Swami Shivapadananda with spiritual guidelines
DAILY READINGS
Taken from Mother Radha's notes, written at Swamiji's feet.
Day 393
What we really need is purity and truthfulness. Be positive. There must be no depression.
When I see anger coming up I say, 'O yes [Divine Mother] Ma, this is your form too. Come, do not run away. I want to know you in all your forms Ma.'
Yes, we all want heaven. But we cannot have this and that.
Why are we fearful? Why don't we just say, 'Ma, I am your child, you look after me.'
It is easy to teach, it is easier to listen. It is hard to preach, but preach we must.
Did you see Sri Ramakrishna's simplicity in the film [of the Master's life]? Well God's simplicity is much greater than that.
Enthusiasm is needed in spiritual life, then you can attain anything.
Be like the maid [servant] who comes to work. She loves the employer's child, but at 5 p.m. she goes home happily to her own child. So we must love our child (or the friend or the relative) as though it is our own, but the moment it goes, or is taken, we are still happy because we know it is not ours, it is God's.
The mind does not like to meditate – to concentrate on the here and now – because there is no excitement. The mind is full of people and things.
You can do japa [repetition of God's names or a mantra] in any position, even lying down. God does not really care which position you are in. If He wants to come, He will come.
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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.
Reference websites: Ramakrishna Math & Mission, Ramakrishna Centre of Southern Africa, Sri Ramakrishna Dham