When you know your own Self, you will still have a generous heart. You will still participate in the world. You will still care and share. And your actions will make a difference in other people’s lives. But you’re like the masked man, not looking for their appreciation. You do it because it’s there to be done.  

Watch Gurudevi’s full discourse "Action and Reaction" here. 

One who gives the upwelling light of your own Self is called Guru. If someone else gives you the upwelling light of your own Self, then call them Guru. Personally, I never found anyone else who did. I definitely found people who caused upwelling feelings in me. Emotions ranging from happiness to pain, ranging from anger to love, ranging from fascination to fear. But no one else gave me my Self. No one but Baba. – Gurudevi Nirmalananda

Listen to Gurudevi’s full discourse here.

This is the goal of meditation —  that you allow yourself to dive deeper and deeper within, until you are immersed in your own Divine Essence.  As you steep in this inner experience, you become saturated by your own Beingness, which is Beingness-Itself.  Then, when you open your eyes, you bring your own Self with you.  Who is seeing through your eyes?  Who uses your hands, uses your words, uses your mind to accomplish the Divine purpose for which you were born?  To live in the inner immersion, even while living your life — this is called Self-Realization, often called Enlightenment. 

Watch Gurudevi's full discourse "I Wanted to Know" here.

Once you are enlightened, you will still have a body. And it will still experience heat and cold, as well as pleasure and pain. Oh Arjuna, manage to endure them, by seeing that you are more than your senses… You’re not waiting for life to make you happy, because you already are. Happier than happy, you live in the continuing flow of the bliss of Consciousness. – Gurudevi Nirmalananda

Watch Gurudevi’s full discourse here

Why do you care about the world?  Why do you care about people you’ve never met?  This caring comes from recognition, the key principle of our tantric path.  Recognition is even the name of one of the primary texts of Kashmiri Shaivism, the Pratyabhijnahrdayam. The title is made up of two words, hyrdayam, which means the heart, the essence or the core of the teaching; and pratyabhijna which means recognition.    

Watch Gurudevi's full discourse "What's Happening Matters" here.

Bring your spirituality into the world. It’s not about fulfilling your desires; it’s about serving others. You choose to share, to give, to live in a spirit of generosity. Your life becomes filled by the river of Grace. You see the bigger picture and choose to operate from that higher perspective. Yoga is skillful action. Just do it!

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