Spiritual insights
[Pictured: Monks of the Ramakrishna order at Belur Math]
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
[now a Centre of the international Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission]
Selected from Mother Radha’s recordings of Swamiji.
Day 935
The ego [ahamkara] divides. The heart unites.
Sri Ramakrishna is the wish-fulfilling cow. He is like a tree in a desert, to which animals and men can come and meet in its shade.
Sri Ramakrishna did not say, “Don’t do this, don’t do that.” Sri Ramakrishna said, “With eyes open and eyes closed, see the Lord and there is something beyond that too.”
To improve meditation, brahmacharya [constant remembrance of God at its highest and sense-control or celibacy at its lowest], study of the scriptures and poverty are required. However you may hold money to use for others. Then of course there is renunciation.
[Prayer and religious] Rituals are pegs [anchors] that hold [stabilise] you.
In the Upanishads [Hindu philosophical treatises] it says we must get rid of the ego, but you cannot altogether [whilst still travelling the spiritual path]. So be humble, and this leads to surrender.
There is nothing like japa [meditative repetition of a mantra – sacred sound syllable – or one of the many names attributed to God] and meditation and studying the scriptures. If you do not have good thoughts, then, rather than having bad thoughts, take a holy book and read the good thoughts in it.
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