In Sanskrit, the cosmic Self is known as ATMA. In contrast to the individual soul, the Atma is Universal. It is the "Light of Life" in all beings. The relationship between the Atma, the individual consciousness and spirit can be illustrated by the following example. The atma is the light, the light bulb is the individual, and the beam of light that radiates from the lamp is the spirit. In English the expression "spirit of the soul" is used and in this expression it is clear that the spirit emanates from the atma.

This "spirit" possesses qualities such as clear or unclear, strong or weak, confused, lively, creative, lethargic, etc. But the Atma is completely without attributes, comparable to a cloudless sky or water without waves. The clouds in the heavens, the waves in the sea, a film projected onto the screen, all allude to movement. Mostly, our consciousness identifies with this movement and remains unaware of the background, the "Atma".

In the symbolic image of a lamp we can compare the individual consciousness with the lampshade. How much light radiates from a lamp depends upon how much energy the light bulb is able to receive. It is the same with the lampshade - the amount of light able to penetrate the lampshade depends on whether the shade is clear and transparent or dusty and dirty.

Spirit and consciousness are not the Self, but merely an emanation of the Self from which they manifest. The light of the atma always remains unchanged, vibrant and pure. The extent to which the light of the atma can penetrate externally is dependent on the quality of our consciousness, which is shaped by our thoughts, feelings, qualities and actions. Negative qualities and ignorance darken our Phenomenon . Divine qualities such a knowledge, wisdom and love  brighten it. The higher the development of our consciousness, the clearer, purer and more transparent it is. The clearer and purer our consciousness is the more the light of the atma can radiate in its full beauty and splendour; then we speak of enlightenment or realisation.  Holy people are completely pure and clear and have become true channels of God. They radiate light, love, kindness, wisdom and clarity – consider for a moment the halo of Saints. But when there are many layers of karma and ignorance veiling the atma, this divine light cannot shine through.

The Atma, our inner Self, is the essence of the Cosmic Self whose nature is Maha Ananda, supreme bliss. Therefore, the innermost essence of every individual as a part of the Cosmic Self is Ananda, bliss. The human body, sense organs, intellect and mind are all tools of the atma. In one Bhajan Paramhansa Swami Madhavanandji says:

My brother, I saw a wonderful coach (the body) pulled by ten horses (the senses). Mana (mind) was the reins which controlled the horses and Buddhi (intellect) was the coachman who directed the reins. Inside sat atma, the King, accompanied by Viveka (discrimination), his trusted Minister. Inside the coach resounded the playing of different instruments (sense organs, thoughts). If the light of knowledge arises in this coach it is forever illuminated.

Viveka is the most refined form of the intellect. It carefully considers all thoughts, feelings and experiences and decides according to the reality, and not based on egoistic desires, which is what the mind usually does.

Light is the symbol for knowledge, darkness means ignorance. Where light appears darkness disappears. It is the same with knowledge. When knowledge is awakened within us ignorance is immediately banished.

• Who are we? Are we the body? To believe that we are the body is ignorance.
• In reality we are pure consciousness!

We are not skin, bones, blood, flesh, nerves or glands. We say: “This is my blood, these are my limbs, my feelings, thoughts, ideas and experiences.”  But who is it that speaks about these things in such a way? Who is it that, consciously or unconsciously, uses the words ‘I’ or ‘mine’?

Take an onion as an example. We hold it in our hand and identify it without further consideration simply as "onion". Now we remove the outer layers of the skin, one by one. We call the individual parts of the onion, the "onion skins". It is no longer called an onion. So what remains of the "onion" now? Is "onion" only a name for the sum of these skins? This cannot possibly be so. An onion, out of which an entire plant comes into being when planted, is something much more comprehensive, more highly organised than the mere fitting together of individual skins!

The atma is also infinitely much more than the mere sum of its parts. The atma lives within us. Nobody can see how it enters into the womb or how it leaves the body of a dead person. It comes and goes. The physical body changes, just like we change our clothes. The atma, the Self, is never born. It is immortal, eternal, divine and unchanging. The atma itself does not need to develop, it is complete. Only the consciousness must be purified and developed so that it is able to recognise its real nature.

