Cultivating Humility: Key to a Harmonious Life

Humility is often hailed as one of the most crucial virtues for success and personal growth. Humility is not about diminishing oneself or lacking confidence but about shifting our focus away from self-centeredness to a more respectful and open-minded approach towards others.

In essence, humility involves showing respect for others, being open to their perspectives, and allowing space for their experiences without passing judgment.

By nurturing humility, you invite positive growth in every important area of your life. Gradually you will experience a peaceful, satisfying and harmonious life for yourself and others around you.

Let’s explore this further…

Lack of Humility Breeds Personal & Societal Disturbance

In general, when we place ourselves above others due to some unknown tendency, we hinder our own progress. It gradually breeds arrogance that may act as a blindfold, preventing us from recognizing our shortcomings, while shifting our focus outward. This mindset prevents our personal growth and disrupts all aspects of life—whether in relationships, at work, or in our personal lives. Without humility, chaos and disorder are likely to follow.

History is filled with many instances where the arrogance and lack of humility of so-called big leaders led to the downfall of their entire empires and dynasties. Consequently, their subjects suffered as well.

Consider if a husband might view himself as superior to his wife, or a student might believe they are more intelligent than their teacher. An employee might see themselves as more skilled & smarter than their boss or colleagues. Boys might believe they are superior to girls, the wealthy might feel they are above the poor, or one race might regard itself as more privileged than another. A beautiful woman might look down on those she thinks less attractive, and a strong man might feel superior to the physically weak ones.

This belief in one’s own superiority often results in disrupted relationships, racism, exploitation, and even conflict and war. Even if someone truly excels, they should still treat others with all respect.

Humility Plays A Vital Role For Success

A skilled individual may surpass others with their talents and abilities, gaining recognition and admiration. However, a humble person not only earns respect but also wins people’s hearts. This creates a deeper connection and builds trust, empathy, and sincerity, which are essential for lasting success in any field of life, as it fosters meaningful relationships and genuine support from those around them.

Let’s see how practicing humility can help us in our daily lives.

1. Strengthens Relationships

Humility is crucial for fostering meaningful relationships. When we embrace humility, we prioritize the needs, feelings, and perspectives of others, becoming more understanding rather than confrontational.

Instead of focusing on finding faults, we begin to empathize with others’ situations, leading to mutual respect and trust. Humility also prevents us from passing quick judgments, encouraging open-minded and meaningful communication.

Moreover, it helps us recognize our own flaws and accept the imperfections in others, laying the foundation for deep, harmonious and lasting connections.

2. Fosters an Open Mindset

When we embrace humility, we acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers. This opens the door to a learning mindset, allowing us to actively listen to others and explore new perspectives.

Humility encourages us to become lifelong learners, continuously improving without the barrier of pride or the illusion of already knowing it all. By staying open to new ideas, we grow and evolve in ways that would otherwise be impossible.

3. Encourages Self-Reflection & Growth

Humility allows us to acknowledge our flaws with clear insights. Free from the blinding effects of arrogance, we can recognize our mistakes and take constructive steps toward improvement. This openness makes it easier to handle criticism/feedback.

By accepting and understanding our imperfections, we can actively work on them, fostering personal growth and continuous development throughout life.

4. Enhances Leadership

A humble leader is more likely to earn the loyalty, cooperation, and respect of their team. Humility in leadership means appreciating the efforts of everyone, being open to feedback, and focusing on the team’s success instead of seeking personal praise. This creates a positive and welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and motivated to do their best.

5. Develops Empathy

Humility and empa t hy are closely connected. A humble person is better able to understand and relate to what others are feeling, which helps them show more kindness and care. When we let go of our ego and stop focusing only on ourselves, we can truly connect with others, see their challenges, and offer support in ways that really matter.

Humility allows us to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes, making it easier to be compassionate and helpful.

6. Promotes Forgiveness

Humility makes it easier for us to forgive others and ask for forgiveness when we’ve made mistakes. It helps us let go of grudges and avoid conflicts caused by pride. By being humble, we create peace and emotional healing, both for ourselves and in our relationships.

