by Ekta Bathija | Sep 2, 2026 | Advaita, Awareness, Bhagwad Gita, Birth, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Duality, Form, History, I, Impressions, Krishna, Memory, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Projection, Rama Geeta, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Spontaneous, Truth
‘I-the-Consciousness project numerous forms’ can be corrected to ‘Manifestation appears spontaneously within Me-the-Consciousness’ Question: Ektaji, some sages have said after self-realization that, ‘I took so many births, in different...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 30, 2026 | Consciousness, Emotions, General Spiritual, God, Impressions, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Suffering, Thoughts, Wisdom
Who decides the measure of impressions that will arise in Waking? Question: Namaste Ektaji, If the Waking arisings are decided by the measure of impressions within Deep Sleep, who decides the measure? Answer: The question “Who decides the measure of impressions...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 24, 2026 | Advaita, Brahman, Consciousness, Desire, Direct Path, God, I, Life, Maaya, Maya, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Projection, Rama Geeta, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
Who desires to exist and experience? Question: Ektaji, since Paramatma desires to experience (Jijivisha), can one say that Paramatma is desireless? Answer: Brahman is called desireless, not Paramatma, because Brahman is not an entity that desires. Desire can...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 19, 2026 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Body, Direct Path, Direct Path, I, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Thoughts, Truth
All is simply Thought! Question: Ektaji, is this understanding correct? Time and cause-and-effect will continue to be used by the body-mind (e.g., the body-mind apologizing for being late), but I am fully aware that this is role-play of the dream character, and I...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 9, 2026 | Buddha, Direct Path, Emptiness, Mind, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Sensations, Thoughts, Time-past/present/Future
The NOW is the Void! The Void is the NOW! You are THAT! Question: Dear Ektaji, When aware of myself as this timeless Now, it is noticed that the I-sense, the identity, arises out of me, the Now, just like any other arising. It comes out of me, made of the same as me,...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 5, 2026 | Advaita, Body, Chanting, Devotion, Duality, Gratitude, Guru, Ignorance, Meditation, Mind, Samadhi, Silence, Surrender, Wisdom, Worship
Gratitude and Absolute Surrender to the inner Guru Tattva! Question: Dear Didi, How to show gratitude and absolute surrender to the inner Guru Tattva moment to moment? Is there any prayer that can help? Answer: The Guru Tattva lies within. The inner environment...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 29, 2026 | Consciousness, General Spiritual, Guru, Guru Poornima, Knowledge, Truth, Upanishad
Celebrate Guru Poornima with the true inner Guru! Dear Angels,This Guru Poornima, let us pause and sincerely evaluate our spiritual progress. Inquire within: • Have I been listening to the Inner Guru?• Have I learned to see Truth directly, or do I continue to depend...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 23, 2026 | Advaita, Awareness, Birth, Body, Brahman, Consciousness, Death, Direct Path, God, Guru, Intellect, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
No beginning of the World. No End. No God. No Creator. Question: Ektaji, please can you help clarify about Kalpa or Yuga or the end of time? Also, did God create the world? Answer: ‘You-the-Witness-Consciousness,’ dream of a sleeping-dream-world...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 15, 2026 | Advaita, Devotion, Direct Path, Duality, Dvaita, Knowledge, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Truth
Why is it that others on the Non-dual path see but I don’t? Question: Why is it that others on the Non-dual path see, but I don’t? Answer: If the Advaitam [non-duality] seeing is not getting translated, it is a clear signal that there is still some...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 12, 2026 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Body, Consciousness, Desire, Direct Path, Happiness, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Seeking, Thoughts
When Even the Witness Dissolves, You Recognize That You Are What You Seek! Question: Dear EktabenIf a desire is a thought that arises from consciousness, does it stand to reason that such a thought is an attempt by consciousness (which has forgotten itself when...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 8, 2026 | Awareness, Body, Direct Path, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Self- Realization, Sensations, Senses, Spontaneous, Thoughts, Truth
Who knows that the Witness is witnessing thought? Dear Ektaji, Noticing that throughout the day the mind is always going on about something. If there is an abiding, a knowing of myself as the awareness of all the chatter, and the mind is going on about empty stuff, am... by Ekta Bathija | Jul 5, 2026 | Body, Direct Path, Enlightenment, General Spiritual, I, Illusion, Life, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Suffering
Is Gnyana Sangha your cup of coffee? Dear Dedicated Spiritual Seekers, Many people approach Gnyana Sangha. Some are merely curious. Some are looking for mental wellness. Some come under peer pressure. Some come because they have acquired material wealth and now aspire...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 3, 2026 | Direct Path, General Spiritual, Gnyana, Knowledge, Upanishad, Wisdom
Global launch of the book, Burning the Bridges to Ignorance: Avadhuta Upanishad Drishti by Ekta Bathija Dear Advaitins,Announcing the Global launch of the book, Burning the Bridges to Ignorance: Avadhuta Upanishad Drishti by Ekta Bathija. Links: US –...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 28, 2026 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Brahman, Death, Dispassion, Ego, Enlightenment, Guru, I, Ignorance, Impressions, Knowledge, Mind, Reaction, Rituals, Samadhi, Sensations, Thoughts, Truth, Vasana
Videhamukti completes the incomplete Jivanmukti Question: Hi Ektaji, I was going through Jivanmukta by Vidyaranya Swamy, wherein he said, “When realization of the Truth (Tattva Jñāna) alone is perfected, but the dissolution of the mind (Mano Nāśa) and the...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 17, 2026 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Direct Path, Existence, I, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence, Spontaneous, Thoughts, Wisdom
Can you extend the duration of a thought? Question: Ektaji, I have found in my experience that if I choose to focus (react) to a certain thought, it serves to extend its duration in my field of Knowingness. Is this a contradiction of the statement above that I have no...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 14, 2026 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Body, Consciousness, Desire, Direct Path, I, Ignorance, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
Ignorant Consciousness is the dreamer of the Waking-dream script Question: Namaste Ektaji,Is this a correct understanding? No one can control the dream script, neither the dreamer nor the dream character. In other words, the dream character makes a sankalpa, “This...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 10, 2026 | Advaita, Buddha, Direct Path, Guru, Knowledge, Scriptures
Books from Gnyana Sangha range from Beginner level to Renunciation [Sannyasa] level Question: Hello Didi, I understand better when I read rather than when I listen. Are there different books for different levels of Seekers in Gnyana Sangha? If you could tell me which...
by Ekta Bathija | May 31, 2026 | Awareness, Body, Brahman, Consciousness, Desire, Direct Path, Doership, Form, I, Ignorance, Mind, Paths, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Sensations, Thoughts, Wisdom, You
Coordinates of Consciousness Question: Please can you explain the meaning of a coordinate of Consciousness? Answer: Let’s understand the milestones of direct seeing on the spiritual path, which will also reveal the milestone of the coordinates of...
by Ekta Bathija | May 28, 2026 | Brahman, Consciousness, Desire, Direct Path, I, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Self- Realization
Help the ‘I’ find what it is seeking! Question: The desire to experience arises in whom? Can consciousness at rest have a desire? And if consciousness in motion dissolves into the consciousness at rest, that should be the end of Dwaitam. How does it arise...
by Ekta Bathija | May 24, 2026 | General Spiritual, Knowledge, Upanishad
Did you miss the Kathopanishad session? Dear Ones, If you missed the Kathopanishad session, here is an opportunity to watch the videos and catch up before we meet again for the next session. YouTube: Kathopanishad Self-exploration: https://tinyurl.com/Katha-YouTube-SE...
by Ekta Bathija | May 20, 2026 | Body, Children, Emotions, General Spiritual, God, Guru, Marriage, Mind, Relationship, Religion, Rituals, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Spouse
Psychological Counseling Versus Spiritual Inquiry Dear Ektaji, I have been going through family turmoil with my spouse. It is getting difficult to live together. Is divorce the only way out or should I wait it out, I am confused with the chaos in my mind. The kids are...
by Ekta Bathija | May 18, 2026 | Atma Darshan, Atmananda, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, I, Ignorance, Knowledge, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Suffering
Working at the higher witness level Question: Namaste Ektaji, you said, in the Atma Darshan series, that ‘We are working at the higher witness level, not the lower witness level.’ What is the meaning of working at the higher witness level? Answer:...