The Atma is life itself, pure energy. For example, contained within the seed of a tree is the whole tree, already laid out in full as the most refined, concentrated energy pattern. This energy, which brings forth everything, and from which everything comes into being, is the atma. The atma is the essence of God. It is not divine, but God Himself. Not holy, but holiness itself. The atma is like a light, an inextinguishable flame. This light within us is only veiled and hidden by our Karmas. Just like fire is covered by smoke or a diamond is made unrecognisable by dust and dirt.

Any flame, be it a candle flame, a torch or a burning pile of wood, is in essence the same. Fire doesn't need to develop, it is and always will be fire. The difference lies in the quantity, not in the quality. In the tiniest spark there is also an infinite potential of energy. When many flames unite an immense power is formed, a sun, and the light that emanates from this is immensely strong. Using the same analogy in terms of the full potential of light becoming manifest in a human, it is then that we speak of a Mahatma, a great soul, a Saint or a Divine Incarnation.

In Vedanta philosophy, the fundamental philosophy of Yoga, the atma is described as Sat-Chit-Ananda - Sat means truth, Chit means consciousness and Ananda means bliss. The atma, the Self, is therefore truth. It is conscious and blissful. And this Self is the Self of all beings.

The use of Mantra purifies and frees the mind so that the atma can emerge.

Many people ask what they should think about during meditation and what they should concentrate on. Initially one concentrates on the breath, on the body or on the relaxed state of the muscles. Later one can visualise the full moon, sunrise or sunset. But real meditation is Atma Chintan, concentration on the atma. At this stage our concentration moves beyond concern about the physical body and is no longer occupied with thoughts about the meditation posture. All imagination is surrendered, along with all earthly desires and thoughts. In atma Chintan there is no visualisation of light, of the moon or sun. There is no thought of the rising of the Kundalini, the opening of the Chakras or attainment of supernatural powers. All these are only the beginner's level of meditation. Do not cling onto such methods of imagination; meditate only with atma Chintan. Always be conscious of this - feel and experience it. In order to bring the mind to stillness and to strengthen the power of concentration, Mantra is used as an aid. The use of Mantra purifies and frees the mind so that the atma can emerge.

At this stage of realisation, a Yogi has only one thought: "Who am I?" This is the contemplation of the Yogi, not only during meditation, but also in each moment and in every life situation. This is the call of the Self, the song of the heart, his atma. A Yogi doesn’t think: "I strive to come closer to you, my Lord", but asks "Come closer to me, my Lord". We humans often feel ourselves weak and helpless. We think God is far away and difficult to reach. But God is omnipresent; God will certainly find a way to us. In meditation always aim to develop uplifting and confident thoughts, because thoughts have great power and can achieve anything.

As we progress in meditation the ability of spiritual perception develops. Mind and consciousness become the eyes of the Self as our spirit roams throughout the whole Universe (astral travelling). Just like the headlights of a car illuminate the street in front of us, so the spirit perceives all things and transmits this experience and knowledge to our consciousness. However, first we must recognise our Self in each living being, in every atom, and in all planets and stars. This means we must progress to such a degree that we can identify ourselves with all beings and all things. We should not identify with a philosophy, religion, nationality, gender or race, but discover the unity that transcends all external appearances.

Duality is prevalent in today’s world, but a wise person recognises the unity behind the different forms. When he sees two jugs in front of him he is conscious that the material from which both are made, namely clay, is the same. In this way the Self-Realised, the God-Realised, person does not see the external form but rather its inherent reality, the atma, the Self.

However, it is not enough to understand only with the intellect, one must feel and experience it much more deeply within. Once we have heard the call of the atma then we no longer desire any Siddhis or miracles. We no longer need anything else in order to be happy. We do not look for someone to extend a hand to us, but hold out a helping hand to others, because we know: "I am the atma and this Self lives also in others. We are not two, but one. We may dwell in different bodies, but the body is transitory. The reality exists in the unity that is immortal."

As long as we entertain thoughts of duality, thoughts of separateness, we make a serious mistake. We help ourselves when we overcome our dualistic thoughts. Then we recognise that this world is simply a manifestation of our mind, that. in reality our mind has created the world as we see it before us. We realise that all of creation is changeable and transient, like the waves of the ocean. In due time, all waves sink back into the ocean and become one with it. And one day the world as we know it will also vanish and all that we will see everywhere is God, the Supreme, the atma.

