarada Devi..was that she was the most spiritual of women ..yet simple, unassuming, humble, gentle , kind peaceful and loving. Her love and forgiveness extended to all and every man and woman could imbibe these qualities. She was never loud, screaming, overwhelming in any show of her spirituality. Power and control were not her characteristics. She always chose the most humble of tasks and served others. This greatness is a  `Godly quality' which  is described in the Mahabharata. Mataji recounted the story where once Sri Krishna himself chose to wash the feet of guests as an act of service during a royal function. This act of service is also described in the Bible where the Christ washed the feet of his 12 disciples.
In Sri Sarada Mother's life we can see that she herself picked up the unwashed plates and took personal care of her guests and served them unlselfishley and never expected anything in return.This is also a lesson in greatness dating back to the Vedas where the scriptures say that the greatest person is not the one who takes on the role of importance, authority, glamor and publicity but the greatest one is he who serves God in others with dedication, love and humility ! Ma Sarada's message is the lingering echo of Love and peace which she has left behind with her Life of silent love and understanding and kindness..which those who are tuned in to can feel almost a hundred years after her passing..
Her final words at the conclusion of the program were : Remember the words of Sri Sarada Devi when you are in danger and distress just say " I have a Mother" .
  
Quotes from Sri Sarada Devi :

Open your grief-stricken heart to the Lord. Weep and sincerely pray, 'O Lord, draw me towards You; give me peace of mind.' By doing so constantly you, will gradually attain peace of mind.

Pray to God with tears in your eyes whenever you want illumination or find yourself faced with any doubt or difficulty. The Lord will remove all your impurities, assuage your mental anguish, and give you enlightenment. 

One who makes a habit of prayer will easily overcome all difficulties and remain calm and unruffled in the midst of the trials of life. 

When someone speaks from the heart, one should listen to them Mother’s Love – Swami Ishanananda.

We have to surrender ourselves completely to the Lord with faith and devotion in Him, serve others to the best of our capacity, and never be a source of sorrow to anybody.

Such is life, here today, gone tomorrow! Nothing goes with one, except one's merit and demerit; good and evil deeds follow one even after death. 

He who thinks always of the Lord, which way can evil come to him? 

Certainly you will have doubts. There will be questionings and faith will return again. That is how faith is establish. 

Give up this dry discussion, this hodge-podge of philosophy. Who has been able to know God by reasoning? Even sages like Suka and Vyasa are at best like big ants trying to carry away a few grains of sugar from a large heap. 

He who has really prayed to the Master, even once, has nothing to fear. By, praying to him constantly one gets ecstatic love (Prema Bhakti) through his grace. 

Is faith so cheap, my child? Faith is the last word. If one has faith, the goal is practically reached.

Does one get faith by mere studying of books? Too much reading creates confusion. The Master used to say that one should learn from the scriptures that God alone is real and the world illusory.

The Mother of the universe is the Mother of all. From Her have come out both good and evil. 

Why do people argue? Even the wisest of men have not found God through argument! Is God a subject for argument?

God is one's very own. It is the eternal relationship. He is everyone's own. One realizes Him in proportion to the intensity of one's feeling for Him

God cannot be realized without love. Yes, sincere love.

The grace of God is the thing that is needful. One should pray for the grace of God.

He who will pray to God eagerly will see Him.

If one calls upon Him repeatedly, He becomes compassionate; and so a devoted attachment comes into being. This love for love's sake should be hidden from all eyes.

Realization of God cannot be achieved without ecstatic love for Him.. 

However strong or beautiful this body may be, its culmination is in those three pounds of ashes. And still people are so attached to it. Glory be to God.

The world is the Lord's. He created it for His own play. We are mere pawns in His game. Wherever He keeps us and in whatever way He does so, we have to abide by it contentedly.

If you do a good act, it cancels the effects of your evil deeds. If one prays, takes the Name of God and thinks of Him, the effects of evil are cancelled.

No one can suffer for all time. No one will spend all his days on this earth in suffering. Every action brings its own result, and one gets one's opportunities accordingly.

Each has to get the results of the actions he earned for this life. A pin at least must prick where a wound from a sword was due.

