Volume 1 Issue 2

Congratulations and a hearty Hari Om goes out to Alain Passenaud. Alain recently completed three months of chanting Hari Om every morning at rising and every evening before sleeping, without forgetting do it even once. The completion of such an endeavour is no small matter. It increases the stamina and confidence of anyone on their path of Sadhana. When one looks back after three months of chanting every morning and night, one can see that they have opened a door to a new level of consciousness and have begun to integrate it into their life. Alain has passed a special test and now we wait to see if anyone will join him with a similar effort. Hari Om. Hari Om Alain, Hari Om!

h a r io m@ i a st r o . c o m

Nov. 15, 2001

Chanting at the Hari Om Ashram in Surat, Gujarat

expect more quotes from this document in the future. Nasty Disease Reverting to the earlier times, Chunilal found himself in the grip of a nasty disease. Was it epilepsy ? Was it hysteria? Whatever it was, the causes of the attack were clear. He had seven mouths to feed from his monthly income of 47.5 rupees (50 rupees' pay - 2.5 rupees' compulsory saving). He could not buy even shaving materials, and got himself shaved once in a month. The elder brother was in bed with T.B (tuberculosis). Not minding all these difficulties, he bought the costly First Class ticket for Bhavnagar and took the brother there for treatment by a well-known 'deathsaver' Ayurvedic expert in T.B. - with high fees of course. "The most unkindest cut, ' however, lay in the fact that he was repeatedly taunted by his mother and elder brother for 'doing nothing' for being a 'close fisted miser'. (And it was Chunilal who had, after the brother's death, to repay the debts incurred by the brother behind his back from their relatives ). At the same time Chunilal had already taken, with the holy water on his palm, an irrevocable oath to serve the country on a modest salary and never to accept any offer of a tempting lucrative job. He was thus in a torturing fix. Intensely he yearned to free himself from the worries of a rigorous debtor, the insults heaped upon him and the pricks of his conscience, but

Chanting can Heal!

Motas Battle With Epilepsy This article was small selection taken from a 99 page document put out by the Hariwani Trust entitled Pujya Mota Jeevan Darshan. The document is a full biography of Mota, complete with pictures. It does not mention who wrote it. There is a website in development, but I was unable to access it. www.pujyamota.com You can

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Chanting Hari Om

V1 #2, Nov. 15, 2001

The Life and Sadhana of Mota Maharaj (Bhagat)

saw no way to do so. Added to all this was his constant anxiety, lest the untouchable boys whom he used to take to the public pond for washing clothes and vessels were belaboured by some angry high - cast men. Pressed on all sides, he found himself a helpless victim of overpowering emotion and inability to extricate himself from the besetting circumstances. All this preyed upon his mind so heavily and persistently that he began to have fits of unconsciousness. He had even the experience of a sudden onset, which made him fall down from his cycle and see the institution's coins loosely scattered on the road. Desperate Attempts Chunilal had, it seems, an innate love for solitude. For relaxation from the irritating situation, he resorted twice to solitary places on the bank of the holy Narmada. As all that is God's expression and more so, as rivers sustain life, they are worshipped in India as God's emblems, as Divine Mothers. On the first occasion, Chunilal was accompanied by Shree Maheshbhai Mehta and Shree Bhanuprasad Pandya. He made the second trip without a single companion and stayed in the Ranchhodji Temple beyond the Mokhdi ghat (ghat = bank) of Narmada. A saintly sannyasi lived there. In pursuance of his habit he served that saint there. The saint saw Chunilal succumb to the fits and, to bless him for his loving service, said, "Chant the holy Name. It will cure you. " And then followed his prophecy: "After one year, you will happen to meet your Guru." Chunilal wistfully reflected: "Mere chanting a cure for this fell disease ! Impossible. Oh if only he had given me some potent charm!" (Sadhu's do something possesses charms or effective drugs.) His gloom sank deeper still. "What a shame," he said to himself. "Only weak-minded, oversensitive women catch this disease, and I, a young man in his twenties, so effeminate as to be a prey to it! Better death than this." So he came to the desperate resolve of ending his life. On his return from the Ranchhodji Temple, he came to a high rock, a very solitary place up the river, higher up than Garudeshwar. 'Just the site for me,' he thought and down he threw himself from that high rock into the still and deep waters of Narmada. Miracle Saves Him Hardly did his soles touch the soft cooling water of the holy Narmada, when a gigantic wave rose up and hurled him back on the bank far beyond the spot from which he had fallen. And in the middle of that huge wave he had the vision of a charming nymph. 'Mother Narmada Herself!' he was convinced. This vision and the up throw assured him: "By the (GOD'S) grace I am meant for something." That was turning point of His life. Since then there arose within him an urge to turn his life-course God ward and its intensity grew and grew till it became the one and only passion of his life. Prodding Vision As has been said, Chunilal's patroness was more to him than his own mother, - one to whom he could disclose his deepest secrets. To her he went straight from the place of the above miracle, - but alas! His want of faith in the potency of chanting the Name continued. God comes to the rescue of his would-be whole-hearted devotee when he persists in his error. In her house, too, Chunilal had a hysteric fit just when he came on the second floor at the top-end of the staircase. Like a stone, he rolled down every step till he fell with a thud on the paved bricks on the first floor. In this semi-conscious state he had the vision of the benevolent sadhu whom he had met earlier. "Why won't you even try chanting? What do you lose?" The sadhu urged in irritation. Even this vision and the reproach had no immediate effect. But at that time Chunilal's mind and other internal implements had no desire at all for spiritual effort and no faith in the chanting. All the same the vision was too impressive to be overlooked and he narrated it to his