A humble attitude allows us to stop worrying about being right all the time, leading to more harmony and understanding with others.

7. Keeps Us Grounded in Success and Failure

Humility helps us stay balanced, no matter what we go through. When we succeed, it stops us from becoming arrogant or feeling like we deserve special treatment, which can harm our relationships and hold back future progress.

In times of failure, humility helps us stay strong because it allows us to admit our mistakes, learn from them, and move forward without feeling hopeless or blaming others.

8. Leads to Inner Peace

One of the most valuable benefits of humility is the inner peace it brings. Humility helps us stop seeking constant approval and praise from others and let go of the need to control everything or everyone around us. By freeing ourselves from the weight of pride and the pressure to always prove our worth, we can significantly reduce stress and anxiety.

As we move away from ego-driven concerns, we begin to feel more satisfied and calm inside, no matter what is happening around us. This inner peace allows us to live more serenely, without being affected by outside situations or people’s opinions.

Humility is an Absolute Necessity In Spiritual Life

Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the great apostle of love of Godhead and the preacher of congregational chanting (sankirtan movement), has emphasized humility as essential for advancing in spiritual life.

He has written prayers of eight verses that express devotion to the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna.

In the third verse, He writes:

“One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.”

World-renowned yoga spiritual master, Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa, explains this verse of Lord Chaitanya:

“It is not just a recommendation that one should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, but it is an absolute necessity for success. Because if you do not cultivate this humility, then surely you will be in a situation where you are passing judgment. That is an offence.”

Finding faults in other devotees & God is considered the biggest offence that stunts our spiritual growth. When we become judges and start finding faults in others, it becomes impossible for us to develop a real taste for chanting the Holy Names of God, which is the only way to advance in spiritual realization in this age.

Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s emphasis on humility in spiritual practice underscores its universal importance. By aligning our mindset with these teachings, we not only enhance our spiritual progress but also cultivate a more compassionate and respectful approach to others in all areas of life.

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Thank you for your time.

Exploring Meditation From a Different Perspective

“Meditation” is a term that everyone is familiar with. Videos, articles, and content are abundant on the internet about meditation and its incredible benefits. These resources often inspire us to start meditating immediately. However, many people give up at the beginning because they find meditation to be complicated. It requires patience, perseverance, and a lot of practice, which is challenging for everyone.

But let’s delve into a different perspective on meditation.

Whether knowingly or unknowingly, we all engage in meditation…

Everyone meditates on something, even if they are unaware of it. Let’s consider some examples.

If we observe our daily lives closely, we will find that a mother meditates on her child, constantly concerned about their well-being.

Businesspeople often meditate on money, while politicians meditate on power. Youngsters may meditate upon romantic interests, and intellectuals ponder books. Brokers constantly think about stocks and so on…

Therefore, everyone meditates on something.

Meditation refers to what the mind or consciousness is focused upon. Many believe that sitting down with crossed legs and closed eyes is spiritual meditation. However, if a person sits with closed eyes but thinks about money or worldly matters, it does not necessarily constitute spiritual meditation.

Furthermore, some believe natural meditation entails emptying the mind of all material forms, thoughts, problems, and concerns. While this perspective holds some truth, it is not the entirety of actual or spiritual meditation. When individuals have nothing else to focus on, they attempt to clear their minds by fixating on sound vibrations. They aim to push away all other thoughts and blank their minds. However, this is also not true meditation.

So, what is actual meditation?

To engage in actual meditation, we must first understand our true identity. Without this understanding, we may attempt to meditate but ultimately fail to attain spiritual realization.

Our true identity is that of spirit souls embodied in temporary material bodies composed of gross and subtle material elements. The five gross elements are earth, water, fire, air, and ether, while the three subtle elements are mind, false ego, and intelligence.

As spirit souls, also known as Atma, we are eternal beings who never take birth or die. We change bodies according to our desires and past karmic reactions. The Bhagavad-Gita beautifully describes the true identity of the living entity as stated by the Supreme Lord:

For the soul, there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying, and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.
Bhagavad-Gita 2:20

The conditioned spirit soul is seen changing bodies from childhood to youth to old age to death and then into the womb of another mother. Above, a man is changing garments, and below, the soul is changing bodies.

