In the realm of the mind, three afflictions reside, Kama, Krodha, Lobha – in darkness they hide, Born of desire, passion’s fiery embrace, They weave their illusions, a treacherous chase. Kama, the first, desires uncontrolled, A thirst for pleasures, a tale so old, Chained to cravings, seeking endless gain, Lost in the mirage, true peace
By Rudra Shivananda What are your hands doing when you are trying to meditate? When a seeker enters the stream and take a path of spiritual insight, he or she will pay a lot of attention to the sitting position and body posture. However, not much attention is paid initially to the position of the
By Rudra Shivananda Oftentimes, spiritual students are confused by their emotional nature and unable to come to terms with their intellectual understanding of the deeper aspects of life. It is then necessary to contemplate continuously on a truth in order to remove the emotional blockage. A mere reading or nodding acceptance is insufficient. A few
By Rudra Shivananda When a spiritual practitioner’s subtle body becomes purified and there is a withdrawal of the senses from the external environment towards the internal center, she will experience various inner sounds. These should not be confused with the physical sounds of the body resulting from the rushing of blood or contraction of various
By Rudra Shivananda There is frequently a confusion among spiritual students about the role of the ego. Although there is an understanding that it is detrimental for spiritual growth, many believe that a strong ego is necessary to live successfully in this material world. They are therefore torn between the weakening of the ego from
By Rudra Shivananda When a spiritual seeker chooses a particular path for personal development, he or she may not be aware that there are significant life-changing differences between the powerful yogic systems that can affect one’s ability to maintain a family and function in society. The yogic systems that were developed and flourished during the
By Rudra Shivananda One of the greatest difficulties faced by the aspiring spiritual student is the lack of time that we all face in this busy age, especially in the more developed societies. It is one of the ironies that the average adult in the United States most probably has less free time then previous
By Rudra Shivananda A few days ago, my aged and ailing father contracted pneumonia and has since been hospitalized in the intensive care unit of the local hospital since he was not responding to the normal anti-biotic treatment. The doctors are holding out little hope for his recovery. I am, of course, always hopeful and
By Rudra Shivananda Christmas is a time for celebration and also a time to commemorate the birth of a great spiritual Master and World Teacher – the Lord Jesus. Although from a purely historical perspective, December 25th is most probably not the date of Jesus’s birth, it is one of the best day of the
Rudra Shivananda In order to achieve success in concentration and subsequently to enter into meditative states, it is essential to be able to sit still without any movement for certain periods of time. This is due to the fact that when the body moves, the mind moves and concentration is broken. It is therefore important