In a prior blog written over a week ago while in Frankfurt, Germany at the annual international publisher's trade show, I commented on the dizzying spectrum of attitudes, appearance, and consciousness gathered in one place from all nations, races, and cultures of the earth!
While there I met a publisher who represents a Vietnamese spiritual teacher whose ministry revolves around respect for animals. The publisher returned my visit to her booth with a visit to our own. As Padma was busy with another publisher (a regular "customer"), I agreed to be interviewed and filmed for this publisher's TV station based in Los Angeles. (Due to language difficulties I never quite got the whole picture and details and it happened so fast.)
Among the comments I made during that interview (held right in the busy aisle of a large exhibition hall and adjacent to our booth) were included the remark that seeing all these thousands of people, all seemingly so different in many ways, I could also see that each and every one of us wants the same thing: happiness.
Since the venue was that of conducting international business it was natural to project that many people there were seeking success (aka happiness) in their business dealings. But it doesn't take much awareness to see, even but visually, that a large spectrum of desires and ambitions (and hurts) are reflected in the faces and bodies of passersby.
If human beings could truly examine their own motives and realize that it's not only happiness that we seek but that the infinity of (generally) trivial, fleeting, and even petty pleasures and desires we entertain cannot possibly bring lasting satisfaction, wouldn't it be so easy to make real progress toward inner peace?
Alas, the Great Dramatist of this varied universe has put on a very good show. As actors we have to work our way up the ladder of success and recognition before we can meet the Director and see that's it's only a show. The parts we have seem very realistic and we do get very much caught up in them.
Question: is "God" for losers? For failures? Do we only turn to God when we've lost everything? This is a common perception, isn't it---especially among materialistic, self-made people?
It's certainly true that suffering makes us re-think our priorities. But it's equally true that success, which inevitably fails to bring us the happiness we seek (when sought only for its own sake), can offer an opportunity for deeper reflection. So, in this world of duality, BOTH success AND failure can be prods to awaken our desire for truth and true happiness.
One of the most famous sayings of Jesus Christ is universally in every language and in so many words the true devotee's mantra: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and its righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."
It takes a beginning affirmation (belief) but with a little "practice of this inward religion" (quote from the Bhagavad Gita), faith which is based in and grows toward Self-realization emerges to show us that when we put God first in our lives, everything else takes its proper place to support our journey.
What does this mean: put God first? It can mean, "first" of all: to put virtue first. Honesty, committed, creative effort, unselfishness, healthy living, compassion and fulfillment of one's appointed duties. But goodness and virtue, by themselves, have their limits. Based only upon our ego's sense of doership and ownership (of our very own virutes), we lay the groundwork for their opposites to rise up and strike down our growing pride.
Yet virtue, being its own reward, builds strength and character and attunes our goodly consciousness towards a more Godly one. But it is not until we seek the highest virtue, God alone, God's pure love alone, that we can begin the journey away from the opposites towards the center where no sorrow, no polarity can rob us of our peace.
It becomes a question of uplifting our sense of self identity: from the body (and ego), to the soul and to eternity. Only when anchored in changelessness and unaffected by the opposites of which this world is made, can we find release and true happiness.
This certainly does not permit us to be remiss in our God-given duties. It certainly doesn't excuse us from enthusiasm, generosity, compassion and self-sacrifice in support of worthy goals and causes (not just our own salvation).
In the Ananda Communities around the world, practicing daily meditation and self-giving service to others, we find that simple living and high ideals brings the greatest happiness. Such communities are living laboratories wherein it becomes obvious that those who give the most in devotion and service (and in self-forgetfulness) are the happiest. Those who hold back and who complain, and who put their personal comforts and concerns ahead of the needs of others, are never satisfied.
Ananda's founder, Swami Kriyananda, has given over sixty years public service: creative, energetic, devotional and kindly. Now, at age 84, with the body-temple giving him lots of trouble, it is Bliss, not pain or regret, that he experiences.