In our current state, we exist in a material world where everything is temporary. Our lives are plagued by suffering due to the inevitable cycle of birth, aging, illness, and death. We will endure these challenges as long as we remain within this material realm, which is rife with hardships. We are an integral part of the Supreme Lord, and our true nature is spiritual. No matter how much we indulge in worldly pleasures or lead a life of luxury, we can never find lasting satisfaction in these material pursuits.

Our inner yearning can only be fulfilled through spiritual nourishment. This craving prompts us to cultivate a connection with the Supreme Lord because we share in His eternal nature as parts of God. We belong to the realm of the eternal spiritual world.

The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they struggle very hard with the six senses, including the mind.
Bhagavad Gita 15:7

When we understand this reality and develop a loving relationship with God, we eliminate the material miseries and enter into the kingdom of God, which is eternal & spiritually blissful. After attaining that kingdom, we don’t return to these miserable conditions of the material world.

Yet there is another nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains. That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is My supreme abode.
Bhagavad Gita 8:20 – 21

But the question is, how can we re-establish our connection with God?

In the Vedas, it is said that the process of Bhakti Yoga, or devotional service, is the only way to develop our relationship with God. Bhakti Yoga means keeping one’s consciousness on the Supreme Personality of the Godhead in a good way. An atheist also remembers God but is in a denial state. “There’s no God. God doesn’t exist”; this is how he remembers God, but this is not spiritual meditation.

When we keep our consciousness upon God, His beauty, His power, His glory, His words, His pastimes, His transcendental form & His Holy Names, that is called actual meditation.

Above, a devotee is engaged in various devotional activities for the Deities. Below, a Sankhya-yogi engages in the analytical study of matter and spirit. After some time, he realizes the Lord within his heart, and then he engages in devotional service.

When we meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we gradually realize our real identity and relationship with Him. Then after leaving our body, we return to Him to His eternal Kingdom and remain engaged in His loving devotional service eternally.

But How Can We Meditate on God When We Can’t See Him?

We can chant and hear sacred mantras and meditate on them. The sacred mantras or the Holy Names of God are non-different from God. God has unlimited names; each name is as spiritually potent as Himself. If we attentively chant and hear the Names of God, then we are doing actual meditation.

A sacred mantra, or Transcendental Sound, comprises various names or descriptions of the Supreme Soul. A Mantra cannot be made up, nor is it composed of mundane words specific to a particular religion or region of the world. It originates in the spiritual realm and descends to the material platform without losing potency, having been handed down orally for countless centuries via a chain of bonafide spiritual masters.

So, when we focus on the Holy Names of the Supreme Lord, our mind and heart gradually get cleansed from all material contaminations, and we progressively experience transcendental bliss.

Mantra Meditation

There are mainly three types of mantra meditation.

Mantra Meditation with Yoga Breathing
Japa Meditation
Kirtan

Mantra Meditation with Yoga Breathing

We feel an ever-deepening inner calm and contentment via the straightforward mantra meditation practice. The mind and nervous system are calmed by slowing down the breath and concentrating on the mantra. This helps us feel relaxed and improves our health in many ways – primarily since so many diseases are caused or aggravated by chronic stress.

You can sit or lie down at your convenience during this process. Then you have to focus on your breathing. Gradually your breathing pace will become slower. Then you chant a mantra in your mind with each inhale and exhale.

You can watch this guided mantra mediation video and apply it.

When you do Mantra Meditation with Yoga Breathing, the added awareness of your breath can help keep the mind anchored on the mantra. When you can focus more closely on the mantra, let it enter the core of your being, and chant from your heart, your meditation becomes much more powerful and effective. You begin to experience deep happiness and joy from repeating the mantra sincerely.

