Author Archive

The Genius of India – film

The Genius of India is a film based on a talk given by Sri Aurobindo about India. Sri Aurobindo talks about the inner characteristics and soul of India and how the body of India may evolve.

“Spirituality is the Master-Key of the Indian Mind”

The Wild Flower’s Song – W.Blake

flower

As I wandered the forest,
The green leaves among,
I heard a Wild Flower
Singing a song.

“I slept in the earth
In the silent night,
I murmured my fears
And I felt delight.

“In the morning I went
As rosy as morn,
To seek for new joy;
But oh! met with scorn.”

William Blake

Image from Sri Chinmoy Centre Galleries

Pure Thinking

Pure thinking is not escaping
But
Self-offering.

Pure thinking is not observation
But
Self-transformation.

Pure thinking is not experimentation
But
Self-perfection.

Pure thinking is not God-fearing
But
God-becoming.

Sri Anandamayi Ma Sings Hari Bol

"Always bear this in mind: Everything is in God’s hands, and you are His tool to be used by Him as He pleases. Try to grasp the significance of ‘all is His’. and you will immediately feel free from all burdens. What will be the result of your surrender to Him? None will seem alien, all will be your very own Self."

Sri Anandamayi Ma

I came across this video of Sri Anandamayi Ma and devotees singing ‘Hari Bol’ By coincidence I notice Shane had posted another video of Sri Anandamayi Ma here previously

See video below.

A seeker’s journey

This video is a very nice interview with Atmananda, one of the principal assistants of the great yogini Anandamayi Ma. Anandamayi Ma grew up in Bengal, which was also the birthplace of other great Masters such as Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda, Paramhansa Yogananda and Sri Chinmoy. She spent almost sixty years of her life going from one place to another across the vast Indian subcontinent, where crowds of people would throng to see her in the blissful consciousness that gave rise to her name (Anandamayi=’filled with bliss’)

The interviewee, Atmananda, is Austrian by birth and came to India in 1935 to teach English in the Indian city of Benares. She met Anandamayi Ma in 1943. Later on she was to quit her school job and remain with Anandamayi Ma on her travels, translating many books of her sayings from Bengali to English and editing an English. The interview takes place in 1981, the year before Anandamayi Ma left her mortal frame.

By this time, Anandamayi Ma was very well known, and the video mentions the masses of people coming to see her. One interesting thing about the video is that Atmanada says she rarely sees Anandamayi Ma these days because of the crowds, but the inner connection she feels with Anandamayi Ma when she does her translating work makes this physical separation negligible.

Video of Swami Vivekananda

A video clip featuring personal reminiscences of Swami Vivekananda. Lillian Montgomery who had the opportunity to meet Vivekananda in person shares her experiences. In particular, two qualities she noticed were the power and poise of Vivekananda – an ‘Ocean of Consciousness’

"Swami Vivekananda was so entirely different to anything we had known in America."

"As he spoke, veils just seemed to fall from your eyes, giving an entirely different impression of personality…"

The video was recorded in 1955

Biography of Vivekananda

The Golden Flute

A sea of Peace and Joy and Light
Beyond my reach I know.
In me the storm-tossed weeping night
Finds room to rage and flow.

I cry aloud, but all in vain;
I helpless, the earth unkind
What soul of might can share my pain?
Death-dart alone I find.

A raft am I on the sea of Time,
My oars are washed away.
How can I hope to reach the clime
Of God’s eternal Day?

But hark! I hear Thy golden Flute,
Its notes bring the Summit down.
Now safe am I, O Absolute!
Gone death, gone night’s stark frown!

By: Sri Chinmoy

From: My Flute