Only the saints can "boast" of having found true happiness. A saintly life, a God and Good-centered life, brings to our bodies, nervous system, feelings, and perceptions the cooling breezes of Bliss. God first, God alone.
Blessings, Hriman
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Pride or Prejudice? Two Souls, Four Lives!
Few people ever meet a person of greatness. Fewer could even define what that is. Fewer, still, in this culture of "I'm as good as anyone else" would appreciate greatness if they bumped into it.
Yet history and culture consistently uphold and recognize greatness in every field of human activity: great artists, leaders, saints and scientists. It's just safer once they are dead and gone to pronounce someone to be "great."
Millions have read the classic story, "Autobiography of a Yogi." Many are the admirers and disciples of this truly great soul, Paramhansa Yogananda. In the recently published book by Catherine Kairavi, "Two Souls, Four Lives" she chronicles and compares the lives of William the Conqueror and Paramhansa Yogananda, and, William's youngest son, Henry I, and his reincarnation as Swami Kriyananda (a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda). (Yogananda announced publicly that in a prior life he was William!)
I highly recommend this fascinating tale of two souls. It has many levels of truth and wisdom to plumb but the one I choose to highlight is how "greatness" may seem like pride to those unfamiliar with greatness. Thus many people feel a disdain or prejudice towards those who appear to assume such roles.
In this story, Henry I ends up waiting many years and later having to combat his two elder brothers (both literally and otherwise) before at last inheriting the kingdom of England and Normandy established by his father, William the "Conqueror." Some historians were disdainful of Henry I because his character seemed difficult to interpret. His calmness and lack of obvious signs of kingly ambition were suspect as though to assume that all rulers were motivated only by petty ambitions.
It is Henry's greatness that was so misunderstood and his high mindedness, calmness, fairness miscast as manipulative or ruthless. (Much the same treatment was given to his father William I.)
So it has continued for Swami Kriyananda in this lifetime that the public role that he feels he must assume and feels so natural toward is assumed to be based on ego motivation.
My point is not to revisit that issue directly but to invite all of us to understand what "greatness" is so that we, too, each in our own, often unseen ways, might aspire to it.
Greatness is to act without desire for the results or for recognition of our action. To act compassionately and selflessly for the simple joy of self-giving as its own reward. To act with greatness of Self rather than affirmation of ego-self. This is greatnesss.
Spiritually this is to offer, each day, our actions into the Divine Will. The prayer of peace usually ascribed to St. Francis has in fact been found to have been written by William the Conqueror and would be a fitting prayer for each of us in every day. "Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace......"
As Jesus promised devotees both "heaven" and persecution, you can be sure your lack of ego-driven motives will be similarly misconstrued. "No good deed goes unpunished" is the cliche that seems to fit the facts.
For now, however, I invite and encourage you to read "Two Souls, Four Lives." For those of you who are also reading "Rescuing Yogananda" you will soon recognize that one book (Two Souls) is, in a sense, the foundation for the second (Rescuing).
Blessings,
Hriman
Yet history and culture consistently uphold and recognize greatness in every field of human activity: great artists, leaders, saints and scientists. It's just safer once they are dead and gone to pronounce someone to be "great."
Millions have read the classic story, "Autobiography of a Yogi." Many are the admirers and disciples of this truly great soul, Paramhansa Yogananda. In the recently published book by Catherine Kairavi, "Two Souls, Four Lives" she chronicles and compares the lives of William the Conqueror and Paramhansa Yogananda, and, William's youngest son, Henry I, and his reincarnation as Swami Kriyananda (a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda). (Yogananda announced publicly that in a prior life he was William!)
I highly recommend this fascinating tale of two souls. It has many levels of truth and wisdom to plumb but the one I choose to highlight is how "greatness" may seem like pride to those unfamiliar with greatness. Thus many people feel a disdain or prejudice towards those who appear to assume such roles.
