pkconsciousness

Is war good? Is war necessary?

Is war good? No. Never.

You perhaps ask this question because you have never seen war at close quarters nor have you ever reflected deeply on war.

Wars you see in movies are glorified enactments of fantasies.

Wars you read in history text-books are numbers and dates.

And wars fought on video games- they don't get you to hear the moans and cries of people who are wounded because you gunned them down.

What is the reality of war?

Violence, loss of life, maiming, destruction of property and broken dreams.

It is only a very sick mind that can want war or instigate war.

No war victory ever leads to lasting happiness other than in fantasy stories.

Wars usually end in bitterness, looting, children being orphaned, refugees and exploitation.

Do you think an act as brutal as this is necessary for a show of strength?

Then comes the question  - is war necessary?

This is an extremely complex question. Because you may be a perfectly peace-loving people - but you might get invaded by a violent neighbour. Then going to war to protect oneself, to protect millions of innocent citizens becomes your Dharma or right action.

Let us remember that war must always be the final act of self-defence.

Every citizen of the country must bow their heads in respect for those who are standing on the frontiers, laying their lives to keep us safe. But that is not enough.

If you truly value their sacrifice, practice living with a peaceful consciousness, every day of your lives.

Remember, individual peace becomes world peace.

Individual consciousness steeped in conflict and violence, erupts as global violence.

If the Dharma or right action of a soldier is to lay his life to protect the nation - the Dharma or the right action of the citizens is to live with a non- violent consciousness. 

That is why, it is the same Mahabharatha where Sri Krishna encourages Arjuna to fight, that also speaks of Ahimsaa Paramo Dharmaha on various occasions.

Ahimsa or living with a non- violent consciousness is an immense act of courage and not cowardice. It is not weakness; it is a sign of maturity.

Who else would know this better than us, the people of ancient Bharatha Varsha?

We are not a recent nation. We are a very ancient nation. We have never been a war mongering nation,  which went to conquer other people's lands or riches in our long history except may be once, during the times of Cholas.

Do you know that even today the Indian armed forces are not desirous of ever going for offensive war.  They only rise to defend when threatened. Do you know we are one of the most powerful armed forces in the world ?

World over there is an immense respect for the Indian soldier's dedication and fearlessness in combat. Our soldiers are ranked the highest.

Well, in the ultimate analysis, war is evil- but when war becomes inevitable, you will have to respond to the challenge with total preparedness. Just as at the beginning of the Maha Bharata war, Sri Krishna blew the Pancha Janya only after Bheeshma blew his Conch first - In readiness for whatever life may throw across.

Want to make luck happen? Learn the art of making synchronicities happen on a consistent basis from Sri Preethaji.

Today I want to teach you how to make luck happen.

 Kublai Khan; the famous Mongol general invaded Japan around 1274 AD. He invaded with 20,000 soldiers on 500 ships. And Japan was hardly prepared for this kind of a battle on sea. Japanese soldiers were more trained in single combat.

 Just as the Mongols were reaching the shore, a massive storm stretching from horizon to horizon broke and tore the Mongolian fleet apart. It left no survivors.

 The Japanese called it as the ‘Divine Wind.’ They called it 'Kamikaze'.

 Seven years later, 100,000 Mongols again attempted to attack Japan. This time a Typhoon, completely out of season, destroyed the entire fleet!!

 Now what would you call this?

 Some would call it an accident, some would call it a miracle, some would call it a co- incidence, some would call it luck.

 We could call it a -  ‘Synchronicity’

So what is a synchronicity ? And why do w call it a synchronicity? 

 We see the universe not as blocks of matter, but as patterns of energy. When we speak of synchronicities, we see that these are meaningful harmonious occurrences that some how are either aligned towards our heart's intention or aligned towards the greater well-being of life.

 Such synchronicities have happened to people. We think they are random occurrences. But we want them to happen to us on a consistent basis. Isnt it?

 Is it possible? It definitely is.

 We have for several years now studied and intuited the 'Science of Synchronicities'. Thousands of students of the Academy today regularly manifest synchronicities - both on a massive scale and in their daily experiences, such that they feel their life has a magical quality to it.

 They get in touch with the right people they were looking for - and land in the right dream opportunities.

 They come upon the right information they were looking for - and with that information create a difference to others.

 They receive the right messages from the universe at the right time, when they are actually questing for an answer,

This takes away their inner struggle and leads them to peace.

 But for these things to happen, two things must happen in your consciousness.

