Layers of mind
[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 838
There is the conscious mind, the subconscious mind, the unconscious mind and the super-conscious mind.
You can meditate on all seven chakras [psychic centres] at one time. By doing this you by-pass the conscious mind and go straight to the subconscious mind. In the conscious mind there is one thing that can be held as a concentrated focus] at a time – but the subconscious mind is already there. There is the conscious mind, i.e. this, and there is the unconscious mind e.g. when you faint – it is below the conscious mind. The subconscious mind is in the middle. The unconscious mind carries all past [birth] impressions [samskaras]. When you are de-hypnotised [from the illusion [maya] of this plane of consciousness], you become super-conscious [above all of them, via the state of samadhi].
You must feel bhakti [divine love, devotion] to awaken bhakti in you.
In sattva [a state of balance and equilibrium] one is obliterated – then That [the One universal consciousness] shines. When 'I' [ego – ahamkara, a sense of separation] lives, God hides and when God lives, 'I' dies. To see this we must look at the episodes [lives] of the Incarnations [avatars] .
There is the perishable – i.e. all beings. Then there is the imperishable – i.e. the soul. Then there is the highest Self, the Immortal Lord [Brahman], who pervades and sustains the three worlds.
After many births you will hear the Upanishads [Hindu philosophical treatises], understand them, know them. You must have a goal – realisation comes later. There is only one desire you must have: God-realisation.
Perform ritual worship [puja] and serve God in all. Later this becomes eternal worship. Or, serve Him in the guru [spiritual preceptor] first and then in others. If you meditate on your deity, remember It [too] is eternal.
There must be no random [thoughtless, impulsive] thinking or talking on the path.
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