Daily Reading 99. Swamiji gives advice on a range of issues – including dealing with troubles.
Taken from Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.
For those who meditate on God with Form…first meditate on the Deity’s whole form, then on parts of it. For example concentrate on the eyes, see them blink. Do this about 40 times, then the whole body comes alive.
Do everything and offer it to God.
In times of trouble watch the thoughts go past, like birds flying past your window. You don’t want to catch them but to watch them.
Older people must prepare to leave the body gracefully.
God dwells in your heart.
Sri Ramakrishna–loka [plane of existence] is an omnipresent [everywhere] loka. You exist in Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Ramakrishna exists everywhere, in everything. If you worship the form of Sri Ramakrishna, the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, your realisation must be from the tiniest ant to the highest God. Only then you will know what Sri Ramakrishna was.
The secret of sadhana [spiritual practice] is the sincerity, purity and love with which you do it. You must do sadhana and read the words of Sri Ramakrishna and chew over them – this is your real sadhana. This will revolutionise you.
When you sit for sadhana, first get you mind into neutral position – for example on your Ishta Devata [chosen Ideal or Deity]. If you have no Ishta Devata, think of something else neutral. From there begin your sadhana. Do japa [repetition of a mantra or one of the many names attributed to God], meditation and scriptural study. Take positive steps – surrender to God – see God’s grace in each moment.
Lust is wanting companionship all the time. If lust and greed are frustrated, it leads to anger. [Swamiji frequently quoted Lord Krishna saying in the Bhagavad Gita that lust, anger and greed are ‘the three open gateways to hell’.] How to overcome anger? Love God. [The] Eye wants to look? Look within. Eye wants to look at somebody? Look at the Deity within. Use counter-thoughts. For hate, think love. You get depressed? Become happy – think of a holy person and become happy.
Someone communes with you on the thought plane? Don’t commune with him. Raise a barrier of disgust for him [or her].
Merge all in the Self, shining within you, your Real nature. Look on yourself as the Atman – not as man, woman, body. It is the limitless Self. Imagine it morning noon and night. At first it is only imagination. That is how I reached It, others reached It and you will reach It.
If something bad happens say: ‘Save me Lord, I am at your feet, protect me.’
A change of consciousness is the ultimate solution. Spiritual awakening forces the mind to what is right and holy. Then it changes to super-sensory awareness. Some people reach old age but do not realise God. Why? Because they are clinging to anger, lust, greed.
You must do everything perfectly; and to do that you must be fully conscious.
Don’t let little things worry you. Just think, ‘I am here, let me see what I can do from here.’
In severe illness, be cheerful – and die in the lap of 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.