You see, my son, it is not a fact that you will never face dangers. Difficulties always come, but they do not last forever. You will see that they pass away like water under a bridge.

My son, forbearance is a great virtue; there's no other like it.

My child, I bless you from my heart that you live long, attain devotion, and enjoy peace. Peace is the principal thing. One needs peace alone.

The difference between a great soul and an ordinary man is this: the latter weeps while leaving this body, whereas the former laughs. Death seems to him a mere play.

Father's Day when Dad is no longer around..To My Father with Love...

                                                      My Father
               The years are like falling leaves Time sweeps them clear..

                but Love and Memories never die  especially of one so dear...  

He seemed to be always laughing and full of happy, vibrant energy and life his arms outstretched to hug us ..to hold us close..to give us a deeper meaning of life.. He was my Dad.I will never forget him..till the last day of my Life..A Father like no other...a father in whose footsteps I have tried to follow thousands of miles away from my home land..24 years have passed away since my father died..and not only on  every father's day but in each and every moment of my life..I think of him..his words..his love..his presence..his laughter and his tears and I fight back my own.....He will always be MY Dad..The best Dad in the world..the Dad who could beat the world and did and the dad who gave us everything he could with his entire heart and soul..and now that he is no longer here..each day of my life..I realize that I should never take anyone or anything for granted..in fact deep deep in my heart I wish that I will meet him soon again one day..

He was a man with a vision and  in his late  thirties he created an Internationally renowned engineering  company that gave jobs and hope to thousands of people in a poor and over populated land . Yet the power and influence that were his naturally never made him vain or proud..but he was one of the most humble ,down to earth and un pretentious persons most people said that they had ever met..He was equally at home talking with complete strangers from little villages as he was mixing with Presidents and captains of Industry....he could spend hours designing new machinery for his Factory in Aurangabad ( India) and then he would switch to talking " Little boy or Girl talk" with my friends and me or both  my brother and I..He would play with our pets dogs as if they were the most important `people 'in the world and then he would go on to spend some `special moments' with my Mother.. he renewed himself by spending time alone in our prayer room....in silent meditation and prayer..yes switching from one role to another with ease.. 

People marveled at the beauty of the relationship my father and Mother shared.. They were married at a very young age in the then Indian tradition of ' Arranged marriages"..in fact though all the elders of my Mother's family had met him..my Mother met my Dad only at the Wedding alter.. Wow..and He treated her like a Princess for the rest of his life.....For my Mother it was she says a deep love and trust in the goodness and greatness she saw in him... My father took my Mother to see the world..first they migrated to Canada..and lived here for a few years before moving back to India to take care of his aging parents..While in Canada he made the most of it..the great Canadian friends he made are still in touch with us up to this day and the places he visited and things he and Mom did..not many have had the courage or fortune to follow their hearts the way my father and Mother did.. It is because of his broad minded and liberal and eclectic attitude and respect for all that I was able to meet my soul mate Brian here in Canada and truly to value and Love him because I knew he was the kind of man my Father would have picked for me himself..
My Brian sadly lost his Father four years ago and I lost mine twenty four years ago..On Father's day we look sadly at each other and give each other all the love we can in memory of The Dad's who were our best friends..Brian takes me to all the places my father may have visited and tells me the stories.. I would have heard from Dad.
 In Canada my father made a name for himself by being one of the first Indian engineers to initiate an Engineering industry technical  collaboration between India and Canada in the late 60's. That collaboration between Foster Wheeler Canada and Walchandnagar Industries  India was the brain child and initiative of my Dad back in 1969. Though he was offered the top position in India to lead that division of the company he walked away and started his own. India chose my father to represent India in the world engineering conference several times and Father and Mother traveled the world..I heard stories of Japan and Switzerland ..Germany and Thailand , Africa and Canada even when I was a young girl.studying in boarding school..The sacrifice our family had to make for Dad to set up the factory and my parents to travel the world was for My brother and I to be sent off to  boarding schools in Panchgani India. My brother studied in St Peter's high School and I in St Joseph's convent..Panchgani is one the most beautiful hill stations on the sub continent..yet even the most beautiful hill station cannot compensate for the Love and companionship of home and family..and we grew closer and loved each more dearly because our time together was so rare and precious..
In those short but beautifully deep times shared together he taught me much...and told me stories I will never forget the last day of my life..here is one that is truly powerful... 
In the early 1960's..My father was deputed as a trainee engineer to Czechoslovakia on behalf of Walchand Industries India for a year. East Europe was then collaborating closely with Indian industry. On long weekends and vacations my father and his friends would travel over Europe by train.On night on a train journey in Germany he was in deep sleep......suddenly he awoke with a heavy sweat and a fear gripping his heart and clutching his soul..he woke up crying and asked his fellow passengers where he was ? " We are passing by Buchenwald the  site of  one of the worst concentration camps in the world " said his co passenger.