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My Time In Silence and Solitude In India

My Time In Silence and Solitude In India, by Robin Armstrong
On January 14, 1968 I entered India with only fifty cents (13 rupees) in my possession. I had hardly eaten anything for a number of days. The man in the customs tent looked at my passport and said your from Canada, welcome to India, you can stay forever. As soon as I walked out of the tent three men approached and offered me some fruit. They drove me into Ferozepur where a young boy on a bicycle asked me to come with He told me how chanting Hari Om and being alone was one of the best and fastest ways to develop spiritually. him. I followed him through the streets of the walled city of Ferozepur to his home by the Delhi gate. Immediately upon arrival, within one hour of crossing the border, I met one "Mauni Baba" (Raj Kumar) who asked me why I came to India. I told him that I was looking for a spiritual teacher. He mentioned that he had just spent many months in the Ferozepur maun mandir at the back of the Gupta Chemist Store. I found this quite fascinating and we had many days of discussion about it. Mauni Baba took me in to his home to stay with him. I spent my first week or two in India talking with him and with Mr. Gupta (Sham Gupta, I think) about the spiritual path. Mauni Baba told me that before you could learn anything on the spiritual path, that it is important to unlearn all the things that you think you know. He told me how chanting Hari Om and being alone was one of the best and fastest ways to develop spiritually. This made a lot of sense to me and when they offered me the opportunity to try the Maun Mandir, I said yes. I had previously spent time alone on a mountain top, on an ocean beach, in the forest, and I had traveled around the world alone, without money or friends. But I had never spent time totally alone without sunlight before. I knew in my deepest heart that I would have to try. I told Mauni Baba and Mr. Gupta that I had no money to pay for the room, and they graciously offered to take care of it for me. They were so positive and so kind to a stranger like me, that I shall treasure their memory forever. On January 30 1968 I entered the Maun Mandir at Mr. Gupta's house, where I passed eleven days alone and chanting Hari Om. When I came out I felt different. I felt cleaner and clearer in my inner being. I felt a deep presence calling me. I knew then

Mota Maharaj
trusted mother. "Dear, dear," she exclaimed. "You are very fortunate! Now just go on chanting the God's name at all times - the while you eat and drink, walk and talk, do anything whatever or sit at ease. It is sure to cure you." Chunilal had at that time greater faith in her spiritual mother than in that sannayasi. It was her persuasion that made Chunilal begin chanting. So, at last, Chunilal began chanting the Hari Om mantra (a potent chant). Thence began his sadhana (spiritual effort or process of the elevation of the soul to Life Divine). The chant provided a healthy substitute for his absorption in low thoughts. A new interest in life, an enthusiasm for coming out of its groove, courage, moral and mental stamina, and proneness to equipoise, increased day by day and the fits subsided entirely in 3 or 4 months.

