by Gnyana Sangha | Nov 29, 2023 | Buddha, Buddha, Fear, In- Laws, Marriage, Misery, Relationship, Samsara, Self-Effort, Temporary
Obstacles on Spiritual Path Question: JGD Ekta ji, I have registered for the Silence course but I am so scared of my in laws. They would not approve my absence for 5 days. I have almost decided to not attend the course. But I am very restless to attend. I am stuck...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jul 6, 2023 | Bhakti, Bondage, Commitment, Courage, Devotion, Dispassion, Doership, Ego, Faith, Freedom, Guru/Disciple, I, Independent Spirituality, Liberation, Mind, Moksha, Non-Doership, Prayer, Raaga/Dvesha, Samadhi, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Surrender, Surrender, Vairagya, Wisdom
Mind retaliates to your answer on craving for Guru! Question: Ektaji, My bhakti kicked in and did a little revolt against the answer – https://ektabathija.com/craving-for-guru/ Divine craving (for the physical guru or the tattva) is in my faith a blessing..does Mukti...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jul 5, 2023 | Attachment, Awareness, Craving, Desire, Dispassion, Ego, Feverishness, General Spiritual, Guru/Disciple, Liberation, Masters, Moksha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Tapas, Thoughts
Craving for Guru! Question: Is love for my Guru a Raaga? Will it bring us back in next lifetime with him? what if one does not seek Mukti but only want to be with their Guru in every life? Answer: Then one has not progressed spiritually at all. One has just...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jun 28, 2023 | Buddha, General Spiritual, Parent/Child, Relationship
How to respect elders even when they are wrong? Question: What should we do when we are in a dilemma of whether to respect our elders and not hurt their feelings even if we know they are wrong or support what we think is right to help a needful person who has got no...
by Gnyana Sangha | Aug 3, 2022 | Anger, Attachment, Depression, Ego, Emotions, Feverishness, Freewill, General Spiritual, Girlfriend/Boyfriend, Hurt, I, Mind, Misery, Raaga/Dvesha, Relationship, Soulmate, Stress, Suffering
Become Mortgage-free from relationship patterns Question: JGD Ektaji, I have been dumped by my boyfriend and I just cannot find the courage to let go and move on. My ego is hurt and I really want to know why? Why has this happened to me? I want to still make it happen...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jul 3, 2022 | Awareness, Breath, Commitment, Courage, Faith, Flow with Life, Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru/Disciple, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Knowledge, Let go, Life, Masters, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, Pranayama, Rumi, Samsara, Self, Self, Self-Effort, Truth, Wisdom
Journey from external to internal Question: Dear Ektaji, I have been with a spiritual organizaion for 15 yrs now, have done courses, seva, satsang(less of seva though :-), could be better) … However, one question that has never been understood is going within. Journey...
by Gnyana Sangha | May 29, 2022 | Dukkha, Emotions, General Spiritual, Impressions, Karma, Let go, Mindfulness, Misery, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Self, Sensations, Suffering
Prisoner of past or Pioneer of future! Question: Didi, how to overcome the bad habit of reacting to other people. I always react and then regret that I should not have behaved so. Please guide me. Answer: Very few people realize that the actual problem is ‘with...
by Gnyana Sangha | Apr 3, 2022 | Dispassion, Girlfriend/Boyfriend, Illusion, Independent Spirituality, Life, Maaya, Physical, Pleasure/Pain, Prakriti, Purusha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Relationship, Samsara, Seeking, Self, Sex/Passion/Celibacy, Vairagya, Vedic
Does spirituality reduce the desire for sex? Question: Some have very strong desires and need sex anywhere between 2/3 times a week. Some have not had sex in months. Some are frustrated that one of the partner initiates all the time. Some have never had great need for...
by Gnyana Sangha | Dec 23, 2021 | Emotions, Flow with Life, Independent Spirituality, Karma, Karmaphalam, Mind, Pleasure/Pain, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Relationship, Silence, Stress, Suffering, Temporary, Vedic
Storm of Emotions in Relationships Question: I am going through a lot of stress in relationships, too much storm of emotions in relationship with one particular individual. Please help! Answer: There are definite steps to always follow irrespective of who/what...
by Gnyana Sangha | Nov 20, 2021 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Concepts, Consciousness, Direct Path, Doership, Ego, I, Ignorance, Mind, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Upanishad
Dissolution of the personal ‘I’ Question: Most Advaita knowledge that I encounter appears to focus on the fact that I am the all-pervading consciousness. When the words “I am” or “true self” are encountered it appears that they are...