Therefore, always practise Atma Chintan in meditation. Know that you are strong, pure, happy and immortal. You are the Self! In the Self no fear, sadness or guilt exists. However, worldly life should not be condemned. After all, we live in this world and it offers us wonderful experiences. Therefore we should not make life difficult for ourselves, but enjoy life and release ourselves from self-reproach as we sincerely endeavour to remain on the right path.

Live now in the present. Do not brood about the past. Yesterday is gone and will never again come back. Also, do not dream about a "better" future.  The future is still not here and we will never reach it; for the future is only ever the present. Tomorrow remains tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow always remains the day after tomorrow. Always live only in the now.  When we become conscious of this we have overcome time and live in its midst as the observer and witness of all changes. The Self is unchanging, the energy flowing from it moves the cosmos, creating and dissolving.

Our Atma is the divine Self - may everyone recognise this and send their love to It.

The author of this article His Holiness Swamiji regularly visits Australia. you may also view his spiritual lectures and live webcasts on line for free at http://swamiji.tv/

What is spirituality?  Where does this term come from?  After searching in the dictionary, in meditation and discussion with spiritual seekers, we come to understand spirituality to mean purity.  Crystal clear purity. This purity refers to our Atman, to our inner Self.  Impurity is in our actions and thoughts.  Where there is impurity there is ignorance, darkness.  Mahatma Gandhi said: We hate the action, not the person. Therefore it is our action that makes us impure. Hindus say karma, Christians say sin.  Hindus say punya, and Christians say virtue, good.

In Vedanta there is mention of three obstacles. All holy saints in this world, it does not matter from which belief, tradition, culture or religion they come, try to remove these three obstacles. These obstacles to our SPIRITUALITY are: Mala, Vikshepa and Avarana

MALA - impurity

When the mirror has a lot of dust upon it you cannot see your face.  You have to clean the mirror.  How do you clean the mirror?  There are many ways.  The mirror is our Citta, consciousness.  When you close your eyes and meditate you see your inner mirror.  You can see how clear it is.  If you can't see anything that means that your inner mirror is still not clean.  There are many kinds of impurities that create pollution: physical impurity, and nourishment.

To eat food is not only to feed your stomach.  A philosopher said: we should eat to live, not live to eat. Human food is something divine.  Annapurne Sadapurne – grains.  The transmission of the soul, when it leaves the body and goes into the astral world, enters into the clouds and the rain, and into the vegetation, into the seeds, and through the seeds into the body, into the mother’s body.  Our first birth in this world is when we enter, second birth when we enter into the grains, third birth into the human body, forth birth into the mother’s womb, and fifth birth is when we come out of the mother’s womb.  In meditation you can see and follow this circle, this cycle.

We all have a different, individual destiny.  Everyone is responsible for his/her own destiny.  Destiny is a result of our karma.  Actions are in our hands, but the results are not.  So, we don’t know where we will end up after death.  Life in this world, and in the astral world, is something very peculiar, and mysterious. The leaf that falls from the tree will return.  And maybe in some way and in some form it will return to the same tree.

God has given us freedom to do whatever we like.  So do whatever you want.  But your have to decide between two paths, where you want to go: up or down?

Purity in nourishment is very important.  Also mental purity.  Pure thinking.  Mental pollution is the most dangerous pollution.  All that happens in the world, all environmental pollution, and all the wars are caused by mental pollution.  And what is this mental pollution?  Money.  Money is the god of our time. Mental impurity leads to impure actions.  People give money to kill someone.

VIKSHEPA - disturbances

When the ocean has many waves, you cannot see to the ocean’s bottom.  When you look through a glass that breaks the waves you can see it clearly.  The ocean has waves, movements only on the surface.  In the deep it is always calm and still.  Likewise with the wise, they are totally calm and peaceful in their inner Self; emotions are only on the surface.  The more actions you perform, the more waves you create in the mind.  Relax, relax, and sleep.  Seek relaxation in nature.  Eat and sleep for 36 or 48 hours, take a walk, meditate – you will feel like a completely different person.  In sleep your brain centres, your body regenerates.  Therefore we go on holidays.

Vikshepas keep us from our inner purity, our spirituality.  You are very spiritual!  You are all incarnations!  When you were born you were completely pure.  But through certain actions, certain experiences, we forgot who we really are.

Vikshepas can be overcome through meditation.  Self-inquiry meditation.  Let your thoughts come when they come, and let them go when they go.  Just observe them.  And suddenly they will disappear.  Our life is connected with the moon, with the sun, with the planets.  They influence our mind, our health.  Many planets are playing in between.  Through mantras we can change certain influence and disturbances of the planets.