 The first one is you need to experience a 'Beautiful Inner State'

  And the second factor that needs to happen to you is - for you to experience a magnificent connection with the Universal Intelligence, call it divine, call it a field or call it God.

 Most people think that the Universal Intelligence or the Divine is a massive force field. But only the Mystics know, only the ones whose heart has awakened know - that you can actually experience a personal connection with this massive Mystic Force field, with this Universal Intelligence. And this Universal Intelligence can actually relate to you.

  A Mystic knows that this Universal Intelligence can be related to as a being - as a friend, as a mother, as a father, as a beloved, as a grandfather.

 When you live in a beautiful state and connect to the Universal intelligence, relate to this Universal intelligence – and ASK- then you see events flow according to a strange sequence- like balls on a pool table and Synchronicities happen!

 Just as Physics, Math, Biology or Chemistry are Sciences with enormous intricate details; so too the ‘Science of Consciousness’ is vast. It's like a vast ocean with endless shores. And it reveals itself to those who are passionate.

Guru Pournima is ancient tradition. It is celebrated in the honour of Sage Vyasa who is supposed to have completed the compilation of Brahma Sutras on that specific full-moon day in the lunar calendar more than 3,000 years ago. 

Are you thinking what is so special about the compilation of Brahma Sutras?

Do you know what the Brahma Sutras are? 

They are pithy, brief descriptions of profound enlightened states of consciousness of sages.

'Sarvam Khalvidham Brahma' is one Brahma Sutra.

Let us briefly look into what this Brahma Sutra means.

It means that - All that exists is Brahman.

Brahman is the one indivisible field of consciousness. This Brahma Sutra says- All that exists is the one indivisible field of consciousness.

Can you imagine the depth of this Brahma Sutra?

All that exists- means the physical universe at the micro level of the strings and the Quarks - to the visible level of objects and bodies - to the macro level of galaxies and multi dimensional universes - all are Brahman - All is the one indivisible consciousness.

The single celled bacteria, to the blue whales, the rain forests with animals and all humanity is Brahman; All is the one indivisible consciousness.

All the Devas, the Asuras and the Spirits that pervade other Lokaas too are Brahman. All is the indivisible unitary consciousness.

Can you conceive the grandeur of this enlightened state of consciousness that each of us as human beings is capable of? And how mysterious is it, that such a grand state could be summed into 3 words?

'Sarvam Khalvidham Brahma'

That is the power of this one Brahma Sutra. 

Sage Vyasa is supposed to have gathered the enlightenment experiences of numerous sages and compiled them into 134 Brahma Sutras. 

A Sage like that who has left for humanity reminders of their transcendental dimensions definitely deserves a space of honour for all time.

Of course, it does not mean that there are only 134 enlightened states of consciousness. There are innumerable states. And the vedic tradition is open to acknowledging every enlightened state of consciousness that may arise in anyone at any time as legit.

That is why, they said 'Anantaavai Veda' - which means 'Veda is Endless'. They did not say - that only experiences that happened until this period of time are accepted and the rest are fake. The vedic tradition never ended at all. So long as human beings continue to experience enlightened states of consciousness - the vedic tradition lives on. 

When you celebrate Guru Pournima, you are celebrating Sage Vyasa's stupendous work. You are also celebrating the potential of your own consciousness to rise above the limited life to rise to glorious states of Enlightenment.

Bleach your prejudice not the skin . It’s time society changed its colors.

End the tug of war in your head.