by Ekta Bathija | May 14, 2026 | Birth, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Truth, Upanishad
You cannot deduce your own birth! Question: Didi, as a mother personality, this body-mind complex has a memory of giving birth to another body-mind complex. When I correlate, I assume I was born into the world by my mother. Then how can I be the birthless...
by Ekta Bathija | May 12, 2026 | Atma Darshan, Atmananda, Brahman, Consciousness, Death, Direct Path, Form, Formless, Thoughts, Truth
‘I am deathless’ is misinterpreted as ‘I do not want to die’ Question: Is the raw impulse of Consciousness ‘I do not die’ that you mentioned in the Atma Darshan session, simply a thought? Answer: A raw impulse is not a...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 22, 2026 | Awareness, Body, Direct Path, I, Illusion, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Senses, Thoughts, Truth, Upanishad
I am not born into a World. The World is born to me! Question: Didi, I don’t yet have experiential recognition of nothingness while in deep sleep (it’s only a post-recognition that there was nothing). This experiential recognition makes me think the world...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 19, 2026 | Atma Darshan, Atmananda, Aversion, Body, Consciousness, Death, Direct Path, Fear, Happiness, I, Sensations, Thoughts
Being fearless is the greatest happiness! Question: Dear Ektadi, I am presently ruminating over the lines of your Atma Darshan video: at 40:00 https://youtube.com/live/m5NhV5ciomA?feature=shareWhen the waking Consciousness disappears, the happiness, which is my...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 15, 2026 | General Spiritual, I, Illusion, Intellect, Memory, Mind, Sensations, Thoughts
The intellect is unavailable in the gap to record Nothingness Question: Dear Ektaji, Is my understanding correct? At 6 pm, I keep my car keys somewhere in my house. At 8 pm, I want to go out. I am searching for the car keys, but can’t find them. My mind’s story...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 8, 2026 | Adhyasa Drishti, Advaita, Awareness, Body, Conscious, Consciousness, Fear, Illusion, Mind, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Thoughts
The mind is not conscious Question: As I understand, during the dreaming state, the witness is witnessing a dream, and the mind is in a semi-conscious state. But towards the end of the dream or during the dream (as it may appear), the mind becomes fully conscious, and...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 1, 2026 | Body, Buddha, Direct Path, Fear, Mind, Reaction, Silence, Thoughts, Wisdom
Difference between an uncultivated mind and an uncontained mind Question: Didi, I saw your video on the Buddha’s sutta on the mind that can be trained and developed. My question is, how do I know if my mind is trainable or not? How do I know if I have an...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 29, 2026 | Advaita, General Spiritual, Wisdom
Where to begin the spiritual inquiry? Question: Dear Ekta, I have read about Waking, Dreaming, and Sleeping wisdom on your blog site. How can a beginner commence his journey? Answer: You can begin by joining the beginners retreat or by watching the Advaita...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 22, 2026 | Body, Death, Energy, Fear, Formless, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Masters, Matter, Meditation, Mind, Rishi, Scriptures, Self, Swamy, Truth, You
Fear of Death = Fear of unknown Question: How is fear of the unknown different from the fear of death and how to come out of both these fears? Please help. Answer: Fear of the unknown and the fear of death are essentially the same. Understand one thing that,...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 18, 2026 | Anger, Aversion, Buddha, Company/Association/Sangha, Desire, Mind, Reaction, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence, Vairagya, Vasana, Viveka
Do you sleep like a baby? Question: Following the Buddha’s path, I would like to dissociate from people, situations, and things that bring about unwholesomeness in me. How do I clearly distinguish between wise disassociation with wholesome effort vs avoidance...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 15, 2026 | Advaita, Body, Consciousness, Desire, Direct Path, Dispassion, Doership, Fear, Liberation, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Projection, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Vairagya, Viveka
Correcting at the source with the master key of dispassion Question: Ekta Didi, Nisargadatta Maharaj advises on correcting at the source. How do I make corrections to the projection? Answer: When Maharaj says that correction is required at the source, he means...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 4, 2026 | Advaita, Aversion, Awareness, Consciousness, Craving, Direct Path, I, Illusion, Ishavasya Upanishad, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Thoughts, Truth, Vasana
Make room for Equanimity! Question: Dear Ekta didi, When the first thought comes up (vichara), and the witnessing awareness forgets its stand, jumps in, and gets involved in the story creation (vasana), is there a pause in the natural flow of arisings? If so, is this...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 25, 2026 | Adhyasa Drishti, Advaita, Body, Buddha, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dispassion, Gnyana, Guru, I AM THAT, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Liberation, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Paths, Rama Geeta, Ramana Maharshi, Samadhi, Scriptures, Vairagya, Viveka
Are there different books for different levels of Seekers in Gnyana Sangha? Question: Hello Didi, I understand better when I read rather than when I listen. Are there different books for different levels of Seekers in Gnyana Sangha? If you could tell me which books a...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 22, 2026 | Advaita, Brahman, Consciousness, Direct Path, Emptiness, Illusion, Ishavasya Upanishad, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Sensations, Thoughts
Go beyond Deep Sleep to Turiyatita Question: Dear Ektaji, I have one question. One must BE in rest to observe one in motion. I am Turiya, and Turiya is consciousness in motion. How can I witness 8 arising in the Waking world and the Dream world, which is consciousness...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 18, 2026 | Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dispassion, General Spiritual, Mind, Paths, Rituals, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence, Spontaneous, Thoughts, Upanishad, Vairagya, Viveka, Worship
Do I have to discard Dvaitam path rituals? Question: Do I have to discard all old rituals and practices that I followed on the previously adhered to Dvaitam paths? Sometimes, the thought occurs to resume what has been stopped. How do I navigate this? Answer: On...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 15, 2026 | Body, Dreams, Independent Spirituality, Life, Mind, Pleasure/Pain, Ramana Maharshi, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Suffering, Truth, Wisdom
Witnessing does NOT mean to be there but ‘skip knowing the unpleasant’ Question: Pranam Ektaji, is there a way to dodge body pain, being the witness, and not feel the pain at all? Answer: Witnessing means to be there and know. Witnessing does NOT...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 11, 2026 | Attachment, Aversion, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Craving, Dispassion, Form, General Spiritual, I, Illusion, Independent Spirituality, Mind, Opinion/Behavior/Judgement, Pleasure/Pain, Reaction, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Scriptures, Sensations, Silence, Thoughts, Vairagya
Persistent Sakshi-bhaava evolves to natural Vairagya Question: Didi, how to stay at a distance when a captivating arising appears? How to develop sufficient Vairagya (dispassion) towards it? Answer: Realizing one is the Witness of the Waker and not the...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 4, 2026 | Advaita, Body, Direct Path, Doubts, I, Illusion, Intellect, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Truth
The ‘I’ shifts. How can that which shifts be anything but illusory? Question: I don’t have experiential recognition of the nothingness in Deep sleep, yet. It’s only a post-recognition that there was nothing. Yet, I have glimpses that the world...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 28, 2026 | Advaita, Body, Buddha, Conscious, Courage, Direct Path, Dukkha, God, Happiness, I, Impressions, Intellect, Mind, Physical, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Self, Sukkha
Effort or Effortlessness Question: Didi, I was under the impression that the spiritual path is effortless, but you said in the previous post that effort must be applied. I am sure I am missing a delicate pointer somewhere. Please guide me. Answer: Let me...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 21, 2026 | Advaita, Aversion, Awareness, Body, Brahman, Company/Association/Sangha, Consciousness, Craving, Direct Path, Ego, Enlightenment, Fear, I, Relationship, Samadhi, Sensations, Thoughts, Wisdom
From Loneliness to Aloneness… Question: Why does everyone feel lonely, irrespective of age, gender, or whether surrounded by people or not? From the Advaita perspective, I know there are no others, and there is only Brahman. ‘Others’ is my figment of...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 11, 2026 | General Spiritual, Knowledge, Wisdom
Is Gnyana Sangha your cup of coffee? Dear Dedicated Spiritual Seekers, Many people approach Gnyana Sangha. Some are merely curious. Some are looking for mental wellness. Some come under peer pressure. Some come because they have acquired material wealth and now aspire...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 8, 2026 | Advaita, Body, Concepts, Direct Path, Form, Ignorance, Memory, Parents, Rama Geeta, Spouse, Thoughts, Upanishad