AVARANA – curtain

Our window is very clean, but we have a very thick curtain, and we cannot see through it.  This curtain is the ignorance between our real Self and this present consciousness.  That’s why we can't realise our true spirituality.  Love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, understanding all develop our spirituality.  To help to remove the curtain it is good to read holy books.  Don’t read books that are fanatical and one-sided.  We need freedom.  Our birthright is freedom.  Yoga means freedom, liberation.  Freedom, happiness, love, joy are divine principles, our divine heritage.  Even a small ant likes to be happy.  Put a cone of sugar in front of an ant, and you can see her smiling and dancing.  Every creature longs for happiness.  Holy Guruji always said: every creature wishes to attain happiness and to overcome unhappiness.  Because happiness is a universal principle, it is your reality.

Mantra, meditation, prayer, satsang are very important for developing our spirituality.  Without satsang you cannot be happy, and cannot develop and increase your spirituality.

Spirituality means purity, happiness, forgiveness, clarity in actions and thoughts, and no fear. Don’t be afraid.  Even though you may die, don’t be afraid, you can die only once in this life.  Pure thinking, pure thoughts, pure nourishment.

Don’t say that you are unhappy, that you are lonely, that no on loves you.  Everyone loves you, but you don’t love yourself!  Be happy when you are alone, then you have time to meditate.  Don’t torture yourself and others.

Spirituality is not hidden only in the church, in the mosque, temple or monastery.  It is also in your own house.  Make a spiritual home, a spiritual family, and thus create a spiritual society, a spiritual world.

God bless you.

Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda

The author of this article HH Vishwaguru Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda reguarlly visits Australia, you may also view his spiritual lectures and live webcasts free on line athttp://swamiji.tv/

It is not without reason the heart is regarded as the symbol of love, since the heart Chakra (located at the centre of the chest) is the seat of love. Love is infinite and when our heart opens to divine love, our love becomes infinite. In the Chandogya Upanishad it is written: “In the centre of the body there is a shrine surrounded by a wall with eleven doors. Hidden within the shrine a lotus blooms and within this there is a tiny, little room.”What does it mean, this tiny room in the heart of the Lotus?

It is our true Self. The Self is a part of God. It is pure, unchanging, infinite consciousness. It is eternal and present in every living being. Just as the whole tree is already contained within the seed, the essence of the entire cosmos exists in the centre of the Heart Chakra.

The mightiest power in humans is the power of thought. But now is the time to use our intellectual energy for the benefit of the world, rather than being the cause of its destruction. The path of Yoga helps us to unearth the valuable treasury of spiritual knowledge buried within the Heart and put it to good use. In this way each of us can contribute something worthwhile to the planet and its recovery. When we learn to open our heart centre in the spiritual sense, there is the realization of an all-embracing, all-pervasive divine love.

There are twelve qualities to be cultivated in the heart Chakra : joy, peace, love, harmony, bliss, clarity, purity, compassion, understanding, forgiveness, patience & kindness.

If all humanity were to develop these qualities, there would be no further arguments or wars. Instead, the era of truth, harmony and love would reign supreme. It is unfortunate that our world today seems a long way from this. Often it’s the case that we can’t even establish peace with our own family.

Sri Deep Narayan Mahaprabhuji said, “Love each and every being at least as much as you love yourself.”

Give love, offer protection, and even give of yourself if it will help someone. Avoid all influences that darken your consciousness. Allow your love to flow - the more you give, the more you will receive. Do not idle away your time. Every second is a golden opportunity that never returns.

Sri Kabirdas wrote in a poem: “Life is like water in a cupped hand. Inevitably it escapes through the fingers and soon your hand is empty. Each moment you lose a valuable pearl of life…and you know not how long is the string of your pearls.”

The colour associated with the Heart Chakra is light blue, the colour of a clear, cloudless sky, the reflection of purity and infinity. May God open your heart wide so that you are able to give. Know that you are capable of loving, forgiving and giving. Make a resolution that all the wonderful qualities and abilities that you recognise within yourself, will manifest and become visible in your daily life.”

excerpt from The Hidden Power in Humans - by His Holiness Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda

For a deeper knowledge of Chakras and Kundalini refer to the book “Kundalini and Chakras - Power-Centres within the Human Body” by the author.

