Petals!

Is it bad if a diya goes off? This is a frequently asked question among people who light the evening lamp or diya regularly in their puja room. Cultivating the attitude 'Everything is Divine Prasad', which embodies Prasada Bhakti , is a good way to minimise negative thoughts with regard to one's way of worship.  When we light the lamp in our homes, imagine you are sending out divine love to the world.  When you burn the incense stick, imagine you are burning away all negative karma within each family member and offering it before your Ishta Devata. [READ: How To Light Deepam at Home and  Why Malayalis Light Nilavilaku ]                                                     [Image by Sachin Yadav @ Pixabay] What Happens When A Diya Goes Off? Many consider it as a 'bad omen'. For a devotee who worships Ishta Devata, everything represents Divine Gra...

Many of us make the mistake of being 'part time devotees' - of course, we are busy, we have important work, personal commitments and we are too exhausted by it. At the end of the day, we don't even feel like lighting the lamp or praying. Sometimes, we begin to think how does lighting a lamp bring a difference to our already hectic lives? [READ: How Do You Light Deepam and Best Time to Light Diya ]                                                [Image by Julia Volk @ Pexels] As I ponder about this, my view is that the problem isn't with the lamp or the light - the problem is our 'know-it-all' attitude of self-inflicted superiority.  Unknowingly, we live in a society that thrives on 'showing off' and less on the subtle aspects of life, the smaller joys and delights of real life. Which is where something as seemingly 'small' and 'mundane' as lighting a lamp becomes ...

Wondering what is happiness? Here's a question: How happy are you? From January 2024, it seems as though everyone's on a rollercoaster ride. I've talked to so many people, Nearly all responses were on similar lines: "There's so much change happening in my personal and professional lines; it's crazy!!!! My whole life is changing so fast I can't keep up...." Have you been feeling the same way too? S tay assured you aren't alone. People experience or pursue happiness in different ways. Some find happiness in hurting and criticising others - they make it their life's mission! Others believe that name, fame and positions of power bring them happiness. There may also be intellectual geniuses and activists who can demonstrate excellence in how they present their findings and arguments most convincingly yet they too have their inner demons to tackle. We are often chained and bound by the beliefs we bombard our lives with. [Read: Can We Stop Being Jud...

I have just finished reading Elissa Bressnan's book, ' Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, My Best Friend: SNEHA - The Eight Step in the Path of Devotion. ' Written with a real command over the events that began her spiritual journey and weaving it with her personal family details, Elissa's writing is lively, full of innocence and she is at her best when she is talking about her Italian roots and what faith means to many Italians.  [READ: What are Tantric Practices? Find out!]   Elissa is an Italian girl, growing up in Argentina and her family worships Madonna (not the pop star!) and Saint Catherine and Saint Ni cola among others. Throughout her early years, her interest in spirituality is evident and she explains it with small examples. Some events happen in her life and Elissa finds herself in Prashanti Nilayam, where she begins to have faith in Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in every little thing that she does, be it a thought, word or action....

The Upanishads have compared a spiritual aspirant's journey to a razor's edge. From the age of 9, I have been walking on that razor's edge. No matter how hard I try, how sincerely I aspire, the fall is always a gut-wrenching one, filled with mind-numbing pain. In life, there will be difficulties and hardships we have to navigate. There are no shortcuts for honest people. Sadhana elevates our consciousness and gives us the courage to tackle everything with faith. [READ: What is Dark Night of the Soul?] Then I chant the name of Lord Sai in my heart and I start my baby steps all over again, stumbling, sometimes falling but always knowing that my God is there , protectively watching over me.  Being human, sometimes I forget that my nature is essentially divine. And on such days, I turn to Him in despair, wanting to understand the cause of these inner struggles and consequent pain.  I forget that my real Self is untouched by suffering.  Subscribe To Svara's Ne...