There is nothing personal! Question: Namaste Ektaji, Is this a correct understanding of Samskaras? I recognize personal Samskaras in the waking state, which is nothing but ignorance. This is the state where personhood is most established. I recognize impersonal...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 24, 2025 | Advaita, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dreams, Elements, Emptiness, Existence, Formless, Ishavasya Upanishad, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Suffering, Thoughts, Wisdom
Q&A on the effacement of conditioning by Wake-Dream-Sleep wisdom Question:Dear Ektaji, In Swapna Nidra Gnyana Sadhana, there is a blackness/nothingness, and the dreams sprout out of this blackness, like a bubble, one at a time. I see how I get drawn into the...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 21, 2025 | Buddha, Direct Path, Dreams, I, Ignorance, Ishavasya Upanishad, Knowledge, Parents, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Spouse, Thoughts, Wisdom
The ‘I’ merges with the Nothingness of Deep Sleep Question: Dear Ekta Didi, In the Ishavasya Upanishad knowledge session, you said that the dissolution of the ‘I’ can be seen like a drop merging with the ocean of nothingness. I have never...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 18, 2025 | Advaita, Direct Path, Expectations, I, Impressions, Mind, Rama Geeta, Upanishad
The restlessness around ‘Identity’ Question: Namaste Ektaji, Does the dissolution of the restlessness around the ‘I’ dissolve the identity hook? Or is it the other way around? Or does it work both ways? Answer: One is not always aware of the...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 8, 2025 | Advaita, Buddha, Buddha, Consciousness, Dukkha, Knowledge, Love, Meditation, Memory, Mind, Misery, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Suffering, Thanksgiving, Thoughts
Don’t just forgive but be grateful for all worldly sorrows Question: Dear Ekta, Thanksgiving is difficult for people like me. I am unable to give thanks to my family. I want to follow the Buddhadvaita path and forgive, but bitter memories haunt me. Can you help...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 3, 2025 | Adhyasa Drishti, Advaita, Awareness, Birth, Concepts, Consciousness, Death, Direct Path, Emptiness, Enlightenment, I, Ignorance, Illusion, Liberation, Truth
For whom and why is enlightenment needed? Question: If cause and effect do not exist and all the scene is the same (a remote control cannot be differentiated from the hand using it as all this is creation as a whole….. No two), then birth, death are also a...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 1, 2025 | Adhyasa Drishti, Advaita, Awareness, Body, Direct Path, I, Mind, Seeking, Truth, Wisdom
Quit pretending that you don’t SEE the truth in Wake-Dream-Sleep exploration Question: Didi, my Wake-Dream-Sleep exploration hasn’t been going well, as the mind is occupied even before sleep, and I’m unable to stay aware. Because of that, I’m finding it hard....
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 26, 2025 | General Spiritual, Knowledge, Seva, Spontaneous, Thanksgiving, Wisdom
Give back this Thanksgiving! Dear Spiritual Sangha, Thanksgiving is an opportunity to operate from the inner core of purity. The inner core seeks to balance the book of life. Let’s take this opportunity to balance our spiritual debit and credit accounts by...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 19, 2025 | General Spiritual, Human, Meditation, Paths, Rituals, Scriptures, Wisdom, Worship
AI cannot get enlightened for you! Question: Dear Didi, I am trapped in this new-age world of AI. Earlier, I was addicted to computer games. I am facing some difficulty trying to get out of this addiction. AI can even spit out all the spiritual wisdom, but it needs to...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 12, 2025 | Adi Shankaracharya, Advaita, Atma Darshan, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Buddha, Chanting, Death, Direct Path, General Spiritual, Guru, Ishavasya Upanishad, Love, Meditation, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Paths, Rama Geeta, Ramana Maharshi, Religion, Rituals, Scriptures, Self, Truth, Upanishad, Wisdom, Worship
If you can see, I can too! Question: I’ve been searching for the truth for a long time. I’ve explored a lot of paths — from “human-worship” and “guru-as-celebrity” types to “academic monk” approaches, “ritual-heavy” traditions, and even hopping from one...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 9, 2025 | Knowledge, Ramana Maharshi, Samadhi, Wisdom
Global Launch: ‘I-I’ Journal Levels 1 & 2: Ramana Maharshi’s Samadhi teachings Dear Angels,Announcing the Global launch of two journals by Ekta Bathija: ‘I-I’ Journal Level 1: Ramana Maharshi’s Deep Sleep and Closed-Eyed...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 5, 2025 | Body, General Spiritual, Independent Spirituality, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Thoughts, Wisdom
Quit pretending that there is a continuity! Question: Didi,Regarding the SNGS book, Quote 20 – ‘I witness that there is a continuity in dream stories just like there is a continuity in the waking story’, is this a correct understanding? Just like the... by Ekta Bathija | Nov 2, 2025 | Awareness, Consciousness, Doubts, Ego, Fear, General Spiritual, Knowledge, Paths, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence, Truth
Awareness itself does not ask questions, nor raises doubts! Question: It feels like the clouds move in and also pass. At times it seems clear, then again doubt arises. In these moments, staying aware of me as the witnessing field seems to settle things, like I’m...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 29, 2025 | Advaita, Awareness, Brahman, Conscious, Consciousness, Direct Path, Fear, Illusion, Impressions, Maaya, Rama Geeta, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Universe, Upanishad
The peace of deep sleep without losing consciousness Question:Namaste Ektaji, 🙏 does the term ‘Flow’ refer to both the Universal Power running the apparent Universe, and Jagrut sushupti? When I go with the will of the Universal Intelligence (ie, be with reality as it...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 26, 2025 | Energy, General Spiritual, Impressions, Karma, Mind, Sensations, Silence, Thoughts, Wisdom
Should I do this action or that? What about the Karmic impression? Question: Knowing that there may be creation of Karmic impressions, should I decide to do an action out of compassion or not? Waker is confused. Answer: A scientist proposes a new hypothesis,...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 19, 2025 | Advaita, Body, Direct Path, Dispassion, I, Illusion, Mind, Rama Geeta, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Senses, Silence, Spontaneous, Upanishad, Vairagya, Viveka, Wisdom
The 6 Virtues or Shat Sampat Question: Dear Ekta, could you expand on the spiritual journal point “inner self investigation leads to natural development of silence of the lips”? Thank you. Answer: The first and foremost point is that one must...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 16, 2025 | Brahman, Diwali, Enlightenment, General Spiritual, Illusion, Rama Geeta, Rituals, Space-Time, Truth
Diwali gift Question: Didi, I am not into religious rituals anymore, but I would like to give my beloved a spiritual Diwali gift. What would you give as a Diwali gift if you were in my place? Answer: Diwali is the celebration of the victory of...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 8, 2025 | Consciousness, Death, Fear, General Spiritual, Memory, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Thoughts, Wisdom
A dialogue on how only the Wake-Dream-Sleep witnessing reveals the fourth! Question: Namaste Ektaji, there is a statement from Adhyaasa Drishti, “When the continuity of Turiya in all three states is directly seen, there remains no more fear of death.” Is the deep...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 5, 2025 | Anger, Aversion, Body, Bondage, Craving, Desire, Dreams, Ego, General Spiritual, Guru, Happiness, Illusion, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Self- Realization
You have trapped yourself and Only you can untrap your Self! Question: Dear Didi, If the ego is not getting much attention, is it possible that the ego makes the body fall sick to get attention? If yes, how can one get out of this trap? Answer: The only way out...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 28, 2025 | Adi Shankaracharya, Advaita, Body, Breath, Chanting, Courage, Death, Direct Path, Ego, Energy, God, Guru, Human, Ignorance, Intellect, Ishavasya Upanishad, Kabir, Memory, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Ramana Maharshi, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Soul, Upanishad, Worship
What is NOT Sadhana? Question: Dear Ektaji, What is the purpose of Sadhana? Is it to strengthen my witnessing stand? Answer: There is only ONE sadhana dear – The sadhana of NOT betraying one’s own true Self, as discussed in the earlier verses of...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 24, 2025 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Buddha, Emptiness, Just Be, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Scriptures, Thoughts, Wisdom
Structure must be dropped in Deep Samadhi Question: Dear Ekta didi, can you please elaborate on “The collapse of hankering for structure and methodology is a prerequisite for Samadhi.” Thank you Answer: Any hankering is an obstacle for Samadhi, my dear. Let me...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 21, 2025 | Adi Shankaracharya, Attachment, Brahman, Conscious, Consciousness, Craving, Feverishness, General Spiritual, I, Ignorance, Let go, Name/Roles, Paths, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Scriptures, Seeking, Self, Truth, Wisdom
