Swami Shivapadananda continues taking questions from devotees
This discussion with ashram devotees in the original Avoca ashram, follows on from audio Clip 106-01. If you missed the first instalment, here's a link to it. 106 track 01
Here's the new audio posting: 👇
Devotees are seated in the original, Avoca, Durban, South Africa, ashram 'lounge' [ashram pictured]. They're enjoying an interactive question and answer session with Swamiji. Swamiji has shared a variety of tips and techniques, and has moved the discussion onto vairagya (dispassion), which he says is essential to eventually really focusing the mind on God, instead of just play-acting.
Swamiji says another way of developing along the spiritual path, if group satsang (a spiritual/prayer service with other people) is not an option for whatever reason, is to admire the lives of great saints and sages, without prejudice. Swamiji says that a sadhu – a genuinely holy man – has no time to look for the bad in others, because he's so busy looking for the good – the way a moth looks only at light, and doesn't see the darkness.
Swamiji says that one way of being driven to read holy books, will come about when the world gives us 'kicks and blows'. But preferably don't wait for that. Force the mind to start reading – and it will become a divine habit on its own. Swamiji goes on to give several analogies that will prod us into developing the habit of 'holy reading'.
Devotees continue to ask Swamiji about meditation, satsang, mind-management, restlessness etc. Each time, getting intensely practical advice on how to manage or improve their sadhana (spiritual practise).
Someone talks about how they get tired when they meditate. Swamiji wittily responds, 'But you don't get tired or get body pains, or start yawning when you're watching TV.' So these are just the games of the unruly mind. Swamiji says that 'the mind is like a naughty brat, of the first order' and requires disciplining to get it to behave properly.
He says we must adopt an attitude of non-co-operation with our minds. What Mohandas Gandhi [pictured] referred to as Satyagraha.
Swamiji's mood becomes very intense when warning us about getting to old age, when the body is frail, and it's then too late to start spiritual practise. He says we just keep making excuses.
Swamiji tells of an old Tantric practise that's an effective metaphor for sense-control. The analogy may startle you. But it's highly effective.
This entire conversation is so powerful and important, if we're serious about making spiritual progress. Swamiji questions our sincerity in 'taking God's name'. He says that if we sincerely take God's name, not only will God 'have to come running', but we'll 'become mad after God.'
Swamiji concludes this second section of the fire-side chat, by saying it's time for us to do a stock-take of our seriousness on the spiritual path.
Please click on the link below to listen to this cautionary advice. Jay Sri Ramakrishna!
Duration: 07:23
The original audio recordings of these posts were made by close Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa and Swami Shivapadananda devotee, Mother Radha. The audio editing and noise reduction of the original 1970s tapes has been lovingly crafted, over many years, by her son and our dear gurubhai, Brother Tim. May Sri Ramakrishna and Swamiji bless them both.
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Links to broaden your knowledge: Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, Sri Sarada Devi ashram, Durban