Spiritual love exists within the heart of each of us, but it is covered over, much like a diamond is covered with mud and dirt. The mantra meditation process cleanses that dirt and mud off the diamond of spiritual love.
Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa

Mantra Japa Meditation

Japa meditation, also referred to as Japa Yoga, involves the repetitive chanting of a mantra using beads. This practice is employed in various religious traditions. When we chant the names of God, we engage not only our lips, ears, and mind but also our sense of touch through the use of beads.

The effectiveness of the mantra amplifies when we engage multiple senses in its practice. As humans, we naturally have a tendency to touch and feel things. In Japa Yoga, we channel this inclination towards a spiritual endeavour.

During Japa meditation, as you roll your fingers on each bead, you simultaneously chant the sacred mantras or the names of God. It is crucial to maintain attentive focus and listen to each syllable as you chant the mantra.

To commence your japa meditation practice, I invite you to watch this video in which Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa chants the Mahamantra. Prepare your beads, start playing the video, and engage in chanting for a dedicated period of 10 minutes.

Through regular practice of Japa Meditation, you will gradually witness a decrease in cognitive burdens and insecurities. Moreover, you will experience the blossoming of spiritual happiness and inner peace within your heart.

Kirtan

In this era, the easiest and most impactful meditation technique is Kirtan, also known as Congregational Chanting. It is accessible to everyone and offers tremendous benefits.

Kirtan, often referred to as music meditation, combines elements such as playing musical instruments, singing, chanting, and dancing. However, it can be practiced with or without instruments and in various musical styles. Whether you choose to practice alone, in a small group, or in a large gathering, you have the freedom to chant loudly or softly, dance or remain seated. Kirtan typically follows a call and response format, where one person leads the chanting of a mantra, and others join in unison, repeating the mantra in response.

Kirtan is a deep reservoir of all-satisfying waters that allows you to experience inner peace and spiritual happiness. The more you drink from this reservoir, your heart will be filled with spiritual love and comfort.
Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa

You can watch this video where world-renowned yoga spiritual master Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa sheds light on Kirtan or congregational chanting.

The Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating

You have the option to employ any of the meditation techniques elucidated in this article. Each of these methods holds equal potential to transport you to the realm of spirituality. Regardless of your age, occupation, or social status—be it a student, parent, businessperson, or retiree—we all require a sanctuary from the demands of modern life, stress, anxiety, loneliness, emptiness, and personal challenges.

Much like how people of diverse backgrounds can appreciate a breathtaking sunset, irrespective of their age, income, or profession, similarly, we can all engage in and derive the benefits of yoga meditation.

From the perspective of yoga, a mantra is the sound incarnation of the Supreme Soul, which has the power to reawaken our spiritual love. By resting our heart and mind in this transcendental sound vibration, we make direct contact with the Supreme Soul.
Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa

Nature, happiness and woman with a raincoat, smile and wellness standing in an outdoor park. Peace, calm.

By incorporating yoga meditation into your life, you can encounter ever-deepening inner peace and joy, gain profound insights, realize your true self-worth, and comprehend the profound and meaningful purpose of your existence.

Mantra meditation stands as the simplest and most sublime approach to revive our dormant connection with the Supreme Lord. Anyone and everyone can attain a state of spontaneous love for God and transform their life into a meditation on God.

Thank you for reading.

This article is inspired by the teachings of world-renowned yoga spiritual master Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa.

Creation of the Material Dimension

All energies emanate from the Supreme Person and everything animate and inanimate is owned and controlled by Him. Three energies compose all that exists within the material and spiritual dimensions. Material scientists refer to two of these energies: matter (the material dimension or the inferior energy of the Lord) and anti-matter (the spiritual dimension or the superior energy of the Lord). The third energy is the eternal living being, referred to as marginal energy, because the living being can exist within the material dimension encased in a material body or in the spiritual dimension in his original eternal form composed completely of spiritual energy.

The building blocks of all gross material objects within the material dimension consist of singular or combinations of five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether or space. Mind, intelligence, and false ego are subtle material elements or energies that also cover the embodied living being. All animate material objects within the material dimension are animated by the eternal living being within.