Vishwaguru Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda speaks on Non-Violence:  AHIMSA means non-violence, love and respect for the freedom of all creatures, humans and animals. Nobody should harm anybody with their thoughts, words or actions. Non-violence means to actively accept the right of all living beings, including animals: respect other‘s needs, respect other‘s cultural traditions and religions. Ahimsa(non-violence) is directly related to tolerance. However, in order to accept others one must first be self-tolerant. As my grandmaster, Bhagwan Sri Deep Narayan Mahaprabhuji once said: "If you would like others to be good to you, then first be good to others. In this way you will understand the Divine within you and within all living beings."

AHIMSA PARAMO DHARMA
Never cause any harm to anyone.
Non - violence is the highest principle.

The main commitment of mankind on this earth is to protect all creatures in all their forms and manifestations of existence. To realize this, it is necessary to adopt a different way of thinking and acting in everyday life. It is important for our existence to cultivate love, help, tolerance and understanding not only between individuals, but among all humans, all nations, races and religions as well. It is also necessary to accept every human being as a part of the eternal cycle. All have chances for individual development and all have duties to fulfill on Earth. Human life is given to serve the God's creation and to attain Moksha (liberation). This is what Bhagwan Sri Deep Narayan Mahaprabhuji told to devotees in the midst of the Thar desert in India, a hundred years ago.

The concept of eternal cycles is inherent to Indian philosophy, not only in regard to reincarnation, but also with application to environmental protection. The most terrible pollution is pollution of the mind. Outer purity alone will not suffice; only a pure consciousness brings inner and outer happiness. 

Modern society is the source of stress, of permanent conflict between wishes and abilities. The loss of contact with nature and its natural cycles is an additional cause of stress. There's no country in the world today which hasn't been in war. Millions of people - children, women and soldiers – still suffer as a consequence of conflicts and war. None know which direction to go, yet finally all spontaniously turn to the religion known by them, to God and the quest for union with Him. God knows no borders or continents. He knows no terms of race, caste, nation, political party or religion. He loves all equally. 

As yoga is the origin of all religion, it offers the answer for all suffering people on this planet.  

Yoga has its origin in Vedas. Yoga is balance, harmony, it means union of body and mind, physical nature and consciousness, of the individual with the cosmic Self, of nations and religions, of all living beings. "Yoga in Daily Life", the system I created for modern civilization, is based on the ancient authentic literature, the philosophy of non-dualism and the principle of Sat Sanathan Dharma (the eternal religion), which postulates that this world has been created by one God who created humans as well as animals, plants and inorganic materials. All creatures are the children of one creator; all living beings are part of one whole family. 

This is the main point of my system, which can be practiced in everyday life. It offers therapeutic help for people, and it is a set of recommendations how to achieve balance of mind and spiritual harmony, how to purify one's consciousness and finally how to realize one's Self. A real yogi is a person who radiates love, peace, forgiveness, wisdom and compassion, and who is always willing to offer help and protection to any living being.

The main aims of "Yoga in Daily Life" the system are: 
•    Physical health
•    Mental health
•    Social health
•    Spiritual health
•    Self-Realization 
•    Protection of the environment

This includes as principles of daily life:
•    love and help for all living beings 
•    respect for life 
•    peace in the world 
•    protection of  nature  
•    tolerance for all - nationalities, cultures and religions. 

The system “Yoga in Daily Life” with its feature meditation technique of „Self-Enquiry“ provides a means for Self-Realization , which allows everybody to find their own personal way to God, whilst at the same time emphasising one's own responsibility in achieving this goal. Unlike some religions, this responsibility for one's life and development remains with oneself. 

There are many ways to find our inner self and God, and Yoga respects them all. Each of us has their own spiritual path and pursues it with different speed and dedication. 

God is seen as a creating principle without form in all creation, which in Sanskrit is refered to as the Nirguna principle (God without form). God manifest in the form of creatures is referred to in Sanskrit as the Sarguna principle. In all religions, God in Sarguna form is represented by spiritual persons, saints and holy incarnations, who spread the Divine message. These days however people find it hard to accept God in Sarguna form and to follow. For those who are still searching, it is a good alternative to view God in mother nature and learn to see God’s creating power everywhere and in everyone. Yoga accepts both: if one believes in the creating power of the universe or in a holy person – both are manifestations of one and the same principle. Each of us explores feelings of unity with creation in our own way, in nature or in holy persons or places.  