Spiritual thirst is different from a worldly craving Question: Dear Ektaji, I am observing that I am yearning to be established in the witness consciousness, to know myself, at the same time, I fear that this thirst is a craving, a seeking that is leading me to...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 17, 2025 | Advaita, Direct Path, Dreams, Fear, Guru, I, Mind, Relationship, Seeking, Silence, Truth, Wisdom
If you were content with Dreams, would you trade them for Deep Sleep? Question: If I were content with the pleasure of dreams, would I trade it for the sleeper identity? This question makes me dizzy. I don’t know which end is up 😊. Please do elaborate. Thank you...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 10, 2025 | Advaita, Body, Direct Path, Knowledge, Mind, Self, Self- Realization, Wisdom
Space trying to merge into itself Question: Ekta, is this direct seeing? All night, there was an empty space, and it was trying to merge within itself as one. There was only knowledge of this in retrospect. It felt like alive energy. Is this the direct seeing of the...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 7, 2025 | Advaita, Brahman, Buddha, Consciousness, Direct Path, I, Ignorance, Ishavasya Upanishad, Maaya, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Self- Realization, Spontaneous, Suffering, Time-past/present/Future, Wisdom
Self-Realization occurs spontaneously and instantaneously not in hindsight Question: Dear Ektaji, Is my direct seeing correct? This I-Sense is there like a pair of eyes that witnesses all that the waker does. It is the Fourth in which all three states come and go. It...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 3, 2025 | General Spiritual, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seva, Wisdom
Quit ignoring yourself! Question: Dear Ekta, The Dream and Deep sleep have not been witnessed as such from the witness stand point. However, there is something that knows something in the Dream and Sleep. Why is the witnessing of the Dream and Deep Sleep not the same...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 20, 2025 | Advaita, Body, Breath, Conscious, Consciousness, Direct Path, Ego, Existence, Ishavasya Upanishad, Meditation, Mind, Samadhi, Self
The body doesn’t sit to meditate… the body sits to disappear… Question: My mind comes up with the excuse, ‘You’re not this body, why does this body sit for meditation? I know it’s an excuse. Please help the Ego from falling into this...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 17, 2025 | Advaita, Attachment, Doership, General Spiritual, Knowledge, Paths, Relationship, Religion, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Thoughts, Truth, Vasana, Wisdom
There is no chooser-thought that selects one among several option-thoughts! Question: Dear Ektaji, You said, “If a thought rises, ‘I want coffee’, that is also a random, automatic arising from the natural flow.” Does that mean there can be many...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 13, 2025 | Advaita, Body, Direct Path, Guru, Ishavasya Upanishad, Mind, Name/Roles, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Sensations, Spontaneous, Thoughts, Truth, Wealth
Freewill is only a thought! Question: Ektaji, Do I have free will? If yes, how much? Answer: Let me expand on Freewill: There is no person called [Insert your name here]. There is only a body sensation that appears and disappears. It is only a sensation of the...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 30, 2025 | Advaita, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Ishavasya Upanishad, Mind, Personality, Projection, Sensations, Thoughts
The dream tiger moves, but does not exist! Question: I’m not able to comprehend the bigger picture/satellite/wholesome view of the I-Sense. It projects itself through this Waker, that Waker, and that Waker. How can each one have the same direct seeing as I had...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 28, 2025 | Attachment, Conscious, Consciousness, Desire, General Spiritual, God, I, Seeking, Truth, Upanishad, Wisdom, You
God is Everything and Everyone and Nothing and No one! Question: Dear Ekta,If God is the totality of all that is, and is all things (conditioned) as well as unconditioned (The Absolute), how can God self-manifest and distinguish “himself” in a given situation? God is...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 20, 2025 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Body, Direct Path, I, Mind, Thoughts, Wisdom
A thought cannot arise from a thought! A thought arises from the VOID! Question: I’m practicing Swapna Nidhra Gnyana Sadhana. In the early hours of dawn, awareness of the body happened. As Ektaji had pointed out, it was so crystal clear that the body lay there,...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 16, 2025 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Aversion, Awareness, Body, Brahman, Consciousness, Craving, Direct Path, Illusion, Love, Mind, Sensations
The master key to Bliss! Question: The foundation of the mind was already shaken a little, by the close manner in which you are guiding us, from afar. I have not read about such a thing anywhere, and I’ve read many spiritual seekers’ and sages’ autobiographies/...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 13, 2025 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Direct Path, Memory, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Thoughts, Time-past/present/Future
The ‘NOW’ is not the now! Question: When I drop the witness and rest, there is no NOW. Is this understanding correct? Answer: Let’s dive deeper into this, as there seems to be some confusion there, dear. The reality is the NOW itself. The NOW...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 6, 2025 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Conscious, Direct Path, Duality, Knowledge, Mind, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Unconscious, Wisdom
Deep Sleep is Dynamic Emptiness knowing itself! Question: Namaste Ektaji, Is it a correct conclusion that only when I recognize the awareness during deep sleep, I will recognize that it is a state that appears and disappears in nothingness? Till then, it will appear...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 2, 2025 | Body, Concepts, Consciousness, Desire, Form, General Spiritual, Happiness, I, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Thoughts, Truth, Unconscious, Wisdom
What is Direct Seeing? Who Sees? What is being Seen? Question: What is direct Seeing? Who Sees? What is being seen? Please help explain it clearly. Answer: Let’s begin with what direct seeing is not. Direct Seeing is not seeing through the eyes: The eyes...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 25, 2025 | General Spiritual, I AM THAT, Life, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Paths, Seeking, Serious, Truth
How to know if I really SEE the Truth? Dear Ektaji, How do I know that I SEE? Doubts arise if I am manufacturing things, as you mentioned in your ‘mind-manufactured images’ blog post. I have been looking for shortcuts in life, even on the spiritual path,...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 22, 2025 | Knowledge
The Platform Evolves, the Wisdom Deepens! Dear Spiritualists! For the sake of deeper engagement and smoother performance, moving from an older to a newer platform becomes essential at times. In alignment with the natural flow, the Gnyana Sangha website, [not this...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 11, 2025 | Advaita, Atma Darshan, Atmananda, Direct Path, I, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence, Truth
Find the Inner Child! Question: Namaste Ektaji, the way a baby perceives the world: Just Beingness, neither the thought of separateness, nor the thought of oneness, would that be recognition of Satchidananda in Jagat? Answer: Yes dear. That is called Sahaja...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 8, 2025 | Advaita, Brahman, Consciousness, Direct Path, Duality, I AM THAT, Knowledge, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Senses, Wisdom
The Ultimate Knower knows yet it does not know! Question: Namaste Ektaji,What is the correct understanding of these different statements? In I AM THAT Session 54 – Chapter 19: https://www.gnyanasangha.com/s/courses/677e29b443ab4728b806b958/takeThe primordial...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 5, 2025 | Attachment, Aversion, Buddha, Consciousness, Craving, Doership, Flow with Life, Form, General Spiritual, I, Pleasure/Pain, Reaction, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Sensations, Thoughts, Wisdom
Become Debt-free by changing the pattern of the Waker! Question: Dear Didi, You said that every arising is indebted to Zeroness. So is it that habitual tendencies, stories, and concepts of waking and dreaming are in debt to Zeroness? And being entangled in any... by Ekta Bathija | May 21, 2025 | Advaita, Attachment, Awareness, Body, Concepts, Death, Direct Path, Memory, Mind, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence, Truth, Upanishad
How can the ‘limitlessness’ die in the limited state? Question: Ektaji, I had COVID and went through extreme fear. I think the fear stemmed from my attachments to my family, wife, and kids. I have been walking the Advaita path for years. The silence is...
by Ekta Bathija | May 18, 2025 | Birth, Body, Breath, Death, Ego, General Spiritual, Illusion, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Life, Mind, Prana, Soul, Truth, Wisdom
The appearance of a dead body is no different from a living body! Question: Dear Ekta, “I am not the body”. So the appearance of a dead body is no different than a living body…all is not real. …It is so tricky. Answer: Yes, dear, all is...