Remembering that story my father often said..." All souls are connected with that one great soul who is God..Whatever happens to one of us happens to us all.". Dad a compete stranger in Europe could feel the tears of death and sadness that hangs over East Europe to this day."

Some of the Other great words of my father I hold dear are " A Great person makes other people around him feel great..a small person tries to make others feel small".  
"The greatest etiquette is to make the guest feel at ease".
" There are NO short cuts in life"
"Do not use power and influence to harm and harrass others but to bless and protect as many as you can." said Dad. I saw that in his short life as a very powerful and influential man in society..my father used his time and resources to help, bless and protect the meek and weak. In our family he was always helping the older, weaker and not so lucky members of family, friends and society in every way he could. He stood up boldly to bullies and cowards and the indecent elements in society and that was the only time he used his position and name.. to fight evil with all he had.  Many years later here in Canada and back in India  I was shocked and pained to see how many men and women in small or big places ( even old and retired ones) use the little power they have as office holders in organizations ( even religious organizations) to harass and harm those they do not like ( power is such a intoxication for many)......and I then begin to understand how rare and wonderful and one in  several millions was my dad !

My father died young...he was just entering his fifties when Cancer decided to give him a call...he faced it bravely ..boldly and with hope that life would still win over death...there was so much more he wanted to do..for his country..for his loved ones for his zest of life...yet in his last days when all the medication failed..he would spend hours talking with his 85 year old father and  his best friends and family and even the Monks and Nuns who came to bless and give us all solace in his final days.....

On November 2nd,1990.the winter winds were blowing into our city Pune in Western India..My Mother , Grand father, many loved ones and I sat around Dad's bed side...a few nuns from Sri Sarada Math read the prayers from the Holy Gita and our Spiritual Guru Ma Moksha Prana Matji from Dakshineshwar, Kolkata spoke her blessings over the phone ..at 12.20 pm.. my father opened  his eyes wide , sat up smiling ..looked around as if he saw something wonderful...and passed away with a wonderful laughing look on his face...
24 years have passed since that day..I remember every word and touch and thought we shared..Hundreds of people gathered by our house and later at the cremation grounds to say their last goodbyes..they came from all walks of life..some by plane and train..and some walked or took the over night bus from their far away villages to see for one last time the man they loved so much..the poor workers and their families who knew him from the days when he was  a young man and then later Head  in Walchandnagar the Sugar cane factory town my Grand father helped the `Walchand family' pioneers build  ..The people who loved dad held us close and cried..this was the legacy of my father..the man with a golden heart..
There is a saying of the Indian saint Tulsidas..." He is blessed and special who enters the world crying ..while the World laughs with joy in welcoming him..and He then one day leaves the world laughing...while the world weeps at his departure...."...One such ` special one' that the poet spoke about was My Dad..!

   Someday Little Girl..you will meet your Cowboy.......                                                          

Science and Spirituality lead to all freedom...Vivekananda's 150 th anniversary in Toronto

