Get serious or give up
[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 845
In Swami Yatiswarananda's book 'Meditation and Spiritual Life' [pictured above – available through the Ramakrishna Mission or a good book shop] it says, 'Have a fixed time for meditation, live a secluded, simple life, rid yourself of most thought currents.' This is true dispassion [vairagya] and is very necessary. We must face it as it is and not how we want it. Do this and have renunciation.
The Divine brings [permanent] happiness. So go after the Divine.
Are you so weak you cannot set a time for sadhana [spiritual practice]? Wake up now. Put discipline now. Who are you bluffing? Repeat the mantra [sacred word or sound symbol] ten times and think of His [God's] qualities. Do this as you walk.
Every spiritual aspirant must go through difficulties on the spiritual path. Without dispassion there is no spiritual life. Every action should make us stronger and stronger. Spiritual life is working all the time – still you have to suffer.
Devotee: I sometimes think my heart is the teacher and my mind is the student.
Swamiji: The mind tells you a lot of things; but it is the heart which directs you rightly. The directors in the heart are not here [Swamiji points to his head].
Think of the body as the temple of God and use the Divine to reach the Divine. As I prostrate I think; Shanti [peace], shanti, shanti.
You must be a humble servant of God. Have a disgust for worldly pleasures and the body. Be serious, otherwise give it up.
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 connect:
Ramakrishna Math and Mission Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa
60; Ramakrishna Dham