by Ekta Bathija | May 11, 2025 | Advaita, Body, Direct Path, Doership, Meditation, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Thoughts, Truth, Upanishad, Wisdom
Knowing that you are beyond thought is the Master-Key! Question: Is it possible to be in a state of no thoughts for long periods? Even during meditation, there’s hardly a whole minute of the thoughtless state. I try to be aware of my thoughts, but I invariably get...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 30, 2025 | Advaita, Atma Darshan, Atmananda, Buddha, Direct Path, Duality, I, Mind, Opinion/Behavior/Judgement, Sensations, Thoughts, You
Observing devoid of attachment! Question: Perception without attachment and judgment is peace.. Is my understanding correct? Answer: Yes dear. On the Buddha’s path, pure cognition is given utmost importance. The art of observation is simply cognizing the...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 24, 2025 | Birth, Death, Desire, Existence, General Spiritual, I, Illusion, Knowledge, Projection, Self, Self- Realization, Truth, Unconscious, You
When I am, the world is! When I am not, the world is not! Question: Is it right to say that I live for others? Despite all I do for others, I find it fake. I hope I am making sense. Is my intuition correct? Please shed light. Answer: Yes, the world is...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 21, 2025 | Attachment, Consciousness, General Spiritual, Guru, Krishna, Love, Truth
Radhaa leads to Krishna Question: Dear Ektaji, is my longing & love for you, my Guru, also the physiological response of Waker? Answer: There is only ONE longing, it is the longing for the Consciousness. That is called Raadhaa. When Ekta speaks, she is...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 6, 2025 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Existence, Illusion, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Thoughts, Truth, Wisdom
Sensations and feelings are not personal as an illusion cannot be personal Question: What is a physical sensation? What is a mental feeling? Are they different or the same? Answer: A physical sensation is mere ‘knowledge’. A pleasant physical...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 2, 2025 | Advaita, Direct Path, Gnyana, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Wisdom
Global Launch — New Book Dear Ones, Announcing the Global launch of a new book in the Swapna Nidra Gnyana Sadhana Series – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F324YW3N?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk Title: Beyond the Veil of Sleep and Dream: Swapna...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 30, 2025 | Advaita, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, Form, I AM THAT, Name/Roles, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Upanishad
Turn inwards towards the Witness and let it dissolve! Question: Ektaji, please would you help clarify this from the ‘I AM THAT’ homework on the Gnyana Sangha website: Pure Witness Consciousness does not indulge in Name & Form [Naama-Rupa]. Rejecting...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 26, 2025 | Advaita, Direct Path, Gnyana, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Wisdom
New Book Launch Dear Advaitins, The Gnyana Sangha Books by Ekta Bathija are now available on AMAZON. Please find the book links below: Guru Tattva Drishti: Be spiritually independent because there is no external Guru: Amazon –...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 23, 2025 | Advaita, Dispassion, Ego, Enlightenment, General Spiritual, Gnyana, God, Happiness, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Knowledge, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Paths, Samsara, Scriptures, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Surrender, Worship
Do you test the participants before admitting them to Gurukul? Question: Dear Didi, I want to join your Gurukul system, but I know that I am far from being eligible right now. I am too attached to this Samsara and my yearning is not strong enough for the highest...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 19, 2025 | Advaita, Body, Brahman, Buddha, Consciousness, Direct Path, Enlightenment, I, Illusion, Maya, Mind, Moksha, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Self, Self- Realization, Senses, Truth, Wisdom
The four avenues to establish in your true Spiritual Self! Question: Thank you Ektaji for your enlightening wisdom. I have been doing Swapna Nidra Gnyana Sadhana for a few months now. I realized that I am the 4th (Turiya). But still, I am Maya-Ansh (Particle of Maya)....
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 16, 2025 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Direct Path, I, Impressions, Projection, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sankalpa/Intention
Sankalpa [intention] belongs to the dream world! Question: I want to clarify the statement, “The dream belongs to the dreamer”. Technically, the awakened dreamer can change the dream, irrespective of how much fuel is left, because the dream belongs to him. But he’s...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 12, 2025 | Brahman, Consciousness, General Spiritual, God, I, Illusion, Knowledge, Maaya, Projection, Self, Senses, Truth
Your power cannot harm you, Maaya-ansh! Question: What is the correct understanding of these two opposing statements?1. I cannot stop the projection even after recognizing Brahman Satyam & Jagat Mithya.2. ‘I-the-Consciousness’ project everything and I...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 6, 2025 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, Existence, Form, Knowledge, Matter, Physical, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations
Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, and Touch cannot prove the existence of matter Question: What is Perception? Answer: Perception = Bodh in SanskritA simple translation of Bodh = Knowing. Drishya Bodh: Visual perception is that which is known as a form [shape +...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 23, 2025 | Consciousness, Form, Formless, General Spiritual, God, I, I AM THAT, Illusion, Maya, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Scriptures, Shiva, Truth
Shiva is a symbol! Avoid seeking a real Shiva! Question: Ekta Ji, I have listened to your podcast on “I am That.” I recently came across this. Please help explain what this means – ‘I AM’ is the greatest Lingam. That which covers it from all around...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 19, 2025 | Awareness, General Spiritual, Intellect, Meditation, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence, Thoughts
Anhad Naad can be used as a beginners self-inquiry tool Question: I attempt to stay established as the witness, during my daily activities and in closed-eye contemplation. As I notice myself getting lost in thoughts, and I bring myself back to the witness, I...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 16, 2025 | Body, General Spiritual, I, Mind, Seeking, Silence, Viveka
The Anhad Naad is like the chirping of crickets yet not a sound! Question: Didi, is it true that ‘Anhad Naad’ has stages where one can hear different sounds at each stage? Eg: If one continuously hears the Naad for a few days then later one can hear...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 9, 2025 | Courage, General Spiritual, Samsara, Seeking, Self- Realization
For Self-Realization or Spiritual Entertainment? Question: Why is it so important for one’s focus on self-realization to be paramount? Answer: A self-inquiry on self-realization will aid all who are serious spiritual seekers to understand the importance...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 5, 2025 | Consciousness, Direct Path, Emptiness, Fullness, General Spiritual, I, Mind, Self- Realization, Sensations, Thoughts
Manah Prasad Somyatvam – The Sweetness of Consciousness! Question: In Knowingness, this sweetness is present, a completeness, fullness. Is this also part of the ups and downs of the mind? Or is this the Knowingness that I am? Answer: Pure Consciousness...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 2, 2025 | Addiction, Consciousness, Craving, Direct Path, Emptiness, Expectations, General Spiritual, Happiness, I, Impressions, Meditation, Mind, Misery, Pleasure/Pain, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Seeking, Suffering
The image of the witness is not the Witness! Question: Dear Ekta Ji, there is a recognition that there is an addiction or craving to doing, when the day’s measure is done and there is nothing more to do (including spiritual doing meditating, journaling) there is an...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 22, 2025 | Buddha, Buddha, Consciousness, Emotions, Gratitude, Knowledge, Relationship, Wisdom
Being debt-free is essential! Dear Didi, I read Buddha’s sutta on Indebtedness. I want to become free from all debt. Buddha elaborates so much on becoming free. How would you suggest that I start taking the steps toward becoming debt-free on all friends, family,...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 19, 2025 | Advaita, Body, Buddha, Chanting, Consciousness, Direct Path, Fear, Guru/Disciple, I, Illusion, Maaya, Meditation, Mind, Religion, Samadhi, Self- Realization, Sensations, Senses, Shiva, Spontaneous, Thoughts
Manufacturing mental images and observing them is not true meditation Question: When I was chanting my mantra, I heard Akathkatha. I saw Shiva in front of my eyes. My consciousness was not in my body. I had that experience for two hours. I felt lightweight and had...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 15, 2025 | Adi Shankaracharya, Advaita, Body, Brahman, Consciousness, Direct Path, Guru, I, Illusion, Knowledge, Mind
I AM yet I AM NOT. IT IS yet IT IS NOT. Question: Namaste Ektaji, is this a correct understanding? When you say: “It is, yet it is not” are you referring toThe Presence/ Knowledge/ Pure Consciousness – It is.The absence of any entity/ identity – It is not. In Adi...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 5, 2025 | Advaita, Attention-Seeking, Bhakti, Breath, Chanting, Consciousness, Devotion, Direct Path, Dispassion, Duality, Enlightenment, General Spiritual, God, Guru, Guru/Disciple, I, Illusion, Krishna, Love, Mind, Moksha, Samadhi, Self, Self- Realization, Senses, Silence, Truth, Vairagya, Worship