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Chanting Hari Om

V1 #2, Nov. 15, 2001

My Time in Silence and Solitude in India

that I would have to go further on this path of silence and solitude. Mauni Baba and Mr. Gupta then collected some funds and on Feb. 12 sent me by train to Delhi. They arranged a place for me to sleep over at before travelling on to Surat. From the train station I took a scooter rickshaw to the Hari Om Ashram at Rander. I was greeted by Mr. Zinabhai and later Mr. Bhikubhai. I waited three days at the Ashram until Mota came. Then I entered the Maun room for 98 days. I remember chanting and Mr. Bhikubhai coming daily to the door of the room and singing his favourite bhajans. At first as my body rate slowed down to adjust to the room, I was quite nauseous. As a result I began to eat less and less, but chant more and more. I did not count the days. I had no where else to go. I did not feel that I belonged anywhere in the world, and the Maun room seemed to me to be the best possible place I could be! So I kept chanting, ignoring my thoughts and fighting my desires. The longer I was in the room, the longer I wanted to stay. I really did not want to come out but since I had set the time of 98 days in advance, I accepted my situation and came out. When I entered the Maun room I weighed about 130 pounds, but when I came out I weighed closer to 65 pounds. My skin was just hanging on my bones. I must have looked rather fragile, but I felt stronger and better than any other time in my life! I had successfully completed my stay of 98 days, however, I felt that my work alone had not been complete. I had only one desire left when I came out, and that was to go back into the Maun room for a longer time! Mota told me that I would have to stay out of the Maun room for at least one month. There were two reasons that I knew of. One was that he had to have the ashram in Kumbakonam repaired so that I could go there and be in a more silent environment. This was because some newspaper articles had already been written about me and I would do better being in a place with more privacy. The second reason was obviously so that I would eat more and get a little stronger. I was sent by train to Kumbakonam where I met the dear family that would take care of me for the next year of my life. The father's name was Hasmuklal. The names of two of the children, Hari and Camel, On or around June 28, 1968 I entered the Maun room once again. This time I did not come out until more than one year had passed. I came out on July 29, 1969. Mota was there and it was the day before Guru Purunama day. It was in this week that I spent much time with Mota. To this day I feel that I know Mota much more from the inside than the outside! This time when I came out of the room, I had regained much of the weight that I had lost in Surat. When I decided to come out of the Maun room I thought that I had spent about six months inside, however, it turned out that I had spent thirteen months in the room. Thirteen months is longer than I spent inside my mother before birth. Needless to say I was in an altered state of consciousness and my memories of this time are vivid but difficult to express. I do remember two special phenomena in the first month that I came out. First: every person that I saw when I came out of the room had a large golden aura around them stretching out for at least three or four feet. This only lasted for a few weeks before the auras turned to white or silver. Second: I could look right into the sun without blinking for some time. I cannot see auras nor look into the Sun now. Hemantbhai came to the ashram to keep me company and watch out for me when I came out of the room. Coming out of the room was more difficult for me than going in. On one level I was super conscious, but on another I was oblivious to social concerns or considerations. I am embarrassed to think of the difficulties I must have caused to those who cared for me most. Hari Om! I will never be able to thank them enough for helping me through that time. I left the ashram to visit another family of devotees to Mota, in Madras. I believe their names were Rasiklal and Babulal Barai. I stayed with this family for a week and they were the third family that took care of me