In this story, Henry I ends up waiting many years and later having to combat his two elder brothers (both literally and otherwise) before at last inheriting the kingdom of England and Normandy established by his father, William the "Conqueror." Some historians were disdainful of Henry I because his character seemed difficult to interpret. His calmness and lack of obvious signs of kingly ambition were suspect as though to assume that all rulers were motivated only by petty ambitions.
It is Henry's greatness that was so misunderstood and his high mindedness, calmness, fairness miscast as manipulative or ruthless. (Much the same treatment was given to his father William I.)
So it has continued for Swami Kriyananda in this lifetime that the public role that he feels he must assume and feels so natural toward is assumed to be based on ego motivation.
My point is not to revisit that issue directly but to invite all of us to understand what "greatness" is so that we, too, each in our own, often unseen ways, might aspire to it.
Greatness is to act without desire for the results or for recognition of our action. To act compassionately and selflessly for the simple joy of self-giving as its own reward. To act with greatness of Self rather than affirmation of ego-self. This is greatnesss.
Spiritually this is to offer, each day, our actions into the Divine Will. The prayer of peace usually ascribed to St. Francis has in fact been found to have been written by William the Conqueror and would be a fitting prayer for each of us in every day. "Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace......"
As Jesus promised devotees both "heaven" and persecution, you can be sure your lack of ego-driven motives will be similarly misconstrued. "No good deed goes unpunished" is the cliche that seems to fit the facts.
For now, however, I invite and encourage you to read "Two Souls, Four Lives." For those of you who are also reading "Rescuing Yogananda" you will soon recognize that one book (Two Souls) is, in a sense, the foundation for the second (Rescuing).
Blessings,
Hriman
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Many are the pathways: Frankfurt, German
Dear Friends,
Padma and I are in Europe. A few days (a long weekend) on the eastern coast of Ireland, south of Dublin (just fabulous!). And, now, in Frankfurt, Germany, at the world's largest publishing convention. Here publishers from nearly every country in the world come to show their books and offer them to other countries for translation and publication.
Padma has been coming here at least twenty years! She's established friendly relations with like-minded publishers in Europe and Asia. This year she's taken on the line of books by Joesph Cornell (Bharat) who as kriyacharya living at Ananda Village has become a world renown inspiration in the field of nature awareness.
Here one sees walking by our booth (called a "stand") every nation and every representative of consciousness one is likely to encounter. It is a form of yoga practice to see all with, as Krishna says in the Gita, an "equal eye." Not always easy, mind you, but good practice I can assure you.
In addition one sees many spiritual traditions, lineages, and teachers represented. We are in the English Exhibition Hall which includes Great Britain (Ireland included) as well as a few other countries. The size of this show is enormous. The Frankfurt Messe (Fair) grounds comprises many acres and many large buildings, most multiple floors.
In general, therefore, this is a microcosm of the world. The least represented nations would be Moslem nations and African nations. The most represented are Asian and European (including American). Nonetheless, in a relatively small space one "sees it all." This is doubly so because in addition to the "vaishyas" (businessmen and women) are the general (mostly local German) public who purchase tickets to browse the fair grounds.
Therefore the theme of many paths is an obvious one. Apart from national characteristics the most important and most intriguing aspect to me is the representation of the full range of caste-consciousness: from the sudras to the brahmins (who are in relative short supply!). Yes, the Vaishyas are the most represented, but that is by trade, not by consciousness!
What I "enjoy" the most is to see written into the faces of thousands the state of mind and the level of consciousness so wondrously presented by Divine Mother. The fact that ba-zillions of book titles (representative of the same) are face out (read: in your face) just adds to the divine circus.
I can never but reflect what a sheltered life I lead among the brahmins and spiritual kshatrias (warriors). I don't mean this judgementally, just that I am not exposed to such a wide range of people normally. The result is always something of a shock or at least I am left in a vibrational daze of sorts.
Travel is always hardest on sadhana and on diet. As we stay on the lovely home with some very high-minded friends, we have relatively good control on both. But the demands of a trade show do take their toll and I look forward to home-coming as well.