Other examples of subtle material energies: the illusory energy, desire, attachment, lust, the four material defects (imperfect senses, propensity to cheat, propensity to be illusioned, making mistakes), etc., further cover the living being within the material dimension.

Maha Vishnu and the billions of massive universes coming from His body.

The material dimension of innumerable planets within innumerable universes regularly undergoes creation and then dissolution. At dissolution, the entire energy composing the material dimension is withdrawn within the Supreme Person, to be released when creation again takes place. The entire material dimension is an insignificant emanation of the Lord’s inferior energy and is controlled and destroyed by His energy called kala or time.

The purpose for creation of the material dimension is to allow freedom of choice to the eternal living being to live apart from God outside of His kingdom if he so desires. Each living being within the spiritual dimension experiences full happiness in his relationship with the Supreme Person and in his relationships with all other fellow living beings there. How is it possible that living beings in the perfection of existence could possibly desire something else?

Freedom to love and serve God is not forced upon the living being, nor is that freedom to choose an imperfection. Actual loving service and devotion for the Supreme Lord must be completely free from any doubt or tinge of indecision. If one feels the slightest desire to not serve, then immediately that desire is fulfilled by birth and incarceration in the prison of the material dimension. Now, I can falsely “do what I want.”

It is like a child playing nicely in a group of other kids who then wants to do something else and will disrupt the whole group to try to get his way. So, he leaves to go do his thing, and he realizes it is not so fun without everyone else. The material dimension is set up so that the living being realizes that he has left his actual happiness and then wants to return.

In this material dimension, the envious living being can attempt to be the controller, the owner, the enjoyer, competing with all other beings who want to take God’s position of being the Supreme Enjoyer, the Supreme Controller, the Supreme Protector, the Supreme Lover, the Supreme Master, etc.

The wayward and rebellious living beings have unlimited desires to try to fulfill and must struggle so hard just to maintain the material body, family, friends, occupation, security, and well-being. At the same time, weighed down by karmic reaction, suffering caused by other living beings, natural disturbances, mental dilemmas, and so many other problems, one’s body ages as one faces death on the horizon. Once again, eternal time exacts its toll.

I am an eternal living being who has freely made the sad decision to leave behind all that is good, all that is eternal, all that is fulfilling, and all that is perfect. My rehabilitation takes place in the dimension created for that purpose, the perfectly created illusory, temporary, dark dungeon of material existence with no escape possible until I turn to my Supreme Friend and ask for release.

Within the material dimension, I am covered by ignorance that blocks any recollection of my eternal existence, ignorance that makes me believe I can find happiness here, ignorance that masks the suffering of temporary life in a temporary body, ignorance that I am the cause of all my suffering, ignorance that cheats me from understanding why the material dimension exists, and ignorance that hides all other truth from me. I have amnesia caused by ignorance and I do not even know who I am or why I am here.

I am perpetually trapped within this place of repeated birth and death and may believe I have a “good” life, but death is always lurking, waiting to take it all away. Anxiety shadows me throughout my travels, from the upper planetary systems to the lower, as I rotate on the wheel of birth and death, always interrupting my quest for pleasure and peace.

As I grow weary of repeated failures life after life, if I am fortunate, I come in contact with transcendental sound and knowledge which is the lifeline to pull me from the ocean of material suffering. My intelligence becomes purified, and I realize that I am an eternal person imprisoned in a temporary decaying dimension of time, of birth, disease, old age, and death.

The transcendental process of Sadhana Bhakti becomes my parole from this dark collection of material universes and my complete freedom comes with the perfection of Bhakti Yoga.

See more:

https://sif.yoga/yoga-wisdom

https://www.youtube.com/c/ScienceofIdentityFoundation

About Author:

Sahadeva Das is an initiated disciple of Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa who comes in a long line of bona fide yoga spiritual masters. Sahadeva Das considers it his great fortune in life to have heard and learned from a self-realized soul and is humbly attempting to pass on what he has received. 