Devotion is the automatic last step on the path of Self-Inquiry Question: Namaste Ektaji, how does the leap from devotion to Self-realization take place for Meerabai, Tukaram, Gnyaneshwar, etc? There is no mention of self-inquiry, so how did they realize who they are?...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 31, 2024 | Direct Path, Doubts, Gnyana, Guru, Knowledge, Love, Misery, New year, Paths, Scriptures, Silence, Truth, Wisdom
New Year’s poem for the spiritual seeker! A New Year’s poem for the earnest spiritual seeker! Bring in the spiritual cheer.Let wisdom flow.Let Silence lead.Let Love glow! The true spirit is purity.Recognize its flavor.Relish its freedom and,It’s sweet and spicy...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 29, 2024 | Company/Association/Sangha, Direct Path, Dreams, Faith, General Spiritual, Guru, Knowledge, New year, Scriptures, Truth, Wisdom
Happy New Seeing 2025! Dear Spiritual Sangha, A New Year is a new beginning when we usually gift others, but this year, it will be a good idea to begin 2025 with a gift for oneself—a gift of a direct-seeing box. Get yourself a beautiful decorative box. Begin Jan 1st...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 18, 2024 | Advaita, Atma Darshan, Aversion, Birth, Buddha, Concepts, Consciousness, Craving, Death, Direct Path, Existence, Form, General Spiritual, I, Ignorance, Illusion, Life, Name/Roles, Religion, Self, Suffering, Truth
There is nobody to be reincarnated Question: What is the meaning of Annata or Non-self as taught by the Buddha? Why are there contradictory teachings of rebirth in Buddhism if Annata is the truth? Answer: Annata means Anatman or Non-self, where there is no...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 15, 2024 | Advaita, Atma Darshan, Awareness, Body, Buddha, Desire, Direct Path, Guru, I, Ignorance, Illusion, Life, Memory, Mind, Pleasure/Pain, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Seeking, Sensations, Spontaneous, Suffering, Thoughts, Truth
How is Self-Inquiry done? What is Self-Exploration? Question: How is Self-Inquiry done? What is Self-Exploration? Answer: Dear Spiritual Seeker, On the self-effacing authentic path to one’s true nature, resorting to Self-Inquiry and Self-Exploration is...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 11, 2024 | Advaita, Body, Buddha, Buddha, Direct Path, Duality, Dvaita, Enlightenment, Faith, God, Human, I, Memory, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Ramana Maharshi, Religion, Sensations, Truth, Upanishad
There is No BODY! Question: Dear Ektaji, why do we hear that a human body is essential to attain enlightenment? How much attention do we need to pay to keep ourselves healthy? Answer: Dear One, This is a Dvaitam concept that a human body is essential to attain...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 4, 2024 | Advaita, Drama, Ego, Guru, I, Independent Spirituality, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization
Dream Consciousness is an Outer Guru constantly pointing in the direction of the inner Guru Tattva Question: Amma, As a dreamer, why am I realizing more clearly than the waker? Luckily, the insight continued to the waking after. Is this natural? Answer: Yes,...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 27, 2024 | Body, Direct Path, Doership, Dreams, Food, I, Ignorance, Impressions, Independent Spirituality, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Sensations, Spontaneous, Thoughts, Wisdom
Waking, Dream, Sleep Witnessing Inquiry on Vichaara and Vaasana Question: Dear Didi,Please would you guide me on how to do the inquiry on the hundred pointers of Swapna Nidra Gnyana Sadhana, with regard to, Vichara & Vasana? Answer: Swapna Nidra Gnyana...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 20, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, I, Intellect, Knowledge, Love, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Seeking, Sensations, Thoughts
Stages of Direct Seeing are Described Progressively But May be Seen in a Flash Question: Namaste Ektaji, Is this distinction correct? When there is observation without an observer, there is no arising, only Awareness. When there is Witnessing, the witness sees an...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 17, 2024 | Advaita, Body, Conscious, Consciousness, Courage, Direct Path, Intellect, Knowledge, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Self- Realization, Sensations, Senses, Thoughts, Truth
The Person is a Piece of Mere Knowledge Question: If everything is Knowledge, why is it that the body-mind person is unaware of it and only knows it when taught? Answer: As one progresses from the initial realization of being the witness of the body-mind at...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 10, 2024 | Adi Shankaracharya, Advaita, Atma Darshan, Atmananda, Body, Brahman, Consciousness, Direct Path, Doership, I, Ignorance, Illusion, Intellect, Knowledge, Mind, Non-Doership, You
Realizing Not Intellectualizing the Layers of Superimposition Question: Ektaji, is it the correct understanding of Superimposition – The person needs to do certain tasks. The assumption is that the body-mind can not DO. Appearances of arisings are assumed as a...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 6, 2024 | Anger, Awareness, Concepts, Flow with Life, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Just Be, Let go, Present Moment, Reaction, Thoughts
Samagra in a state of anger Question: What is meant by ‘being Samagra’ in the flow when one gets angry and reacts? Answer: Samagra means ‘being immersed totally in the present moment as it is, devoid of thought or logic’. The moment you use the word ‘I am reacting’ in...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 20, 2024 | Consciousness, Mind, Thoughts, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
What is the source of mind? Question: Explain Vasishtha’s answer to Rama’s question – “What is the source of mind and how did it arise?” Answer: If I were answering this after going through our previous knowledge discussions, before even reading a page of Yoga...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 6, 2024 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dreams, Existence, Form, Illusion, Knowledge, Matter, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Thoughts
What is perception? Question: What is perception? Answer: Perception is simply ‘knowing’.Seeing is knowing a form. Hearing is knowing a sound. Smelling is knowing an odor. Tasting is knowing a flavor. Touching is knowing a sensation. All perception...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 2, 2024 | Chanting, Consciousness, Dukkha, God, Guru, Independent Spirituality, Paths, Pranayama, Self, Self- Realization, Sukkha, Truth, Viveka
Can an atheist attain the highest Truth? Question: I don’t follow any Guru nor any spiritual path nor do I have any faith in any religion or God. I heard about your Kabir session from a friend where you have taught that the highest Truth is to find out Who am...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 29, 2024 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Direct Path, Doership, I, Illusion, Intellect, Memory, Mind, Samadhi, Sensations, Temporary, Thoughts
The doer and experiencer are not the same illusion, even if they seem so! Question: Dear Ektaji,Is my understanding correct? Situation:6pm – I keep my car keys somewhere in my house.8pm – I want to go out. I am searching for the car keys but can’t find...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 22, 2024 | 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 Ekta Bathija | Sep 18, 2024 | Anger, Aversion, Craving, Desire, Expectations, Feverishness, Flow with Life, Intellect, Karma, Karmaphalam, Marriage, Niyati, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Spouse, Vedic
No decision is wrong if it is devoid of raaga/dvesha! Question: I have a very difficult marriage and a temperamental husband who drinks and blames me for his drinking. I am lonely and in pain. I understand this knowledge. I know everything is temporary but I still...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 1, 2024 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Aversion, Craving, Direct Path, Doubts, Ego, Impressions, Knowledge, Meditation, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Self-Effort
Do impressions get released during contemplation meditation as well? Question: While doing the Nisargadatta Contemplations [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwOB9CZXOf9TFFu5ayJGJHYpb6SW0xj5G], I noticed a release. Do impressions get released during contemplation...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 28, 2024 | Aagami, Consciousness, Ego, Elements, General Spiritual, Impressions, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Karma, Memory, Raaga/Dvesha, Senses, Sub-conscious, Surrender, Thoughts
How does a “thought” become an Agami Karma ? Question: First one of the 5 elements or the senses hits us (it also depends on my doshas), then it goes to the memory bank & opens one file like, dislike with People, Situation & Thing. (Is there any...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 25, 2024 | Bhagwad Gita, Feverishness, God, Illusion, Just Be, Life, Present Moment, Vedic, Wonder
God is on a morning walk! Question: You said life has no purpose. Does God also have no purpose? Why did he create us? Why did he make this entire creation? Is it all purposeless? Maybe God has some purpose. Please clarify if I am thinking correctly. Answer:...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 18, 2024 | Concepts, Enlightenment, General Spiritual, Guru, Maaya, Mind, No-Mind, Senses, Silence, Viveka
How does the mind of an Enlightened function? Question: As a realized sage reads a newspaper, looks at the words, does the mind faculty in him read the words out loud? Even as I read there is a voice in the head clearly enunciating every word or since they are...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 11, 2024 | Advaita, Attachment, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dreams, Dvaita, Ego, Form, God, Guru, I, Let go, Love, Mind, Rituals, Scriptures, Seeking, Upanishad, You