Padma meets with fellow publishers every year who have become friends travelling in their own ways the path of service. This year our booth location changed (first time in many years) and we face the Krishnamurti booth. Gyanic and philosohical. A loud and somewhat irritating visual and audio sale pitch for learning Chinese blares at us from across the corridor, diagonally. The constant hum of conversations fills this enormous hall as I type furiously the results of each meeting Padma has with publishers. This year I spontaneously am attempting to photograph each publisher for Padma's records. Everyone seems to love having a photo!
I practice sending out vibrations of peace and divine love to each passerby (and there are thousands)! It's my main job, really. It's also my main sadhana, given the circumstances. I go outside from time to time (there's a little prana in the air) to energize once in a while.
Haribol to the soul of Divine Mother entrancingly manifest in an infinity of faces. Blessings, to all from Frankfurt, German!
Hriman
Padma and I are in Europe. A few days (a long weekend) on the eastern coast of Ireland, south of Dublin (just fabulous!). And, now, in Frankfurt, Germany, at the world's largest publishing convention. Here publishers from nearly every country in the world come to show their books and offer them to other countries for translation and publication.
Padma has been coming here at least twenty years! She's established friendly relations with like-minded publishers in Europe and Asia. This year she's taken on the line of books by Joesph Cornell (Bharat) who as kriyacharya living at Ananda Village has become a world renown inspiration in the field of nature awareness.
Here one sees walking by our booth (called a "stand") every nation and every representative of consciousness one is likely to encounter. It is a form of yoga practice to see all with, as Krishna says in the Gita, an "equal eye." Not always easy, mind you, but good practice I can assure you.
In addition one sees many spiritual traditions, lineages, and teachers represented. We are in the English Exhibition Hall which includes Great Britain (Ireland included) as well as a few other countries. The size of this show is enormous. The Frankfurt Messe (Fair) grounds comprises many acres and many large buildings, most multiple floors.
In general, therefore, this is a microcosm of the world. The least represented nations would be Moslem nations and African nations. The most represented are Asian and European (including American). Nonetheless, in a relatively small space one "sees it all." This is doubly so because in addition to the "vaishyas" (businessmen and women) are the general (mostly local German) public who purchase tickets to browse the fair grounds.
Therefore the theme of many paths is an obvious one. Apart from national characteristics the most important and most intriguing aspect to me is the representation of the full range of caste-consciousness: from the sudras to the brahmins (who are in relative short supply!). Yes, the Vaishyas are the most represented, but that is by trade, not by consciousness!
What I "enjoy" the most is to see written into the faces of thousands the state of mind and the level of consciousness so wondrously presented by Divine Mother. The fact that ba-zillions of book titles (representative of the same) are face out (read: in your face) just adds to the divine circus.
I can never but reflect what a sheltered life I lead among the brahmins and spiritual kshatrias (warriors). I don't mean this judgementally, just that I am not exposed to such a wide range of people normally. The result is always something of a shock or at least I am left in a vibrational daze of sorts.
Travel is always hardest on sadhana and on diet. As we stay on the lovely home with some very high-minded friends, we have relatively good control on both. But the demands of a trade show do take their toll and I look forward to home-coming as well.
Padma meets with fellow publishers every year who have become friends travelling in their own ways the path of service. This year our booth location changed (first time in many years) and we face the Krishnamurti booth. Gyanic and philosohical. A loud and somewhat irritating visual and audio sale pitch for learning Chinese blares at us from across the corridor, diagonally. The constant hum of conversations fills this enormous hall as I type furiously the results of each meeting Padma has with publishers. This year I spontaneously am attempting to photograph each publisher for Padma's records. Everyone seems to love having a photo!
I practice sending out vibrations of peace and divine love to each passerby (and there are thousands)! It's my main job, really. It's also my main sadhana, given the circumstances. I go outside from time to time (there's a little prana in the air) to energize once in a while.
Haribol to the soul of Divine Mother entrancingly manifest in an infinity of faces. Blessings, to all from Frankfurt, German!
Hriman
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