by Gnyana Sangha | Nov 16, 2021 | Competition, Ego, General Spiritual, I, Name/Roles, Paths, Relationship, Samsara, Service, Seva, Wealth, You
Seva or Serving the Ego! Question: What is seva really? And from what space should an individual come from when he or she wants to do pure seva? I have noticed that I get into the same power struggle that I would, in a corporate office. I need some clarity there,...
by Gnyana Sangha | Nov 11, 2021 | Ambition/Career, Awareness, Consciousness, Craving, Desire, Doership, Flow with Life, General Spiritual, Gnyani, Life, Mind, Non-Doership, Purusha, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Self, Seva, Truth, Wisdom
How to manage job, family, Seva without getting overwhelmed? Question: Can you please give direction on how do you manage a job, family, personal endeavor, and Seva while not getting overwhelmed? I have a tendency to say yes to many things, but in the end, I’m just...
by Gnyana Sangha | Oct 10, 2021 | Ashtavakra Gita, Commitment, Depression, Karma, Knowledge, Let go, Marriage, Mind, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Purushartha, Relationship, Scriptures, Spouse, Vedic
How to overcome loneliness and depression? Question: My husband is an alcoholic all he does is work and sleep alone, there is practically no interaction or no marriage between us. So I don’t have any company. In spite of understanding all the spiritual knowledge it is...
by Gnyana Sangha | Oct 5, 2021 | Aagami, Attachment, Aversion, Buddha, Conscious, Consciousness, Craving, Desire, Expectations, God, Impressions, Karma, Life, Mind, Niyati, Parent/Child, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Seeking, Vedic
Expectations are Attachments! Question: My 14 year old son is terrible to live with. He is disrespectful, hurtful, vengeful without any provocation… even when I come from a space of love, the reaction from him is horrible. I tell myself that it’s my karma and to go...
by Gnyana Sangha | Sep 12, 2021 | Attachment, Boss/Colleague, Emotions, General Spiritual, Preference, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha
Is it a Raaga or a mere preference? Question: Ektaji, It is difficult to completely drop raaga and dvesha. For example, I interview several candidates for a job and based on my likes and dislikes within professional guidelines I select or reject a candidate. Within...
by Gnyana Sangha | Sep 1, 2021 | Attachment, Children, Children, Emotions, Impressions, Karma, Parent/Child, Reaction, Thoughts, Vedic
Do we accumulate karma if we scold loved ones for doing wrong? Question: Do we accumulate karma if we scold loved ones or try to correct them when they do something wrong? Answer: Again Karmas are not caused out of the action or thought, but Karmas are caused...
by Gnyana Sangha | Aug 24, 2021 | Aagami, Ambition/Career, Causation, Company/Association/Sangha, Compassion, Competition, Consciousness, Desire, Doership, Drama, Emotions, Games/Play/Fun, God, Karma, Karmaphalam, Life, Maaya, Maya, Name/Roles, Pleasure/Pain, Prarabdha, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Relationship, Samsara, Seeking, Serious, Spontaneous, Vedic, Wealth
To Act, or Not To Act? Question: With today’s knowledge, I know I should take life as a game but I was cheated in business. Should I drop it too, or should I pursue the case I filed with the lawyer? Question: I work for a profit oriented company and there is a...
by Gnyana Sangha | Aug 22, 2021 | Aagami, Attachment, Boss/Colleague, Doership, Faith, Flow with Life, Greed, Karma, Love/Hate, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Seeking, Seeking, Spontaneous, Surrender, Surrender, Truth, Vedic
What is seeking? Question: I quit my job and interviewed for another one. They offered me an entry level position with a pay less than half of what I am currently making. I did not accept the offer. My previous boss is working on getting me back at my old job. By me...
by Gnyana Sangha | Aug 15, 2021 | Advaita, Body, Brahman, Compassion, Independent Spirituality, Karma, Life, Mind, Paths, Pleasure/Pain, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Self- Realization, Thoughts
Does the vaccine affect the Self? Question: Dear Ekatji,I have a concern about whether I should be vaccinated or not I am really not sure. My life is being the same before the pandemic and now during this pandemic, my life is so simple I am not in the rush for things...
by Gnyana Sangha | Aug 10, 2021 | Ego, Emptiness, I, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Meditation, No-Mind, Self
Ego got you in! Ego gets you out! Question: JGD Didi, my whole life is a cycle of I’s (Egos).. it is a sine curve of I’s and the people, situations and things are only a tool to help me recognize the ‘I’ fluctuation. If it’s been all about the ‘I’, how can one be...
