A retreat scolding!
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
729
[Last talk at a Yoga Camp]
Most of you think that you are good. But in the quiet hours of your lives you will be surprised at what you are capable of thinking – thoughts that God would not even worry to look at.
Your greatest friend, the mind, tells you in the quiet hours what you really are. And when there are many people around you, these other people attract your attention, and therefore you do not know what you are and who you are. So re-double your effort in your daily life.
If there was any discomfort suffered by you during the time of the camp I must say, 'Thank you God for having given them the difficulties and give them a little bit more suffering.' [laughter] I say this because you will think in turn of the millions of people who have suffered the discomfort that has become part of their lives. You will be able to appreciate their suffering in different ways. Sometimes we have a mattress that may be very hard, sometimes you have a blanket which instead of making you hot makes you cold. Remember that hundreds of people are living like that out in the fields.
Another discomfort is a salt-less diet. A patient has to have a salt-less diet when he gets high blood pressure, but we should try it out now. Gurudev [Swamiji's beloved Guru, Swami Nischalananda Puri] used to give us sugarless tea. I think we should make these camps just a little more austere.
To the youths: You should have known that for three days this was no place for smoking or for the speaking of ungodly things, yet you went back to that behaviour – the behaviour which you hide from your parents. I feel very disappointed indeed with the youths from this point of view. I say to you that one day you are going to become adults so why not start living and joining the adults now. Start learning good manners and the good way of life. They say, 'As your company is, so you are.' We do not want you to become childish, we want you to become responsible men and women.
1) Care should be taken by the reader to understand and take Swamiji's words in these postings, in context. Every teaching or instruction that he gave was specific to the people who were with Swamiji at the time. 2) Mouse-over the words highlighted in red in the posting for further explanation or links.
There are currently available, over 100 different CDs or DVDs with mp3 files, of Swamiji speaking. Please email timhoare@webmail.co.za to order. Click HERE for the second website on Swamiji's life and teachings.
Sri Ramakrishna Sri Sarada Devi Swami Vivekananda
Swami Nischalananda Swami Shivapadananda
The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna - read online
Reference websites – please mouse over the name and click to connect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa Ramakrishna Dham