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My Time in Silence and Solitude in India

for a while in India. I then visited the Mother in Pondicherry. While I was there one lady Dr. Patel and an old mystic named Diana took me to visit Ramana Ashram, at Arunachala, Tirivunamalay. One month after coming out, I returned and went into the Maun room again. This time I only stayed in the room for a little less than two months. Until this last period of solitude, I had no visions, just simple peace. In this last period of solitude, a vision came, or many visions came. I could not sleep for most of this two months. I was lost in visions and their implications. Once again on coming out, I probably seemed quite eccentric to the dear people that were trying to take care of me. May they forgive me. Thank God for Mota's guidance and protection. On November 21, 1969 I left India, and returned to my place of birth, Montreal, Canada. It is now almost thirty years since I first went to India. I spent twenty-two months in India, but I only saw four months of India with my eyes. When the vision came I became attached to it. It was alive and thrilled with meaning. I chose to accept the vision and follow it. How could one argue with a vision that came after so much time alone and praying? I now think that a more spiritual person would have stayed in the room and not followed the vision! In all honesty, I do not think that I was ready to do that! I had karma out in the world that I had to meet

Meditation
Meditation is simply the cultivation of the experience of silence. It is the simplest thing in the world to do. Any child could do it. Meditation is an accumulative experience. One can only know as much silence as he or she has experienced. Across a lifetime one can add up the total minutes of silence experienced as a measure of one's depth in meditation. The thoughts that come into one's mind when one is alone, that is one's karma. To change or transform these thoughts is a great work that requires much conscious effort. When one is alone long enough one comes to know the thoughts that arise in one's mind When one is alone for a much longer time, one's thoughts become so familiar that one loses interest in them. As one loses interest in one's thoughts and one's aloneness continues, conscious attention becomes focused on the feelings and emotions behind the thoughts. For every emotion the consciousness, in time, becomes aware of the volume of thoughts produced or attached to that emotion. Every thought associated to that emotion that we have experienced in our life will run through our mind for some time until a new or different emotion arises.

Robin, on coming out of the room after 13 months.

with and take care of. I probably had gone as far as I was able to at the time. In the deepest honesty of my heart, I realized that I had desires that pulled me back into the world. Everyone has the Maun mandir in the temple of their own heart, inside the tempests of the mind, the emotions and the psychic nature. The ignorance in the world is that most people are not aware of this fact. Somewhere in the heat of my vision I made a choice to champion education and fight ignorance. This decision led me back to North America.

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When one has been alone for a much longer time, one becomes familiar with the spectrum of one's emotions. All of one's emotions no matter how obscure come to the conscious attention again and again and again. In time, when one has been alone for a considerably longer time, one gets bored with one's emotions, and loses interest in the thoughts they stimulate. One's interest fades away and one comes to peace with one's emotions. As this sense of detachment and peace grows, one's consciousness becomes aware of a silent presence behind the emotions. The greater challenge is to maintain this silent presence when one is not alone, in the midst of living. This silent presence permeates us all, and in time, aloneness falls away, and like time, it becomes irrelevant. On leaving the Maun Mandir When I came out of my 98 days of solitude in Surat, Nandubhai advised me that anything that I learned in my time alone must be put to the test of life. It made much sense to me then and it still does today. I realize that God is both inside and outside, but the integrity to maintain this awareness on a daily basis can be quite a challenge. Of course nothing can be separate from God. In this I have the greatest faith. Hari Om. Hari Om Mota. Hari Om.

Chanting Hari Om
When I came out of my thirteen months of solitude in Kumbakonam, Mota told me that if there was any place in the world that people were afraid to go for fear of death, that I should go there and spend the night. In God there is nothing to fear. Hari Om. Hari Om Mota. Hari Om. Hari Om. My greatest fear at that time was coming out of the Maun room and coming back into the world. It is now almost twentyeight years since I came out of the Maun room, and in that time I have had to face many of my deep seated fears about life and love. I have had my share of happiness and sorrow. I have travelled far and learned much of the ways of the world, but one thing stays constant in my life. Hari Om and Mota. Hari Om. Hari Om Mota. Hari Om. Hari Om and Mota were my constant companions during my time in solitude and they have stayed with me ever since. Hari Om and Mota watered the desert of my thoughts, and lit up a bright path to guide me through the storms of my emotions. Chanting Hari Om and spending time alone quickens the soul on its path and awakens spiritual being. Hari Om. Hari Om Mota. Hari Om. Even amidst the greatest involvements in life chanting Hari Om keeps one's spirit awake. Hari Om. Hari Om Mota. Hari Om. (Written June 13,1997, nine weeks before returning to India and entering Maun room for the fifth time.)