by Gnyana Sangha | Aug 3, 2021 | Aagami, Attraction, Aversion, Awareness, Awareness, Body, Causation, Commitment, Compassion, Craving, Destiny, Elements, Equanimous, Freedom, General Spiritual, Happiness, I, Impressions, Jealousy, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Life, Love/Hate, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Pleasure/Pain, Prarabdha, Purushartha, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara, Sanchita, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Tapas
Dealing with Possessiveness Question: What if it is not me who is possessive, but someone else is possessive of me , rather obsessive almost to the sick levels of possessing me, what is that I should or should not do. Answer: Recognize that it is just a play of the...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jul 27, 2021 | Aagami, Aversion, Awareness, Children, Children, Emotions, Flow with Life, Impressions, Jealousy, Karma, Life, Love/Hate, Mind, Niyati, Parent/Child, Parents, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Relationship, Sanchita, Time-past/present/Future, Types of Karma
Karma in babies Question: At what age does a person starts creating karma? When a child is born, he does not have this attachment to action and he naturally does what comes to him, but again the child does not have any understanding of awareness and knowledge. so both...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jul 25, 2021 | Buddha, Depression, Destiny, Divine, Emotions, Faith, Flow with Life, Impressions, Just Be, Karma, Life, Love/Hate, Mind, Misery, Niyati, Parent/Child, Pleasure/Pain, Prarabdha, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Stress, Suffering, Surrender
Dealing with Suicidal thoughts Question: Everything around me seems to go against me. My son has been sitting doing NOTHING since he graduated. My brother has been fighting a fierce divorce case with his wife and lost his home, money, kids and job. My father has shut...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jul 11, 2021 | Compassion, Courage, Dispassion, Ego, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Present Moment, Relationship
Dispassion or Ego? Question: Is it important for the outside world to accept my change in personality/ my growing dispassion? I don’t care about or see the outside world and when an ego of an external person/world comes up, I concentrate to focus on myself and the...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jun 20, 2021 | Causation, Commitment, Destiny, Doubts, Gnyana, Guru, Guru, Guru, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Karma, Knowledge, Liberation, Scriptures, Self, Self, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Truth, Wisdom
Are you worthy of Spiritual Knowledge? Question : Sometimes I wonder that, am I even worthy of this highest and beautiful knowledge? Even after studying and applying the knowledge we sometimes lose the path and get involved in cravings, desires and get carried away by...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jan 21, 2021 | Children, Drama, Enlightenment, Games/Play/Fun, Gnyana, Illusion, Karma, Maaya, Marriage, Mind, Purushartha, Relationship, Spouse, Truth, Vedic
Why this? Why that? Why? Why?…. It’s all Maaya! Question:JGD Didi, I had a nasty marriage and even nastier divorce in past. I have two adorable children though. I have promised them they will never have any stepfather in their life, that is the reason why...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jan 7, 2021 | Aagami, Aversion, Emotions, Flow with Life, General Spiritual, Girlfriend/Boyfriend, Just Be, Karma, Love/Hate, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Suffering
What has to happen has already happened! Question: There is only one possibility in the way things happen, right? To be specific – at this point I am going through an emotional turmoil. I could choose to wait for my girlfriend and see where it takes me OR I...
by Gnyana Sangha | Nov 5, 2020 | Anger, Ego, Elements, General Spiritual, I, Impressions, Just Be, Reaction, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Spouse
When in anger, not being a winner is actually winning! Question:I have been working on my spiritual knowledge yet could not deal with a big fight with my spouse. How to deal with anger? After that fight, I realized that I valued winning more than my...