Spiritual Right Action that I speak about is very different from following rules. 
The principles of spiritual right action should be applied whenever there is a conflict between what is morally right and morally wrong, and between what is ethically right and ethically wrong. 
Let me give you an example from Bible. This is a famous incident from bible called  Peter’s denial. 
After the last supper when Jesus is arrested and taken to the high priest for trial, Peter and few others follow Jesus to the high priest’s courtyard. And there a woman and a man recognize him to be one of Jesus’s close members. Peter bluntly denies any association with Jesus and declares that he does not know the man at all. Soon Peter moves into tremendous guilt. He moves into shame and cries bitterly. He moves into shame and he moves into regret. 
Bible portrays this complex situation where Peter fights a moral battle between standing by someone you love and protecting your own survival. 
What would you do if you were in Peter’s position? Think for a moment.
Or put yourself into this morally conflicting position that doctors in some countries have faced in the recent past or continuing to face even now. They had to play ‘God’, having to choose who gets the ventilator and survives and who does not get the support.
Human life is filled with complexities:
To do or not to do
To help or to say no
To wait or to ask
To buy or to refrain
To forgive or to demand an apology 
To say YES or to say a NO
To give or to withhold
To be patient or to demand
To suspect or to trust
To stay or to leave
To confide or to be cautious
To care or to ignore
It is in these situations that one does not know what right action is. 
In such deep dilemmas of human existence, the principles of Spiritual Right action will be your guide.
Spiritual Right Action is a result of an inward journey you take in the thick of life. 
In very simple terms, it begins with right decision. 
You make a right decision from a beautiful state where you feel connected to yourself, where you feel conencted to the people around you and you are connected to the situation you are facing.
Once you have chosen what to do, you perform that action from that beautiful state and move forwards in life in total peace. 
When you are caught in ideals, you are stuck in conflict. You are stuck in suffering. Your heart is dead because you are constantly trying to live up to the ideal.
Don't you find this happen in life? 
Sometimes you find that while you are stuck in inaction, someone else around is able to act with spontaineity, because they were in a beautiful state of connection at that time.  
Our ideals limit us. They make us feel frustrated and regretful. 
Often times, you take recourse to ideals when you do not know how to live from a beautiful state. That is when you try to live up to standards set by religion, try to live up to standards set by society, or morality.  And such ideal driven actions are often paralysing, leads to disharmony and leads to further chaos in your life. 
You perhaps are wondering if there is no room for ideals or codes at all in life? 
The fact is you don't need spiritual right action in areas of life where there is no moral or ethical conflict involved. 
You don't need ideals in obeying traffic rules, in following travel regulations in your country. These rules are not ideals. They are codes of conduct. They are regulations. 
Ideals are different. They define your sense of self. They define your identity. Ideals define whether you are a morally good person or a bad person, right or wrong in a given situation. 
The only way to find an answer to this moral dilemma is to ‘Source’ yourself in a beautiful state of connection.

I believe that every couple has to know the essence of this ancient ceremony, regardless of your nationality or religion.Most Indian couples would have taken those 7 steps around the fire, on the day of their wedding without ever realising the significance of it. 
Because marriages are a blur of excitement and a rush of activities. So much of your focus is on how you are going to show up for everyone that you hardly have the time to immerse into the depth of your being. You hardly have the space to feel the depth of love for each other. For a few moments let us reconnect to the soul of this timeless ceremony. 
During Saptapadhi, the couple usually hold each other’s right hands and go around a sacrificial fire 7 times. The first four circumambulations - the man leads and the woman follows. The last 3 rounds, the woman leads and the man follows.
With the first walk around the fire, the man holds his bride’s hand and says
Om Isha Ekapadhi Bhava
Which means, I WILL NOURISH YOU PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY AND SPIRITUALLY.
With the second walk around the fire, the man holding his bride's hand says
Om Oorjve Dvipadhii Bhava
meaning - I PROMISE YOU, WE WILL GROW AND EVOLVE TOGETHER
With the third walk around the fire, the man holding his bride's hand says,
Om Raayashposhaaya Thripadhii Bhava
I PROMISE, TO BRING YOU ABUNDANCE AND CARE FOR YOUR NEEDS.
With the fourth walk around the fire, the man says to his wife - 
Om Mayo Bhavyaaya Chathushpadhii Bhava
I PROMISE TO SERVE YOU WITH HAPPINESS IN MY BEING AND BRING YOU HAPPINESS.
With the fifth walk around the sacred fire, the bride takes the lead. She holds the man's hand and says:
Om PrajaaBhya Pancha Padhii Bhava
I PROMISE TO CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN WITH LOVE.
With the sixth walk around the fire, the bride says to the man
Om RuthuBhya Shathpadhii Bhava.
I PROMISE TO LOVE YOU IN ALL SEASONS OF YOUR LIFE - IN YOUR YOUTH AND OLD AGE. With the seventh and the last step, the bride says to the man
Om SaKhe Saptapadhii Bhava
I PROMISE YOU TRUE FRIENDSHIP ALL MY LIFE.
Can you feel the depth of these promises you made to each other? They are supposed to have been made in a state of deep love. 
If only every young couple know the essence of Saptapadhi before they get married, marriages would stand many storms more easily. When done with great sacredness and true meaning, this ceremony can be a reminder for years to come. In moments when your desires clash with the reality of who your partner is,In moments when the wounds of your past come to surface and become misunderstandings - the sacred ceremony of Saptapadhi will serve as a reminder to return to the soul of your relationship. You will realise that your togetherness is more important than any emotional wound. No challenge can take away your love for each other. Just as no matter how dark or huge a cloud may be, it has to give way for the sun to shine, so do what ever challenges come your way, you will reconnect with the flame of love in your heart. However, with the changing times and changing roles of men and women, we believe all the 7 promises must be made by both the man and the woman. Partnered relationships are not simply made by two like-minded people coming together, because of their chemistry or because of the couple's compatibility of education, status, tastes or cultures. To make a relationship enduring your hearts need to evolve. You must feel your partner to be inseparable from you. Let us leave you with a blessing: May your love endure.