V1 #2, Nov. 15, 2001

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Kirpal Singh

Sathya Sai Baba

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My Time in Silence and Solitude in India

Comments about experience in a Solitude (Maun) Room on April 3, 1971, by Baba Ramdas (Richard Alpert) ( after 7 days alone March 28 to April 4, 1971) The history of the Spiritual Search contains numerous examples of Sadhaks retreating to deep jungle glade or high mountain cave for periods of intense tapasya, deep meditation, and direct communion with the Gods. This retreat is not a permanent withdrawal from lifes marketplace. Rather it is a step on the Path - necessary for the purification that is required to lead a life according to the dharma. Today, as in the past, the need for such moments of seclusion for the sadhak are the same, but the opportunities are fewer to be free of human companionship, or even contact, for any length of time. Thus the vision of Sri Mota Maharaj in creating the Maun Mandir Sadhna is one which is both rooted deeply in tradition, and also perfectly timely. To fulfill both of these criteria is the highest manifestation of karma yoga. Upon entering the mandir and after settling down a bit, I began to feel the intense vibrations which permeated the room. These vibrations, the effects of the years of tapasya carried out in the closed space were felt throughout my body and facilitated my inner work immensely. Late in the first day while repeating my mantra I suddenly lost body consciousness and entered a loka in which I was seated facing a siddhu. He looked at me intensely then lowered his head and breathed three deep breaths. Each breath he breathed seemed to explode within my body, filling it with the indescribable blissful energy of the Divine Sakti. Then slowly I returned to this plane of consciousness with mixed feelings of humility, joy, and the craving for more. But no further visitations occurred until the sixth day when my guru visited me for an indescribably sweet conversation and Lila Rasa during which he fed me with his own hand. Such a blessing. The remainder of my seven day stay in the mandir has been taken up with much reflection over recent events and fantasy. As I deepened my meditation these reflections and fantasies appeared more obviously to be the demons of attachment (desire and aversion) with which I must yet do battle. They were quite unrelenting, often pursuing me into my dreams at night. My readings (about 1 1/2 hours a day) included the Bhagavad Gita Commentaries of Jnaneshwar, the Aparokshanubhuti, the SivaMahinanah Stotram, as well as the three slim volumes translated by Nilkanth, as well as the Astavakra Sutra, all of which kept me on the track. Even the service of meals and tea with the Hari Om! Tea for you, my Lord helped to remind me that we are (talking) our own true divinity - the Atman - the OM within. Thank-you Hari Om Ashram. Your service, like Hanumans love with purity and love. Shanti Ram Das (Richard Alpert) My Time in the Dark Room, by Gita Vanath (Translated from the Gujarati magazine Haribhav Sept. 2001) I am very glad to tell you that I got a chance to sit in a dark room. I have seen time punctual treatment without any hesitation for first time in my life. Some of my relatives told me that it is

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Chanting Hari Om
intellect. Om represents all, Om is the basis of your life, thought and intelligence. Om is everything. All words which denote objects are centred in Om. Hence the whole world has come from Om, rests in Om, and dissolves in Om. As soon as you sit for meditation, chant Om loudly 3 or 6 or 12 times. This will drive away all worldly thoughts from the mind and remove Vikshepa (tossing of mind). Then take to the mental repetition of Om. The Japa of Om (Pranava Japa) has a tremendous influence on the mind. The pronunciation of the sacred syllable Om, is one which has engaged the attention of all Europeans devoted to Eastern studies. The vibrations set up by this word are so powerful that, if one persists in taking recourse to them, they would bring the largest building to the ground. This seems difficult to believe in until one has tried the practice; but once having tried it one can easily understand how the above statement my be true and perfectly correct. I have tested the power of the vibrations and can quite believe that the effect would be as stated. Pronounced as spelt, it will have a certain effect upon the student; but pronounced in its correct method, it arouses and transforms every atom in his physical body, setting up new vibrations and conditions, and awakening the sleeping power of the body.

