Finally surrendering
[2nd President and Spiritual Head: the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa]
DAILY READINGS
From Mother Radha's recordings of Swamiji
712
We seek for this thing in the world but find it not. We seek for this thing in different religions and find it not. But when we seek Him in the religion of our hearts then we find Him everywhere.
Swami Brahmananda the spiritual son of Sri Ramakrishna, said to the sadhakas [spiritual aspirants or practitioners] who were restless and who had not taken life very seriously: 'This is your period to become tired, the period of tiring the mind.' He told this story as an example: 'There was a bird, and the bird was sitting on the mast of a ship. One day when it opened its eyes it saw the glorious sun and found water, water everywhere. It found itself in mid-ocean and thought to itself, I am hungry. It flew to the east and did not find land. It came back and rested on the mast of the boat. The next day it flew to the north and finding no land returned to the ship. It flew to the south and the west but it found no land. Then giving up – as if in self-surrender – giving up everything in sheer desperation, the bird sat on the mast and gave itself to the ship. And one morning when it opened its eyes it saw land, for the ship had sailed to a harbour and there it anchored.'
This is the 'tiring period'. Fly to the east my friends. Fly to the west. Fly to the south and fly to the north. Seek pleasure in everything which is perishable but ultimately you will find that the answer is not that. The answer is in self-surrender, surrender to God. And you do not have to move an inch. You only have to unfurl your sails and the wind of grace will do its work.
We do not know if next year we will be here or not. Whilst the going is good let us get together and glorify Him in thought, word and deed.
God bless. God speed. May your stay here be a happy and inspiring one.
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.
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