Let me share with you about the fascinating birth of surya namaskaras from Hinduism.

They are not credited to any human yogi- but to Hanuman- the god of courage and super human strength.

When Hanuman approaches Surya Bhagavan to accept him as his student and teach him. The sun god says - I Keep travelling all the time on my chariot of 7 horses from one end of the earth to the other. If you can keep pace with me, I would not mind teaching you.

Hanuman joyfully accepts the challenge and keeps pace with the sun - flying backward facing his teacher travelling across the sky, and learning wisdom.

Once his learning from sun God was over - Hanuman seems to have spontaneously performed the suryanamaskara in deep love and Gratitude to his teacher, the sun God chanting his 12 names.

Why do we salute the sun? Because He is considered prathyaksha narayana. He is the visible divine. He is savitr-  radiant spiritual luminosity that drives away our ignorance and darkness.

It is his light that is life force in all plants and trees and animals.

His light is our food.

His light is our sight.

It is with this Gratitude that Hindus begin their sun salutations every morning.

You begin and end your Surya namaskara with a namaste at the heart. This is because the seat of Surya or the divine aspect of the celestial sun in the human body is the heart.

Surya is also considered as the all seeing eye of time. That is; when you do dharana on Surya- you achieve deep insights into the nature of time and life.

Surya namaskara is 12 poses.

Surya namaskar is more than a mere physical exercise. Surya namaskara is a grand orchestration of breath, movement, focus on chakra, mantra, dharana on the consciousness aspect of the sun.

Together this magnificent coming together pushes a yogi into a state of oneness.

The first dharana you do on the sun in your heart chakra is as mithra - on the beautiful state of universal affection.

A state of consciousness that does not with hold its love from either the Black- brown-white- yellow human beings, from the grey elephants, from the white shark, green trees, violet mountains, and the blue oceans.

It is universal love and light the sun radiates on all beings

With the first dharana on Surya in pranamasana, Hanuman pushes us to realize the ultimate essence of yoga. Which is the state of oneness.

Sit quietly in sukhasan

Breathe in and out slowly from the abdomen

Join your palms at your heart chakra and do dhaarana on the mithra nature of the sun.

Feel the glorious form of the early morning sun in your heart.

On Mithraaya Namaha -7 times

Now Feel as if a deep love that does not discriminate on any basis is spreading in your heart like the rays of the sun.

feel deep love taking birth in you for all people, all animals, all plants.

Om Mithraaya namaha

Slowly open your eyes.

On this international day of yoga let us take the first baby step towards complete and true Surya namaskara.

There are doting fathers, loving fathers, caring fathers, strict fathers, distant fathers, absent fathers and even abusive fathers.

No matter what kind of a father we have, a part of him flows through us. When we stand in front of a mirror, we see him in our eyes, in our smiles and frowns. When we speak, we hear him in our voice. When we move, we can trace him in our gestures. When we emote, we can feel him in our thoughts.

Even if you never met your biological father, he still flows through you.

Sometimes what flows from your father into you may be wholesome samskaras or tendencies - sometimes less than desirable.

It is part of our karmic evolution to dissolve that, which is unwholesome, and nurture that, which is wholesome.

This is a necessary step in every human being’s journey towards success & fulfillment.

Some people ask me about what I think of Father’s Day that comes on every third Sunday of June.

It is quite a recent tradition and I think a good one, because it helps bring some healing and some connection between fathers and children in an otherwise lonely life for many people.

And think of it, most festivals are to celebrate Gods. Let us also take the opportunity to celebrate people who matter to us.

I would personally say Father’s Day should not only be to celebrate one’s biological father, it should also be to celebrate and honor anyone who really stood by you in the place of a father.

Listen to this ancient Hindu chant.

Janakaschopanethaa cha,

yascha vidhyaam prayaCChathi

anna daathaa Bhaya thraathaa

paschaithe pitharah smrithaah

What it means is that five people are worthy of honor as a father

- The one who gave birth to you

-The one who initiated you onto the spiritual path

-The one who gives you wisdom

-The one who feeds you

-The one who liberates you from fear

Around this Father’s Day you could honor, thank and celebrate all these people who have played a father’s role in your life.