by Gnyana Sangha | Aug 20, 2020 | Awareness, Body, Bondage, Causation, Craving, Death, Fear, Fear, Freedom, General Spiritual, I, Maya, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Relationship, Samsara, Seeking, Seeking, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Senses, Vedic
Birthday Message! Question: JGD didi, many happy returns of the day. Please could you give us a message on your birthday about how to celebrate a birthday. Answer: Life is a school. We all are here to learn some lessons. There are several classrooms:...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jul 21, 2020 | Advaita, Bondage, Enlightenment, Fear, Fear, Freedom, Guru, Guru/Disciple, Independent Spirituality, Liberation, Paths, Ramana Maharshi, Suffering
Fear being used as a weapon on the spiritual path Question: Fear is being used to keep me bound to my current spiritual teacher. I keep getting emotionally manipulated by others in this community with the fearful stories of losing spiritual grace if I leave. But my...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jul 6, 2020 | Enlightenment, General Spiritual, Guru, Guru/Disciple, Independent Spirituality, Religion, Scriptures
How do I find my Guru? Question: How do I find my True Guru? Answer: The Guru is within you but some of us cannot recognize the internal Guru so we need an external Guru to work like a GPS and point inwards. Here are the three aspects per the Vedantic traditional...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jun 2, 2020 | Aversion, Awareness, Awareness, Birth, Buddha, Craving, Death, Just Be, Mind, Moksha, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Samadhi, Self, Space-Time, Time-past/present/Future
Time does not exist! Question: As you said, we will be born again and again until we attain moksha from the cycle of birth and death. How to understand the paradigm of time here i.e. after this life, can I be born back in time? Does time exist really? If no, then...
by Gnyana Sangha | Apr 28, 2020 | Anger, Ashtavakra Gita, Attraction, Awareness, Awareness, Buddha, Commitment, Compassion, Craving, Dhyana, Emotions, Fear, Gnyana, Mind, Mindfulness, Purushartha, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Tapas
Are you a SAKSHI ? Question: When the storm of emotions hit (it did yesterday LOL) I kept reminding myself to “watch for it”. The emotion was anger and disappointment but when it was surging the high wasn’t under control. I was constantly reminding myself that the...
by Gnyana Sangha | Apr 23, 2020 | Awareness, Just Be, Karma, Liberation, Mindfulness, Present Moment, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Self, Self, Self- Realization, Vedic
Be a witness to all that is happening Question:Jai guru dev Ektaji – Di, we are not the body. Though this body will finish one day but we are not destroyed as we are the energy which is making this body work. Di, I want to know that whatever karma we do, we do it...
by Gnyana Sangha | Apr 5, 2020 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Bhakti Sutra, Consciousness, Emotions, Enlightenment, Form, Formless, God, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Life, Maaya, Maya, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Raaga/Dvesha, Samsara, Scriptures, Self, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Vedic, Wonder, Yoga Vasistha
Who is God? Question: What’s the easy way to be connected to divine. I was good at that but I got lost & cannot concentrate to get there again. Answer: How to be connected to the divine? Who is God? Most do not even know who is God. How can you be...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 20, 2020 | Awareness, Bondage, Buddha, Freedom, Relationship, Self- Realization
Drop holding onto external supports in life! Question: If everything is changing then how do I live? What am I supposed to hold onto to go through this life? Answer: Beautiful question dear! Very few people even realize that they are holding on to something or...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 18, 2020 | Awareness, Bondage, Boss/Colleague, Death, Emotions, Existence, Fear, Fear, Form, Illusion, Maaya, Physical, Prakriti, Relationship, Samsara, Self, Self- Realization, Soul, Temporary, Vedic, Viveka, Wisdom
Death Question: Dearest Ektaji, My first boss and mentor who became a very good friend just died this morning. I have known him since 1985. Part of me feels ignorant/lost and part of me feels thirsty. I feel Lost because I do not have good knowledge about death and...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 16, 2020 | Attachment, Body, Courage, Death, Faith, Fear, Fear, Flow with Life, General Spiritual, I, Paths, Self, Self-Effort, You
All Fears are just the Fear of Death! Question: The Enlightened Ones say that “All fears are actually the Fear of death”. I am confused. Please help. Answer: There is actually only one fear. It is the fear of death. There is no other fear. All the other...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jan 21, 2020 | Ego, Enlightenment, God, Guru, Independent Spirituality, Mind, Purushartha, Self, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Vedic
The door that leads you ‘IN’ also leads you ‘OUT’! Question: I am a very competitive and jealous person in the office, at home, with family & friends and especially in my volunteer activities. Now this competition is coming into my...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jan 9, 2020 | Compassion, Courage, Dispassion, Ego, Flow with Life, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Paths, Personality, Present Moment, Relationship, Vairagya
Dispassion or Ego? Question: Is it important for the outside world to accept my change in personality/ my growing dispassion? I don’t care about or see the outside world and when an ego of an external person/world comes up, I concentrate to focus on myself and the...
