Archives for Spirituality
Graduating from Faith and Rituals
When a man follows the way of the world, or the way of the flesh, or the way of tradition - when he believes in religious rites and the letter of the scriptures, as though they were intrinsically sacred - knowledge of Reality cannot arise in him. (Adi Sankara in…
Karma, convenient excuse or a beacon of light?
Karma, convenient excuse or a beacon of light? Self-transformation is arduous work, especially at first; but each tiny change brings with it the joyful awareness that your life is gradually becoming a force for peaceful change.” Karma is an expression used to rationalize everything from why one’s life is…
Karma Yogis Among Us
The following is a story of two individuals with whom I had the honor to interact with. Mrs. Janaki is a respectable grandmother. During weekends, when I visit the Hindu Temple, she would join me for the ride. During one of the visits, in the main hallway of the…
The Changing Conception of God – from Fear to Philosophy
Since the early days, man believed in the existence of god. However, the concept of God – why one needs a god or how god appears - had changed over time. The ancient man, living the nomadic life of a hunter-gatherer, sought the help of powerful forces (god) to…
Rituals, Contemplation, and Service
Every religion requires its followers to observe a set of rituals which it signifies through sacred symbols, descriptions, narratives, and practices. A Hindu applying ashes on his forehead and reciting mantras at a temple, a Christian wearing a cross and attending a church, a Muslim wearing a cap and praying…
The Kural – Changing the Axis of Life
Ram Sriram Recently, The Hindu newspaper published an article about the renowned Tamil scholar, Thiruvachagamani Balasuramaniam and his conversation with the former President of India, Saravepalli Dr. S. Radhakrishan, during an event at the Chennai Kapali temple in 1961. Impressed by Thiru Balasubramaniam’s speech on Periyapuranam at the event, Dr.…
Divya Nama Kirtanas – A Bhajana Tradition
“I dwell not in Vaikunta, nor in the hearts of great Yogis; Know O: Ye Neared, Where my Devotees sing, There I dwell.” By P. Sreenivasan Of the Nava Vidha Bhakthis or the Nine Paths of Devotion to Godhead, perhaps the best understood, widely practiced and most enjoyed, is KIRTANAM.…
Who is in charge of your mind
Neuroscientists state that, while we claim we are in control, it is actually our inner mind that is influencing our emotions, motives, and Dr. , renowned behavioral-neurologist, expressed, "...; our conscious life is nothing but elaborate post-hoc rationalization of things we do for other reasons." While these findings indicate that…
The subconscious mind knows more about you
Until early 17th century, scientists, philosophers, and theologians - from both the West and the East - recognized that our subconscious minds influenced who we are and the world we live in. These intellectuals also concurred that knowledge of one's mind is as important as knowledge of the physical world.…
Just a bit of wrestling, no pretty steps
By Venkat Ramanan “It is lucky that it is not raining today. Strange, how in some way one always has the impressions of being fortunate, how some chance happening, perhaps infinitesimal, stops us crossing the threshold of despair and allows us to live. It is raining, but it is not…