Petals!

It's amazing how 2018 has been flying faster than a jet! Have you felt the same way too? Come on, look at your calendar, people! The New Year is just around the corner! There is so much to be done. [DO READ: A Dad's Advice to the Daughter He loves]                                                                   [Image: Pixabay] The 'good' is that I did a lot of things that are unusual for me. I traveled a lot with my family and friends this year. The big surprise is that I also undertook a trip to Malaysia without my friends or family members accompanying me - now, that is a big first and I learned that I can manage perfectly well on my own. You can read about it here and I traveled a lot with my colleagues too.  Guess what?  Did I miss telling you about my newfound love for sushi? I als...

Just as writers go through a phase known as 'writer's block', spiritual seekers pass through a much dreaded phase called 'Dark night of the soul.' Know what the 'Perfect Masters' say.  ! [READ: Tantra and Tantric Practices: What does Tantric mean?]                           FOLLOW MY BOARDS ON PINTEREST Speaking to Ruzbeh N. Bharucha on this, Dada Vaswani, '' Everyone has to go through it. It is like being stripped naked. There were Spanish mystics such as St. John of the Cross, St Teresa of Avila, Raymond and others who described it as 'dark night of the soul' and even in Christian literature, there is a chapter titled 'The Cloud of Unknowing'.'' This phase is known to visit even the best and most perfect 'Masters' before they achieve a state of ''illumination.'' So, what exactly does a seeker feel and experience during this scary sounding phase called 'Dark night of the Soul'? [ R...

Hinduism prescribes four paths to attain self-realization on the spirit is interesting ual path. These are  Karma Yoga,    Bhakti Yoga,  Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga . Each path   and presents different challenges to spiritual seekers. In this post, lets understand about Raja Yoga, what it means and who are the spiritual masters in Hinduism who have mastered this form of Yoga.  [READ: How do you light Deepam?]                               [Source: Paramahansa Yogananda Facebook page] Raja Yoga Meaning, Definition and Effect Raja Yoga is generally seen as the path of meditation and it is known as the king among Yogas. Why? It relies on techniques that are based on science.  The mind is of utmost importance while practicing Raja Yoga . It is perceived as an instrument that looks inward and uncovers the inner self. [READ: Why Chant Gayatri Mantra?] In the word...

For spiritual seekers, Hinduism prescribes four paths, namely, Karma Yoga,  Bhakti Yoga,  Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga. If you are curious to know more, do read the works of Sri Paramahansa Yogananda as well as Swami Vivekananda, as they are India's most respected monks who took the wise teachings of the Rishis to the rest of the world.  'Independence or 'Swatantrya' is the soul of Vedantic teachings' You may wonder  "Why can't I simply pray to God and attain God?"  You can reach Mumbai from anyplace but you have to plan your trip according to your unique travel needs, right? You have to also consider your circumstances and the place you are currently at to plan your travel ahead. More importantly, simply wanting to reach Mumbai or booking your tickets isn't enough.  To reach the destination, you have to act with sincere will power and disciplined effort.    In the picture below, my son and I are sitting by the Ganga. We are fille...