Daily reading 98. Swamiji shares glorious spiritual life-guides, in one liners. Take one and implement it.

Taken from Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.

Question: Sri Ramakrishna said to Swami Vivekananda, ‘I see God more clearly than I see you.’ What does ‘clearly’ signify?
Swamiji: What we see is veiled. When we see God, it is One. When we see the world, it is many.

If someone harms you – ‘Hiss, do not bite.’ [For the backstory to this recommendation, please click HERE.]

People say, ‘Don’t worry, be happy.’ But you can only not worry when you surrender to God – only then are you happy.

I don’t know if I am good or not, but I try to do good. A man is good, but it is only when he does good, that it is seen. Always do good, until it becomes a habit, until it is natural.

To go above the pairs of opposites [i.e. happiness/unhappiness, calmness/anger etc.] you need detachment.

The qualification for grace? Your speech must be sweet.

When you know the Truth there is silence.

Meditate on the Ishta Devata, full of compassion, smiles and light.

‘You must be silent if you want insight.’ [It is] One of Master’s [Sri Ramakrishna’s] teachings.

If there is selfishness in the heart, love is impossible. You are just shop-keeping [i.e.doing things with a motive and wanting something in return].

Forget everything but love for Him [God]. Teacher, teaching and disciple become one [Sri Ramakrishna also used to say, Bhakta (devotee), Bhagavatam (the scripture) and Bhagavan (God) are one].

We must learn to concentrate on one thing.

What is the mantra? Words with divine power.

Don’t follow impulses.

We are born into this world to cultivate love for God’s lotus feet.

Question: If I go to sleep while meditating . . . ?
Swamiji: You sleep because you breathe shallowly. Do pranayama [yoga breathing] which has the pattern 4 counts in,16 counts hold, 8 counts exhale. Or hold your breath as long as you can.

When you know who you are, you will know who God is. Consciousness comes from God – but ‘I’ [ego] consciousness creates another being.

Devotee: May your blessing always be with us, Swamiji.
Swamiji: It will be. Whenever you want it, just dip into it.

First practise ahimsa [non-violence/injury] within. In ahimsa is sacrifice and love – not ‘survival of the fittest’.

Burn up all attachment.

Think of the Atman [soul] and do japa and meditation. If you don’t do this you are immature. Mature, and then you will think of the Atman. We must think of ourselves as spiritual beings – drive this deep into your consciousness, and spirituality will manifest in body and mind. Teach yourself your real nature.

There’s a big temptation with sadhakas [spiritual aspirants] to leave sadhana [spiritual practice] today and do it tomorrow. If you do this you have no principles. Pray: ‘O Lord, help me to remember you.’ We must have faith in God.

Underlined words are hypertext links to clarification, explanation or other sources. Just tap on them.

The free-to-read or download, 396-page Flipbook version of Swamiji’s biography, ‘A Life Lived For Others‘, is available by clicking HERE. If you’d prefer the PDF version, please click HERE.

For our gurubhai Atmaprakash Kramer’s beautiful pictorial ‘memoir’ booklet of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, Avoca Ashram, please click HERE.

There’s also a Facebook site for Swamiji’s posts now. They feature newer readings published more recently. Click HERE to view.

These recordings or the excerpts from them, were made from the early 1970s onward, by Mother Radha, a close devotee of Swamiji’s and edited for uploading here by our gurubhai and her son, Brother Tim. Please be mindful that what Swamiji was saying may have been specific to those with him at the time.