V1 #2, Nov. 15, 2001

Hari Nama
Excerpts for Japa Yoga by Swami Sivananda The mere remembrance of Haris Name destroys all the accumulated sins of various births. In this Kali Yuga, there exists only the Name of Hari, Hari, Hari. In this Kali Yuga there is no other means, no other way, and no other method for attaining salvation. Even the sins of the greatest sinners are brought to nothing by the utterance of Haris Name (Name of God). Not only this, but by doing so, we get eternal safety, Self-realisation and eternal happiness. This is the importance of Hari-Nama

The Mind , by Shri Mota (translated from Guarati by Hemantkumar Neelkanth) This is a foreword to Motas poem To The Mind Mind is boundless and has many phases. For the mind to get involved in the activity of lifes evolution is not a small matter and even when it appears to cooperate it may slip away at any time. Its stimulation is so great that it remains active to appear almost as the truth. To perceive the trends of the mind and to determine their constructive or negative nature is difficult. Equally difficult is to remain balanced during its dynamic, active and completely spiritually awakened state as also during an equally powerful and volcanic emotion to know and understand life. Mind indulges in varied delusions, has many knots and prepossessions in understanding things. All these can be transformed, provided the mind is inclined favourably to lifes development and is ready

Om Japa
Excerpts for Japa Yoga by Swami Sivananda Om (Aum) is everything. Om is the Name or symbol of God, Isvara or Brahman. Om is your real Name. Om covers the whole threefold experience of man. Om stands for the phenomenal worlds. From Om this sense-universe has been projected. The world exists in Om and dissolves in Om. A represents the physical plane. U represents the mental and astral plane, the world of intelligent spirits, all heavens. M represents the whole deep sleep state, and all that is unknown even in your wakeful state, all that is beyond the reach of your

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T h e Sta t e o f B e i ng , b y M o t a M a h a r a j
The State of Being
By Mota Maharaj, (translated by Pratapbhai Upadhyaya, edited by Robin Armstrong) HARI OM 1. Being, being perfect is most subtle, yet unmanifest; when Being manifests, it pervades every cell of the body. 2. Being is beyond the reach of words. Being is past description.. The feeling of Being transcends human speech. It can only be felt in the heart. 3. Being is complete concentration, bereft of positive or negative thoughts. Total serenity fills the state of Being; know this as Being. 4. Being is never the province of duality and qualities. The realm of Being is far above the State of Jiva (individual consciousness). 5. When one transcends nature, the feeling of self-harmony is felt in the heart; That is real Being. 6. How can one transcend nature? One has to rise and be in that State of Being; higher, beyond nature. 7. Remembrance, prayerful singing and chanting of His name are the means; the practice of which when maintained for a sufficiently long, long period, strengthens Being; and as the interest in this practice grows, the mind and the other instruments subside and are stilled. 8. Being will then emerge; Even in social communications. 9. To rise higher than nature to the Higher Heart One should direct ones mind and the other instruments, inward; To the contemplation of That noblest Being. 10. Profound serenity, total oneness in the heart, Neither thoughts nor contemplation exist in Being; Total stillness everywhere. 11. This emerged state of Being, when it becomes complete and uninterrupted, radiates at the root of the mind and the other instruments (the senses and the ego). 12. Being is fully capable of fundamentally transforming the mind and the other instruments of perception, Consciousness will then prevail in ones very foundation, on account of Being. 13. Being has no particular form of its own. It settles where one welcomes it. 14. Being begins to descend, once it is perfect, And then rises to the peak of perfection; This happens when Being is awakened, It stabilizes with complete intensity. 15. This Being is a veritable touch-stone; Once it touches someone a little, Being loves to transform that person and love them completely. 16. The state of Being, though imperceptible, is completely dynamic; When Being permeates the body, it can at times be held up somewhere; One does not make an effort to jump over this hurdle by oneself. 17. By His repeated touch, He does his work; Being does its work by often making inroads. the total reflection of soul. forefront.