" Each soul is potentially Divine and the Purpose of Human Life is to manifest that Divinity within" ..These were the Immortal words spoken By Swami Vivekananda more than 100 years ago..The then unknown Monk from India who traveled alone to America in the early 1900's ..The speech he gave at the World Parliament of Religions at Chicago shook the Western world and opened the eyes of the " Blind' to the deep treasure trove of spirituality from the worlds oldest religious traditions..of Vedanta the basis of Hinduism..before his visit most Westerners had disturbing views of Indians and Hindus as illiterate, superstitious idol worshipers.This was thanks to the propaganda of the English rulers in India who wanted to justify their crimes and forced occupation and conversion of the Indian people to their faith. He did not speak of differences he spoke about the One universal truth of spirituality..the essence of which is the same in all religions..
The words and teachings of this Monk also inspired an entire nation of Millions of people in India to eventually rise and over throw the  British rulers. He is known as the Monk who led a people " out of slavery"..with his teachings, his powerful words and his Spirit..he lighted the candle of ' Freedom ' in the hopeless..with words like " Arise, Awake and Stop not till the Goal is reached.." and " You are  the children of Lions..this cowardice does not befit you"!

On May 25th 2014, at Toronto Canada the Vedanta Society of Toronto held a celebratory Dinner to celebrate the 150th Birth Anniversary year of the Swami Vivekananda..present were three senior Monks of the Ramakrishna Order of Monks which he founded..and a world renowned scientist and physicist Dr Neil Turok..World renowned Mathematician professor Kumar Murty of the University of Toronto who is also a senior leader at the Vedanta Society of Toronto as well as The Consul General  of India in Toronto plus an audience of almost 600 people.

Of the three Monks who were present one was the revered Swami Ishatmananda Maharaj the Head of the Vedanta Society of Chicago itself.. The other senior Monk was Swami Divyananda Maharaj a very senior Monk from Belur in India who has changed lives and taken the spiritual truth to prisoners in some of India's worst prisons and has become famous as the Monk with the `special mission' of touching the ' damned and the forsaken'..and finally our own gentle and Soft spoken revered Swami Kripamayananda Maharaj spiritual head of the Vedanta Society of Canada..In Canada he is known as the Monk who is a  father with the loving, caring and forgiving heart of a Mother.
.

Dr Neil Turok

The guest speaker was Dr Neil Turok the  world renowned Scientist and Professor who has worked along with the legendary Physicist Stephen Hawkins and is among  the most  respected authorities in his field in the world. He was formerly Professor of Physics at Princeton University and Director at Cambridge.He is also the director of the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo Canada. He is the one who was instrumental in introducing Stephen Hawkins to Nelson Mandela in South Africa. He commented that men like Mandela, Swami Vivekananda and their like did more for human kind than most could conceive. He spoke about how Science , Education and development need to grow side by side..and one of the reasons why India was a growing economic power was its emphasis on Education as in the IITs ( The world  renowned Institutes of Technology in India). Dr Neil Turok has also established similar Institutes of Mathematics in the Continent of Africa  where Education has become  a great uniting force. He predicted that the next Einstein may be born in Africa. He agreed with the words of Swami Vivekananda who said that we must keep going and never accept defeat  even if we fail a thousands times try again..he said that was the message Scientists needed to hear too. On the subject of future technology he said that soon the ordinary P.C would be capable of holding more information that all the books ever written in the history of mankind...and that was just a small part of what the future held.
Finally The essence of what he said was that the most complex and complicated results of the intense studies in science and the universe showed that everything broken down is finally very very simple..it can be explained in just two numerical s and that the message of sprituality as spoken by Swami Vivekananda and which was earlier read out...The eternal truth...Spirituality  is finally very very simple and straightforward.
Swami Divyananda who has made a name for himself helping prisoners spoke about the ' Power of giving " He said that one does not need a big bank account to give but one needs a big heart..he gave example of a poor rickshaw driver in India who donated blood to save the lives of strangers and the menial worker who saved and gave some money to charity ever month though he himself lived in desperate poverty.Earlier at the centre he spoke about his experiences with prisoners in India. The Swami has also helped save many girls who were lost in Women's shelters in India and helped them return to their home and parents safely. ( The charitable and Missionary work of the Ramakrishna Mission is not limited to Hindus alone but is extended to the people of all religions and there is never any attempt to `convert' or bring those they help into the fold of Sri Ramakrishna or Hinduism....so eclectic and broad is their mission).
Swami Ishatmananda Maharaj of Chicago spoke about the legacy of Swami Vivekananda and the Power of his words " The power came from his spiritual strength and that is why even a simple sentence like " Brothers and Sisters of America " made strangers rise to their feet and hail him..It `touched them' only a man of truth can touch others ..He also spoke of how the auditorium at Chicago where Swamiji gave his speech has become a ' Pilgrimage Point' for thousands..Swami ishatmananda Maharaj said that it was The Words, The Teachings and The Power of Swami Vivekananda which awakened Indians who had lost their confidence and were living a life of slavery and darkness..Vivekananda  sparked the fire that enabled us to set ourselves free..The Swami said that though Mark Twain remarked that the " East and West" will never meet..Swami Vivekanada has proved that saying totally wrong..
.More than 600 devotees and freinds attended the dinner and celebration on May 25th at Bombay Palace Hotel Brampton..I was blessed that my Partner in Life and Love Brian was also with me..we shared a memorable evening in the most auspicious company..after all Swami Vivekanada himself said.." Love is the Law of Life"...