Immunity from Birth & Death

Spiritual emancipation begins with self-realization: Who am I? Why do I exist? What is my purpose? Why am I controlled by forces outside of me? Why do I suffer? Why is my happiness fleeting and temporary? Why do I have to struggle for existence? Why do I face death?

Why do I ignore all these questions or fail to find honest answers?

Death always finds every living being regardless of their social position, level of intelligence, power, wealth, determination, or species. Every event, emotion, relationship, fear, activity…experienced between birth and death is seen and known.

What is seen at death and after? Are there answers that are absolute and unchangeable across time, regardless of changing civilizations, religions, and philosophies?

The sun rises and sets, unchanging and constant.

Absolute knowledge is unchanging and constant, now, a million years in the past, a million years in the future, in every universe and planet, in all circumstances and for every unique living being.

Natural and Spiritual laws can be ignored, defied, and broken, but never defeated as the resulting reactions are invincible and always carried out.

Wars, hurricanes, earthquakes, famine, disease, and all calamities and sufferings are examples of resultant reactions from breaking these infallible laws which govern the material dimension.

The opposite is also true: prosperity, peace, beneficial and regulated climate, abundance, happiness, are examples of resultant reactions of knowing and following the natural and spiritual laws that govern the universe.

Beyond the good and bad results, the pain and pleasure, the birth and death, the order and chaos, the heavenly and hellish conditions, the unrelenting control of cruel time, exists a place completely devoid of all these material conditions of duality and suffering.

The only requirement to enable anyone to come to the platform of perfect understanding is a sincere desire to humbly receive this transcendental knowledge descending from that eternal place where the only law is perfect love.

The human form of life is suitable for inquiring into and understanding the science of Bhakti Yoga which breaks the bonds of material reaction and results in the perfection of existence.

Trapped on the insurmountable wheel of birth and death, no solutions are possible to be found within the speculative minds of all the intellectuals, philosophers, and “religionists”, who for all time have struggled and failed to understand Spiritual Truth as it is.

One who has seen the truth enlightens those sincere living beings who are genuine seekers of truth, releasing them from the temporary illusions of an unending cycle of birth ending in death, and mistakenly called “life”.

Anywhere and everywhere on this planet earth, among individuals, families, cities, states, countries, and societies, regardless of the species, controllers or dominators exert their power. Similarly, universal controllers manage all the forces acting on the planetary systems within the confined universe or prison of birth and death.

Every eternal living being in the material universe is imprisoned in a material cell (the body, mind, and intelligence) and is allowed to move about the prison (the material world), ironically feeling “free”, not realizing that the death sentence has been pronounced and is simply waiting to be carried out. In the penitentiary this same situation places the person on “death row”.

Nobody in their right mind desires to spend their life in prison, yet every living being is trying to enjoy their endless imprisonment in the material world by incessantly attempting to find happiness where no real happiness can be found. Surviving incarceration life after life does not equal true existence.

The solution revealed by those who are enlightened takes root in the heart of the living being when received by aural reception. This pure transmission of transcendental knowledge emanates from one who has themself received it from the pure source.

The conditions of our true and actual existence are eternality, full knowledge, and ever- increasing spiritual happiness resulting from the most intense, satisfying perfection of our loving relationship of service to the most perfectly attractive Supreme Being.

To begin and culminate this journey of uncovering one’s original identity, position, and function, the path of Bhakti Yoga stands supreme. When faithfully and sincerely followed, Bhakti Yoga transports one from enduring the suffering of material life to the world of unending and ever expanding spiritually perfect relationships.

These eternal relationships unfold like the petals of the Lotus flower, blooming with unlimited varieties of intensely pleasurable activities in the mood of servant, friend, parent, or lover with the Supreme Attractive Person.

In stark contrast, the embodied living being tastes disappointment, frustration, anxiety, and anger while trapped in illusory temporary relationships of this world. Each of these relationships, built over a lifetime, generates uncountable attachments which cause immense suffering as the living being is cruelly forced from the useless body at the time of death.

This false position of identifying oneself with a temporary body made of matter reduces the pure and eternal living being to a state of ignorance referred to as “false ego”.