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V1 #2, Nov. 15, 2001

Self Knowledge, by Sri Ramana Maharshi

The thought I am the body is the string On which are threaded diverse thoughts like beads. Therefore on diving deep upon the quest Who am I and from whence? thoughts disappear And consciousness of Self then flashes forth As the I-I within the cavity Of every seekers Heart. And this is Heaven, This is that Stillness, the abode of Bliss. What is the use of knowing everything Except the Self? What else is there to know For anyone when Self, Itself, is known? On realizing in oneself the Self, Which is the only self-effulgent One In myriads of selves, the Light of Self Will clearly shine within. This is indeed The true display of Grace, the egos death, And the unfolding of the Bliss Supreme. In order that the bonds of destiny And all its kindred may at last be loosed, And so that one may also be released From the dread cycle of both birth and death, This path than others is far easier, Therefore be still and keep a silent hold On tongue and mind and body. That which is The Self-effulgent will arise within This is the Supreme Experience. Fear will cease. This is the boundless sea of Perfect Bliss! Annamalai, the Transcendental One, That is the Eye behind the eye of the mind, Which eye and other senses cognize, Which in there turn illuminate the Sky, And all the other elements as well, That is again the Spirit-sky in which The mind-sky doth appear, That shines within The Heart which is of every thought quite free, And with gaze fixed within remains as That; Annamalai, the Self-effulgent shines. But Grace is needed most. So faithful be Unto the Self and Bliss will then result.

Sri Ramana Maharshi

Self-knowledge is an easy thing, The easiest thing there is. The Self is something thats entirely real Even for the most ordinary man, It could be said that a clear gooseberry Is an illusion by comparison. The Self, which shines as Sun within the Heart, Is real and all-pervading, Twill reveal Itself as soon as false thought is destroyed And not one speck remains. For this thought is The cause of the appearance of false forms, The body and the world, which seem to be Real things in spite of Self, which steadfast stands. The ever-changeless, firm as Truth itself. When Self shines forth darkness will be dispersed, Affliction cease and Bliss alone remain.

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when the living being associates with the divine sound vibration, he is freed from the endless cycle of karma. An excerpt from Sathya Sai Speaks VII, pp. 364-5. By Sathya Sai Baba The A U M of the OM, represents the Om Tat Sat principle, the That is the Truth, I am the Truth, the Truth is One principle. The OM is the everpresent voice within the echo of the Divine call, from the cavity of the heart. Listen to it, be thrilled by it; that is the inner adoration, of which external pujya or ritual worship is the outer symbol. With the ego rampant and rambling, how can the mind be balanced and faith be steady? Contemplate the OM, the symbol of the inner flame, which shines through the waking hours, the dream twilight and sleep night. That way you can earn grace abundantly.

Naam Is The Great Master Force:

Exerp from Naam or Word, by Kirpal Singh Word or Naam is the Soundcurrent or Sound-principle. This current or principle lay merged in the Great Silence and was hence nameless. There was then nothing but deep Silence with no name or pattern, no design or form and no colour or shade. The life vibration (principle) hidden therein, stirred the Great Deep and there came a Great Sound called Word and the whole creation came into being, and is sustained by this. With the withdrawal of the Naam or Sound there sets in disintegration and decay in all that lives, with consequent putrefaction and the result is dissolution which in common parlance is known as death. Thus this Sound is at once the beginning and the end of all that exists: He the Nameless expressed Himself and made the Naam or Word. .Asa War M.1. It is called variously as Sound; Sruti (that which is heard); Shabd or Akashbani (voice from the heaven); Udgit, Sarosha (music of the Beyond); Word or Harmony; Logos or the Holy Ghost; Kalma or Bang-I-llhai (call from God) or Nida-I-Asmani (heavenly sound). Thou manifested Thyself as Naam and set up the creation. Out of the Formless proceeded forms in varying degrees. .Asa War M.1. This entire extentionalism is just of the Naam and there is nothing which is not of Him:

Thou art immanent in all; And nothing is where Thy Word is not. jap ji 19 Again, All that is of life and all that is of matter is from the Naam (Whether visible or invisible), Without a Master-soul one cannot have contact with the Naam. .Suhi M.3