Do not get attached to the spiritual mentor! Question: Ektaji is the Consciousness. Sometimes she manifests as the form of a teacher teaching us. At other times, she manifests as any other person in front of us, be it a family member, friend, or stranger. They are all...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 4, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Bhagwad Gita, Body, Brahman, Consciousness, Desire, Direct Path, Dreams, Ego, Enlightenment, Expectations, Gnyani, Greed, Guru, I, Illusion, Kabir, Knowledge, Masters, Mind, Name/Roles, Personality, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara, Self- Realization, Service, Truth, Upanishad, Wealth, You
Difference between the Gnyani [self-realized] and the Acharya [learned one]! Question: In chapter 4 verse 34 of the Bhagavad Gita it says:”Learn the Truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him with reverence and render service unto him. Such an...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 31, 2024 | Awareness, Meditation, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Present Moment, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Scriptures, Vedic
What is Open Eye Meditation? Question: In the Patanjali Yogasutra Chapter 1 we talked about the 5 different modulations of the mind. And when our mind is not occupied in these 5 modulations it is at that moment we are meditating. Well then aren’t we all...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 28, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Brahman, Breath, Company/Association/Sangha, Consciousness, Direct Path, Drama, Gnyana, Home, I, Illusion, Knowledge, Life, Meditation, Mind, OM, Silence, Space-Time, Suffering, Temporary, Truth, Upanishad, Vibration
The soundless sound… Anhad Naad! Question: Thank you so much for the Brahman contemplation on Mandukya Upanishad, it has opened up an amazing open-eyed meditation for me – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scKepUN7nlM The 2nd Mandukya self-inquiry Aum...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 24, 2024 | Awareness, Impressions, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Karma, Karmaphalam, Let go, Niyati, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
Your raagas and dveshas create future, not the thoughts! Question: In yesterday’s YV, he talks about not creating future because of thoughts. So all along we try to think of how to shape the future but it seems that’s counter intuitive to what’s to...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 21, 2024 | Advaita, Body, Concepts, Death, Direct Path, Dreams, Ego, Guru, Intellect, Kabir, Love, Mind, Personality, Ramana Maharshi, Religion, Rituals, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Thoughts, Truth, Upanishad
Ignore the lust for mystical experiences…that is not true spirituality! Question: Ekta Ji, in a dream, even if certain events are unlikely, they may look sooo.. convincing… I am still practicing to witness myself in both states. But I could experience the...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 14, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, I, Ignorance, Illusion, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Senses, Upanishad
The witness consciousness is not continuous therefore it is illusory! Question: Didi, in yesterday’s blog, it was mentioned- When one can see the witness+mind+body+world as a single oneness, he transcends beyond. I understand that the mind + body+ world...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 10, 2024 | Awareness, Chanting, Karma, Kriya, Let go, Meditation, Mind, Pranayama, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sanchita, Self- Realization, Thoughts, Types of Karma, Vedic, Wisdom
How do we stop negative thoughts at unpleasant moments? Question: I agree and have experienced that daily regular sadhana, pranayama, meditation, chanting helps to bring awareness and stay focused. However, there are times when we go through unpleasant moments how do...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 3, 2024 | Karma, Knowledge, Let go, Niyati, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Types of Karma, Vedic, Viveka
How do we know that we have emptied out the Karma bag? Question: How do we know that we have emptied out the Karma bag? Answer: Gahana Karmano gati – Unfathomable are the ways of Karma. Like we discussed, we have freedom but we do not have complete...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 30, 2024 | Brahman, Consciousness, Dispassion, Just Be, Matter, Mind, Soul, Vairagya, Vedic, Viveka
Married but celibate, is that possible? Question: If I get attracted to someone, I just remind myself that I can be without it and focus on the breath. Can someone be a Brahmachari or celibate throughout his/her life and still have a happy married life? ...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 26, 2024 | Anger, Aversion, Awareness, Awareness, Buddha, Craving, Desire, Emotions, Fear, Guilt, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Love/Hate, Memory, Mind, Mindfulness, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sankalpa/Intention, Sensations, Sex/Passion/Celibacy, Thoughts, Vasana, Wisdom
Can one use restraint to be celibate? Question: For Brahmacharya to happen, a maturity is required, before this maturity can one use restraint to be celibate? Answer: The act of “restraining the senses” belongs to the circle of sleep. What is the...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 23, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Direct Path, Dreams, I, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Senses, Thoughts, Upanishad
Waking versus dream state! Question: Didi, I noticed that sometimes before this body wakes up in the morning, there is a state where I’m aware that I’m still asleep, no sense of body, just some blurry broken pieces of ‘image’ (‘thought)… and then I wake up. Sometimes...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 16, 2024 | Aagami, Ambition/Career, Ashtavakra Gita, Karma, Karmaphalam, Life, Niyati, Vedic
Every karma has an expiry date! Question: What I am going through, is it my Karma which I should accept and carry on or can I choose to change the situation without building agami karma? Is it that even if I change the job, I will still face the current situation...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 12, 2024 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Awareness, Dreams, General Spiritual, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Scriptures, Sub-conscious
Raaga and Dvesha at the sub-conscious level Question: Can raaga/ dvesha happen at the sub conscious level? Are there seeds of attachment buried deep inside me which will pop someday? Answer: Yes, Raaga/Dvesha happen at a subconscious level predominantly. It is...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 9, 2024 | Advaita, Body, Direct Path, Dreams, Ego, Enlightenment, History, Human, Illusion, Knowledge, Mind, Non-Doership, Personality, Upanishad, Wisdom
Can spiritual wisdom ever have a negative impact? Question: Dear Didi. I realized after yesterday’s session that without the Advaita basics and guided practice or experiential knowledge, the path to Ajaata Vaad can have a negative effect on the well-being of an...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 5, 2024 | Birth, Consciousness, Death, Doership, Dreams, Fear, Scriptures, Self, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
Doership in dreamzzzz…. Question; Please would you explain “paragraph 1, p75 of Yoga Vasishtha – by Swami Venkatesananda”. Answer: Let’s assume, Mohit is dreaming in which there might be flying angels that he likes and demons that he hates. The angels and...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 2, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Direct Path, Doership, Emotions, Gnyana, I, Illusion, Kabir, Knowledge, Mind, Personality, Self, Thoughts, Truth, Upanishad
Everything is programmed! Quit the self-foolery! Question: One of my friends asked me if as Advaitins so we plan but I found it hard to explain to her that everything is happening as it’s already programmed. The doer-ship is a false assumption. How do I explain this...
by Ekta Bathija | May 29, 2024 | Devotion, Enlightenment, Independent Spirituality, Self, Self- Realization
Direct realization or instant enlightenment! Question: Dear Ekta ji, I am trying to understand difference between direct realization and contemplation. I thought contemplation is by doing self inquiry one is trying to abandon ego, and direct realization is...
by Ekta Bathija | May 26, 2024 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Death, Emotions, Fear, Fear, Fear, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Mind, Prakriti, Scriptures, Sex/Passion/Celibacy, Vedic, Wonder
Go beyond Curiosity to be in the state of Wonder! Question: Dear Ekta, I am in the middle of reading Ashtavakra Gita #12 – Nature of the mind. I am actually having a bit of difficulty understanding Wonder. What is wonder? How do I identify wonder? How do I know...
by Ekta Bathija | May 19, 2024 | Advaita, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Ego, Gnyana, Grateful, Knowledge, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Suffering, Truth, Upanishad
Dive into self-inquiry… don’t stop short! Question: Thank you Didi for explaining and bringing all the precious knowledge, the truth, and the reality of who we are and how to end this mind/ego suffering, very very grateful. After practicing listening to...
by Ekta Bathija | May 15, 2024 | Aagami, Attraction, Awareness, Causation, Emotions, Emptiness, Energy, Gnyana, Impressions, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Just Be, Knowledge, Let go, Love/Hate, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sankalpa/Intention, Thoughts, Vibration
Principles of Law of Attraction Question: I’ve noticed, it is said to ‘be positive’ or to ‘think positive’ so you attract that kind of people or energies around you, but when thoughts are negative then those energies or situations arise sooner than the positive...