A week later A nun from the world wide ' Brahmakumaris' spoke at the Vedanta Society of Toronto..their mission too is to teach people of all faiths through the simple meditative techniques and the truth about their divinity..so that every man ( Nara in Hindi) becomes Narayan ( God or Godlike) and every woman " Nari " becomes Sri Laxmi 
( The Goddess of good fortune). Some of the golden nuggets from her teachings....
Our behavior and the way we deal with others expresses our inner spirituality. A divine person speaks and behaves and treats everyone with respect and honesty while a demonic one is a source of harassment , harm and sorrow to others.
A person who is established in their relation with the divine will be un perturbed in praise or blame.
We are all actors and this world is a stage..we have all been given a part..plays yours well..and remember people behave according to the role which was given to them..
Dont let jealous and malicious people pull you down or harm you....remain established in your divine center point.
We say that God is our father and our Mother which means that at some point we were all family..we were part of God..we were divine too..That spiritual hunger in us..is our `Homesickness to return to our divinity" to our Father and Mother who is God.
Meditate regularly and daily and reestablish yourself with your divine roots..meditate with the help of  a realized teacher ..
Some of The Teachings of Swami Vivekananda ..

1. Love Is The Law Of Life: All love is expansion, all selfishness is contraction. Love is therefore the only law of life. He who loves lives, he who is selfish is dying. Therefore, love for love's sake, because it is law of life, just as you breathe to live. 
2. It's Your Outlook That Matters: It is our own mental attitude, which makes the world what it is for us. Our thoughts make things beautiful, our thoughts make things ugly. The whole world is in our own minds. Learn to see things in the proper light.
3. Life is Beautiful: First, believe in this world - that there is meaning behind everything. Everything in the world is good, is holy and beautiful. If you see something evil, think that you do not understand it in the right light. Throw the burden on yourselves!
4. It's The Way You Feel: Feel like Christ and you will be a Christ; feel like Buddha and you will be a Buddha. It is feeling that is the life, the strength, the vitality, without which no amount of intellectual activity can reach God.
5. Set Yourself Free: The moment I have realised God sitting in the temple of every human body, the moment I stand in reverence before every human being and see God in him - that moment I am free from bondage, everything that binds vanishes, and I am free.
6. Don't Play The Blame Game: Condemn none: if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way.
7. Help Others: If money helps a man to do good to others, it is of some value; but if not, it is simply a mass of evil, and the sooner it is got rid of, the better.
8. Uphold Your Ideals: Our duty is to encourage every one in his struggle to live up to his own highest idea, and strive at the same time to make the ideal as near as possible to the Truth.
9. Listen To Your Soul: You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.
10. Be Yourself: The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves!
11. Nothing Is Impossible: Never think there is anything impossible for the soul. It is the greatest heresy to think so. If there is sin, this is the only sin - to say that you are weak, or others are weak.
12. You Have The Power: All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.
13. Learn Everyday: The goal of mankind is knowledge... now this knowledge is inherent in man. No knowledge comes from outside: it is all inside. What we say a man 'knows', should, in strict psychological language, be what he 'discovers' or 'unveils'; what man 'learns' is really what he discovers by taking the cover off his own soul, which is a mine of infinite knowledge.
14. Be Truthful: Everything can be sacrificed for truth, but truth cannot be sacrificed for anything.
15. Think Different: All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everythin