Liberation From Karma

An excerpt from Chant And Be Happy by A.C. Bhaktivedanta. Material activities can be compared to seeds. Initially they are performed, or planted, and over the course of time they gradually fructify, releasing their resultant reactions. Enmeshed in this web of actions and reactions, we are forced to accept one material body after another to experience our karmic destiny. But freedom from karma is possible by sincere chanting of Krsnas transcendental names. Since Gods names are filled with transcendental energy,

C h a n t i n g H ar i O m a n d D a n c i n g i n S u r at , G u j a r a t

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Why Prayer? By Shri Mota Maharaj Prayer is for making our mind clean and clear. It is the best means for this purpose. Just as dirt is cleared by washing clothes in water, the dirt of the mind is cleared by prayer to God done heartily. The intellect and the vital being become pure, and in such prayerful intellect, mind and vital being remain clean and pure. So the habit of prayer is the best and is always necessary. As one should bathe daily to keep the body clean, one should pray daily to keep the mind clean. It must be done from the very depth of ones heart. It must not be done as a mechanical habit or as some sort of a ritual. It must be done with real Bhava (presence) or with true emotion and devotion. One who does prayer with humility, love, devotion and faith can have dynamic life. Prayer is not the manifestation of aimless feelings. On the contrary, prayer is the best means to give proper shape to ones feelings. With the proper and continuous habit of prayer, there would occur fewer and fewer mistakes in life, because by continuous prayer one is inspired to always have good thoughts.

Chanting Hari Om
accentuated. Chanting on a New Moon will give an extra vitality to your efforts over the following month until the next New Moon. A holy environment and spiritual companions are are great blessing. This chanting session will be held at Tanis Hargrave's home, on a farm 40 minutes north of Toronto, just outside of Aurora. Her address is 16527 Kennedy Rd. (between Aurora Rd and Mullock Drive). From Toronto drive North on Hwy 404, East on Aurora Rd, North on Kennedy, on the right hand side. If you need transportation call Robin at 416-465-4113. As usual there will be chanting, reading from spiritual texts, more Chanting, and then a pot luck vegetarian dinner.

V1 #2, Nov. 15, 2001

Friday Night. Nov. 30, 2001 at 7:00 pm: Full Moon (once in a Blue Moon) Chanting of Hari Om. The Full Moon brings a heightened awareness of the pulls and attachments of both past and present. It is a potent time to secure our sense of oneness with each other. Group chanting and meditation at the time of the Full Moon strengthens spiritual and social awareness. If one can avoid being pulled out into the dualities in life, then Full Moon chanting generates affirmations that will carry you through to the next Full Moon. This evening of chanting UPCOMING MEDITATION and meditation will be held at AND CHANTING EVENTS: Alain Passenauds home, 517 Pape Thursday Night. Nov. 15, 2001 St. at the corner of Dingwall (use at 7:00 pm: Special New Moon the side entrance on Dingwall). Chanting of Hari Om. New Alains phone number is 416-465Moons are the peak points of 5263. As usual there will be subjective impressionability in the chanting, reading from spiritual month. Receptivity to core texts, more Chanting, and then a insights and to God are pot luck vegetarian dinner.

Friday Night. Dec. 14, 2001 at 7:00 pm: Special Solar Eclipse (New Moon) Chanting of Hari Om. Eclipses are times of great sensitivity and personal significance. This is a time of great darkness. When positive this can be a time of deep receptivity; but when negative it can be a time of gross materialism and fear! In the Middle East and the East an eclipse is considered to be a very spiritual time a time when great masters are born, especially when it occurs during holy days! At the new moon deep subjective seeds are planted. When the darkness lies without it becomes important to nurture the light within. An eclipse represents a special opportunity to increase ones spiritual intensity. This meditation will be held at Tanis Hargrave's home. As usual there will be chanting, reading from spiritual texts, more Chanting, and then a pot luck vegetarian dinner. Sunday Night, Dec. 30, 2001 at 7:00 pm: Full Moon (Lunar Eclipse) Chanting of Hari Om. The location of this meditation is yet to be determined. Call Robin at 416-465-4113 if you want to come. It is a good way to bring in the New Year! As usual there will be chanting, reading from spiritual texts, more Chanting, and then a pot luck vegetarian dinner.

Hari Om Robin