by Gnyana Sangha | Nov 27, 2019 | Aagami, Equanimous, Flow with Life, Just Be, Karma, Niyati, Reaction, Relationship, Soulmate, Vedic
Why some people cannot meditate with guided instructions or sound? Question: When I was doing the guided instructional and mantra meditation in a long course, I was paying attention to every instruction but didn’t experience meditation. I am not sure why. Answer:...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 7, 2019 | Aagami, Equanimous, Flow with Life, Just Be, Karma, Niyati, Reaction, Relationship, Soulmate, Vedic
Karma in Marriages Question:If a husband and wife think differently, how does the karma work between them?AnswerEach has his/her own karma. Suppose, one is negative in his approach to life and other is positive, for them the karma equation is simple: Negative thoughts...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 6, 2019 | Attachment, Birth, Body, Children, Death, Parent/Child, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Relationship, Scriptures, Soul, Vedic
Why do we do Shraadh every year for the departed ones ? Question:JGD!! I have a question pertaining to something we did in Pathanjali Yoga sutras. We discussed about death and how we do the 13 day rituals to let go of the soul. Why do we do Shraadh every year for the...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 6, 2019 | Aagami, Awareness, Destiny, Doership, Flow with Life, Impressions, Just Be, Karma, Karmaphalam, Life, Love/Hate, Niyati, Prarabdha, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Relationship, Sanchita, Self- Realization, Soulmate, Surrender, Vedic, Wisdom
Are you crazy or wise? Question:I met a guy for a matrimonial alliance but he left saying I feel a pull towards u so if it’s meant to be then destiny will get us back together! I don’t know how to deal with this. Is it really all destiny? Or it’s just a name...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 1, 2019 | Aagami, Aversion, Awareness, Bhagwad Gita, Boss/Colleague, Compassion, Dharma, Ego, Emotions, Hurt, Impressions, Jealousy, Karma, Knowledge, Love/Hate, Mind, Name/Roles, Personality, Raaga/Dvesha, Relationship, Spontaneous, Vedic, Wisdom
How to deal with misbehavior? Question:After working with a person, some habit/pattern and memory came up. It reminds me that she acted like my ex-boss who needs us to respect her and follow her lead; but at some points, my ego tells me: No, this is not right! I...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 28, 2019 | Bhakti Sutra, Knowledge, Love, Love, Relationship, Scriptures, Self, Soul, Soul, Truth, Vedic
Three types of Love Question:We say that everything is god/ love. Love is in every cell of the body. We also say that we are all made up of this one consciousness. It exists in all of us. My question is, then why do we love someone more than others. Or, is it a...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 28, 2019 | Attachment, Attention-Seeking, Attraction, Brahman, Consciousness, Craving, Desire, Divine, Divine, Enlightenment, Food, Greed, Raaga/Dvesha, Self, Self, Sex/Passion/Celibacy, Soul, Soul, Vedic
Is sex divine? Question:I have a very personal question. What is significance of sex in our marriage? If I am not the body, and only the consciousness, then how do I define sex or lovemaking with my spouse? Is sex divine? Or is it more of us not able to control our...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 18, 2019 | Body, Choice, Death, General Spiritual, Paths, Relationship, Rituals, Samsara
Embalming the Dead Body….Right or Wrong? Question:After somebody dies we request for embalming the body, so that we can prevent its decay for a couple of days, until all the relatives reach the funeral. My question is are we hurting the soul in anyways? Is the...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 16, 2019 | Courage, General Spiritual, Guilt, Guru, Infidelity, Karma, Marriage, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sankalpa/Intention, Self-Effort, Sex/Passion/Celibacy, Surrender, Surrender
How to get over the guilt of Infidelity? Question:How to work on maintaining internal purity when I know that I have become impure by stepping out of my marriage? How to get over the guilt of Infidelity?Answer:Everything that happens to us is because of our own Karma...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jan 17, 2019 | Children, Children, Desire, Destiny, Freewill, Karma, Karmaphalam, Marriage, Parent/Child, Sanchita, Sex/Passion/Celibacy, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
To have a child or adopt? Question: JGD Ekta di, I have a question from YV. (Page 12 para 3) Lord Rama says-“Though the child may appear to be innocent, the truth is that all sorts….happy period” My question is what is the point of having kids? When childhood is like...
by Gnyana Sangha | Aug 25, 2018 | Body, Independent Spirituality, Mind, Present Moment, Self, Self, Silence, Sub-conscious, Tapas, Thoughts
Silence…..Shhhhh! Question: How to keep an optimum silence during the Silence Course?Answer: Silence is not only of the body, it is of the mind. So one must make every attempt to at least taste a minute of complete silence of the mind at a Silence retreat otherwise it...
