Handling meditation distractions
[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 828
When meditating the mind must be calm – the body must not be held tense, it must just be free. If any disturbing forces come into your mind you must, for a few seconds, imagine that a light is coming out from your navel [manipura chakra] – right from in your navel. Look at it from bottom to top and from top to bottom. You look at it like that about three times and feel that intense light that keeps away all disharmonious vibrations. Then you meditate.
Devotee: Is study a part of sadhana [spiritual practice]?
Swamiji: Yes, study is a part of sadhana and every morning and evening you must study the scriptures. From the time I came to the Ashram [monastery] I've been shouting that one word. Instead of listening to the swamis, the pundits [pandits] or to the learned people from India, why do you not please take your books and read the scriptures yourself? If you have any doubts then ask a question. It's as easy as that. So why is it not popular? Because you did not make it popular.
Swamiji reads from the Bhagavad Gita
Though moving like fire among material objects, He remains unaffected by the evils therein. His divine form and name remain hidden at times but it becomes manifest before those who are adoring him, desiring the truth. He accepts their offerings of worship and in return, like the all-consuming fire, He takes away the impurities and the evil karmas [burdens, life-scripts] of the past and of the future.
Devotee: [Swamiji] You said, "fire consumes the karmas." Does it consume the future karmas as well?
Swamiji: It's like this. If I plant a seed, that's a karma [something with the potential to manifest or grow], right? If it's going to grow and bear fruit, then that fruit is the future isn't it? So if I destroy the seed – burn it now – then it won't bear fruit in the future, will it? It burns the present and therefore the future.
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 Ramakrishna Dham