As the sun rises, crosses the sky, and then sets; similarly, the living being enters the body and is born, crosses the expanse of life, and then leaves the body at death.

What then is the body? The body can be understood to be a machine made of matter, energized by the eternal living being and utilized to interact with other embodied living beings in a counterfeit attempt to imitate the activities of the spiritual dimension.

All such attempts end in complete failure because matter and material activities are temporary by nature. The living being is eternal by nature and meant to exist in the eternal spiritual world complete with all varieties of spiritual forms, relationships, and activities.

When inhabiting a material form the living being endeavors to enjoy life. Having forgotten completely his spiritual form and identity, the living being mistakes the machine made of matter (the body) as the most important person in his life (me!)

Very few persons approach the Truth with an honest desire and determination to openly receive the greatest gift of love that can be given: to be raised to the transcendental platform of eternality, complete knowledge, and perfect unending ever-expanding love and happiness in our uniquely perfect relationship with the Perfect Supreme Person. This is the true goal of life, achieved through the process of Bhakti Yoga.

Learn More:

https://wisdom.yoga/

https://www.youtube.com/@Acharyadas108

About Author:

Sahadeva das is an initiated disciple of Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa who comes in a long line of bona fide yoga spiritual masters. Sahadeva das considers it his great fortune in life to have heard and learned from a self-realized soul and is humbly attempting to pass on what he has received. 

Where Did I Come From?

Where have I come from? If I trace my time in this world back through the years, it might seem that I came from a cramped womb, via the process of birth. I was squeezed out into blinding light and cold, into an abrupt change in environment. But was this really the beginning of my existence in this world?

Vedic literature tells me that I am an eternal living being and that I have repeatedly undergone the experience of birth.

As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.
Bhagavad-Gita 2:13

This may be the only body I recall having but previously I was in another body. When that body died, I left it and passed into this new body which grew in my mother’s womb.

Above, a man is changing garments, and below the soul is changing bodies.
[Image Courtesy: Asitis.com]

I can remember the different stages of my body as it grew, my small child’s body, my boyhood body, my teenager body, and so on. And now I am in an old man’s body! I, the soul, have passed through these different bodies. My body has changed, but I still feel that I am the same person I have always been.

This is because I am the eternal person within the body, not the ever changing and temporary body itself. I have been here all along, watching the changing of the body. Death is just another change of body.

For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying, and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.
Bhagavad-Gita 2:20 

I am an eternal spiritual being, and I do not need a material body. In fact, I do not belong in the material world at all. I came from an eternal spiritual world, the real home of the eternal living beings, where there is no birth and death.

Please watch this 10+ min video discourse from Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa about the evidence of the unchanging self to know more.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=PAQMTpm-wvE%3Flist%3DPL16gS2IDwahb9GfuIBtkoe_RgELhe08R7

I have been here in the material universe so long that it is impossible to trace out the exact history of my entry. But I don’t have to stay here. I may have amnesia and no longer know my eternal home. I may have forgotten who I really am. But these memories are not lost, they are just buried, covered by the illusion that I am this material body.

Above, a devotee is engaged in various devotional activities for the Deities (authorized incarnations of the Lord, who comes in this form to accept our service). Below, a sankhya-yogi engages in the analytical study of matter and spirit. After some time, he realizes the Lord (the forms of Radha and Krsna include all other forms of the Lord) within his heart, and then he engages in devotional service.
[Image Courtesy: Asitis.com]

I am an eternal spiritual being, and I will never be happy within the temporary material world of birth and death. My amnesia can be cured by the process of Bhakti Yoga. This is the easiest and most powerful of all yoga practices. By Bhakti Yoga alone, I can return to my original position in the spiritual world.

That is the way of the spiritual and godly life, after attaining which a man is not bewildered. Being so situated, even at the hour of death, one can enter into the kingdom of God.
Bhagavad-Gita 2:72 

Thank you for reading!

Source: –

https://www.youtube.com/thescienceofidentity

https://sif.yoga/

https://www.spiritualityhealth.com/authors/science-of-identity-foundation

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