Developing faith
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
[now a Centre of the international Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission]
DAILY READINGS
Selected from Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji.
Day 852
To build faith, first think of something special happening to you. I always think about the sixpence [South African sixpenny silver coin in those days] that [the Divine] Mother gave me [Swamiji found it under a stone when he was desperate to see a movie]. I was very poor but the Divine Mother looked after me. First comes faith, then something happens. You cannot explain it, and because of faith you believe it is so. Sri Ramakrishna saw a hibiscus flower on Kali and said: 'It is going to fall' and it did. That faith he banked on many times – and he believed in the Mother that is present. It sounds so simple, but please remember it.
The devotee [chela, disciple, sishya] is the son of the guru. When it is your son, what part of him you do not know, physical, emotional, mental? This openness exists between guru and disciple, wishing for their highest welfare. The guru should not give to the devotee until there is a longing for it, a great yearning and the devotee asks – then only the guru imparts. The child must solve its problems itself. An experienced teacher throws hints to the child.
The cavity of the heart is the Being of everyone. The bija [seed] mantra [sacred syllable, word or one of the many names attributed to God] of being is 'I'. In the space of your heart is the Being of the Universe. Your heart and my heart are used to reach God's heart.
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.
For more about the Holy Trinity, and also the founding Swamis of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, please mouse over their names below:
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 c
onnect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa Ramakrishna Dham