Mantra , the essence of prayer, is a holy word or sentence given by a spiritual master to a disciple as a tool for spiritual development. It is a great help for purification and the control of mental thoughts. Repetition of a mantra calms inner vrittis (mental fluctuations) and unites the individual consciousness with the Cosmic One. Mental fluctuations can be controlled and positively changed to avoid negative thoughts and bring inner harmony, purity and silence in order to perceive subtle spiritual feelings.

World peace is possible only if all the religious and political leaders of this globe preach tolerance, recognition and respect for all other cultures, traditions, languages, races, nationalities and religions.

It is a prime duty of all spiritual and political leaders of this age to guide humanity towards clarity through tolerance and forgiveness, to give others rights, acknowledge them and preach that we are all children of the one God.

In the heavenly kingdom there is no duality, there is no difference between religion, caste, colour, race or language. There is absolute harmony, balance, understanding, bliss and unity.

We all belong to the greatest and only one religion on this Earth - HUMANITY.

With the blessing of Gurudev,

Vishwaguru Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda
Vép, Hungary 4/5. 7. 2000

A Persian Fable with a Yogic Message

Once a King called upon all of his wise men and asked them "Is there a mantra or suggestion which works in every situation, in every circumstance, in every place and in every time. Something which can help me when none of you is available to advise me. Tell me is there any mantra?" All wise men got puzzled by King’s question. One answer for all questions? Something that works everywhere, in every situation?

In every joy, every sorrow, every defeat and every victory? They thought and thought.

After a lengthy discussion, an old man suggested something which appealed to all of them. They went to the king and gave him something written on paper. But the condition was that king was not to see it out of curiosity. Only in extreme danger, when the King finds himself alone and there seems to be no way, only then he’ll have to see it. The King put the papers under his Diamond ring.

After a few days, the neighbors attacked the Kingdom. It was a collective surprise attack of the King’s enemies. King and his army fought bravely but lost the battle. King had to flee on his horse. The enemies were following him. His horse took him far away in the jungle. He could hear many troops of horses following him and the noise was coming closer and closer. Suddenly the King found himself standing at the end of the road - that road was not going anywhere. Underneath there was a rocky valley thousand feet deep. If he jumped into it, he would be finished and he could not return because it was a small road. The sound of enemy’s horses was approaching fast. King became anxious. There seemed to be no way out.

Then suddenly he saw the Diamond in his ring shining in the sun, and he remembered the message hidden in the ring. He opened the diamond and read the message. The message was very small but very great. The message was – “This too will pass."

The King read it. Again read it. Suddenly something struck him- Yes! It too will pass. Only a few days ago, I was enjoying my kingdom. I was the mightiest of all the Kings. Yet today, the Kingdom and all its pleasures have gone. I am here trying to escape from enemies. However as those days of luxuries have gone, this day of danger too will pass. Calm came on his face.
He kept standing there. The place where he was standing was full of natural beauty. He had never known that such a beautiful place was also a part of his Kingdom. The revelation of the message had a great effect on him. He relaxed and forgot about those following him.

After a few minutes he realised that the noise of the horses and the enemy coming was receding. They moved into some other part of the mountains and were not on that path. The King was very brave. He reorganized his army and fought again. He defeated the enemy and regained his lost empire. When he returned to his empire after victory, he was received with much fan fare at the door. The whole capital was rejoicing in the victory. Everyone was in a festive mood. Flowers were being thrown on the King from every house, from every corner. People were dancing and singing. For a moment King said to himself," I am one of the bravest and greatest King. It is not easy to defeat me..:

With all the reception and celebration he saw an ego emerging in him. Suddenly the Diamond of his ring flashed in the sunlight and reminded him of the message. He opened it and read it again: "This too will pass" He became silent. His face went through a total change - from the egoist he moved to a state of utter humbleness.

If this too is going to pass, it is not yours. The defeat was not yours, the victory is not yours. You are just a watcher. Everything passes by We are witness of all this. We are the perceiver. Life comes and goes. Pleasure comes and goes. Sorrow comes and goes.

After reading this story, allow yourself some time for reflection.

From Mahaprabhujis Golden Teachings “Do not let yourself be discouraged by problems. Earthy life flows between the banks of fortune and grief. One who loses courage won't reach the aim. Fulfill your duties with inner certainty and faith."