by Ekta Bathija | May 12, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, I, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Truth, Upanishad
Can one be aware in the deep sleep state? Question: In a deep sleep state, can one be aware? Answer: First let’s understand what is the meaning of Awareness and who goes through the states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. As you are a beginner of...
by Ekta Bathija | May 8, 2024 | Body, General Spiritual, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Mind, Physical, Prakriti, Senses
Difference between Brain and Mind Question: Dear Ektaji, please clear my confusion: A human body has five senses, touch, smell, taste, hear and sight. While eating food that smells good, looks colorful, and tastes flavorful our stomach send a signal to the brain...
by Ekta Bathija | May 5, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Conscious, Consciousness, Direct Path, Energy, Mind, Physical, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Upanishad
The BodyMind work on an autopilot mode! Question: Is it that the mind is in autopilot mode in dreaming, therefore the experience of the mind’s attention is less? But then even in waking the body-mind are on autopilot. Then what is the difference? Answer: The...
by Ekta Bathija | May 1, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dreams, Illusion, Mind, Personality, Senses, Upanishad
Can Consciousness know the world without the body-mind? Question: Ektaji, is it true that the Awareness/Knowingness/Consciousness can know only until there is a body-mind complex? Answer: Let’s use the example of space to help explain this. Where is a...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 28, 2024 | Advaita, Direct Path, Ego, Maaya, Mind, Personality, Seeking, Stress, Wisdom, You
Are you wearing a mask? That is a beautiful sharing of Jim Carrey’s experiential recognition of the truth in the video – https://youtu.be/TucyzpHDNlE. I would elaborate a little bit on the same. You are all wearing a mask. Do you recognize it? When you were a...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 24, 2024 | Awareness, Buddha, Ego, Emotions, Feverishness, Hurt, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Knowledge, Let go, Mind, Surrender
It’s OK! Question: If someone deeply insults and plays drama for their needs or hurts, how to get away from it saying, ‘it’s OK’? Mind doesn’t allow due to self-respect. How do I do it? Answer: Right from the moment you are born, the play that is...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 21, 2024 | Advaita, Body, Brahman, Consciousness, Direct Path, Illusion, Maaya, Maya, Mind, Personality, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Universe, Upanishad
The son of a barren woman is neither in reality nor in illusion. Question: Ekta Di, can you please explain what this verse means? ‘The unreal cannot be born either really or through Maya. For the son of a barren woman is neither in reality nor in...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 17, 2024 | Aagami, Buddha, Company/Association/Sangha, Compassion, Emotions, Ignorance, Independent Spirituality, Let go, Life, Opinion/Behavior/Judgement, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Scriptures, Viveka
Dealing with people of a different type than you Question: Hello Ektaji, how do we deal, on a day to day basis, with people who are relatively unconscious or ignorant? For e.g. at work, my colleagues are ignorant about proper diet and healthy lifestyles, such as...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 14, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Breath, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dreams, Ego, I, Illusion, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Senses, Thoughts, Upanishad
The waking dream is like the sky! Question: Is my understanding correct? Mahadaakasha = body-mind complex/intellect/memory/ego – the dream character Chidaakasha: the witness consciousness. Paramaakasha: Pure consciousness/dreamer There is identification as the...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 10, 2024 | Choice, Choicelessness, Expectations, Flow with Life, Scriptures, Seeking, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
There is only one possibility of the ball rolling ! Your life had no other way to go but that ONE way! Question: You say – “There is only one possibility of the ball rolling. Your life had no other way to go but this way!” This makes me realize that...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 7, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Death, Direct Path, Duality, Fear, I, Ignorance, Independent Spirituality, Liberation, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Self- Realization, Suffering, Thoughts, Upanishad
Only a Jivanmukta can be called a Videhamukta, others simply die! Question: Didi, is it a correct understanding that a Jivanmukta interacts with the world in Sakshibhav whereas for Videhamukta the world does not exist? Answer: For the convenience of all,...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 3, 2024 | 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 Ekta Bathija | Mar 31, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Conscious, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dreams, Ego, Form, Happiness, Independent Spirituality, Karma, Mind, Name/Roles, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Temporary, Thoughts, Upanishad
There is a difference between feeling happy and being happiness yourself! Question: Didi, my understanding is that we are the dream manifestation of pure consciousness. Something prompted us to become the experiencer and once we came into this world, don’t know...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 27, 2024 | 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 Ekta Bathija | Mar 24, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Direct Path, Expectations, I, Independent Spirituality, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Silence, Stress, Thoughts, Upanishad, Wisdom
You are ‘Niranjan’! Question: When thoughts would be all over and I start stressing and getting exhausted, I remember to shift my stand from body-mind to the witness. It just calms me down, seems a ocean of peace and calm is within me (I just have to...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 20, 2024 | Abortion, Attachment, Birth, Death, Ego, Emotions, Feverishness, Just Be, Karma, Let go, Pregnancy, Present Moment, Purushartha, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction
Abortion Karma Question: Dear Ektaji, I just keep wondering about karmas. About 9 years ago we took medicine to end my pregnancy. I was completely against it but my husband said it is his responsibility & his karma. This action never really pinched me as I felt I...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 13, 2024 | General Spiritual, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha
Do you payback extra tax for your karmas? Question: Does karma get generated at the same octane it is created? That is, if I trip an enemy, will an equivalent act be bestowed upon me, or could it manifest in a distorted dosage? Answer: Very interesting...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 10, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Direct Path, Dreams, Existence, Gnyana, I, Impressions, Knowledge, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Senses, Thoughts, Upanishad
You project your own world! Question: Didi, is my understanding correct?Pratyaksha Gnyana: I see/meet a new person in the neighborhood.Paroksha Gnyana: Prejudices/assumptions about him/her based on the looks/conversation.Aparoksha Gnyana: In awareness, I don’t exist....
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 3, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Craving, Desire, Direct Path, Enlightenment, Feverishness, Just Be, Knowledge, Memory, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Scriptures, Senses, Silence, Surrender, Thoughts, Upanishad, Wisdom
Agamya – Inaccessible through words! Question: I wanted to also share that I really found the question and answers helpful after the explorations yesterday where Ektaji was speaking with Shailaja. That mind is only limited to the perception of five senses and...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 28, 2024 | Aversion, Buddha, Craving, Emotions, Gnyani, Mind, Pleasure/Pain, Reaction, Sensations, Thoughts
Sensation Vs Thought Question: If a craving (or aversion) arises in my mind, would it be more strategic to observe that thought itself objectively, or to just direct my attention to my body for an observation round? My guess is the former…..but I’ve been finding more...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 25, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Birth, Body, Choice, Death, Direct Path, Doership, Fear, Freewill, I, Life, Maaya, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara, Thoughts, Upanishad, Wisdom
The sky is not blue! Question: Dear Ektaben, Following the self explorations, one question has arisen: I have seen 2 thoughts arise in this being at different stages in life: One thought said – I have a choice over my decisions and interactions with people,...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 18, 2024 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dreams, Illusion, Just Be, Mind, Thoughts, Upanishad
Don’t dissect the illusion! Question: Dear Ektadi,During the transition from the dreaming state to the waking state, the transformation of the thoughts into dream images stops suddenly. It is like while knitting the yarn suddenly runs out. It is as if the...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 14, 2024 | Attachment, Bhagwad Gita, Buddha, Craving, Desire, Feverishness, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Krishna, Raaga/Dvesha, Sankalpa/Intention, Vedic, Wisdom
What is the difference between intention and craving? Question: Dear Ektaji, what is the difference between an intention and raaga/dvesha? Answer: Beautiful Question! Intention is a plan to do an action. Raaga/Dvesha is the emotion behind the action. Intention is a...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 11, 2024 | Advaita, Atmananda, Consciousness, Desire, Direct Path, I, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Surrender, Thoughts, Upanishad
What is the locus of the ‘longing to understand the highest’? Question: Dear Ektaben, One paradoxical observation of the screen of ‘knowingness’ is that it knows(!) that the mystery of the whole screen of ‘knowingness’ is simply...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 4, 2024 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Company/Association/Sangha, Direct Path, Enlightenment, Human, Illusion, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Upanishad
Names for the indescribable reality! Question: Self-realized beings’ describe everything as a ‘hologram’. Do you literally see people as holograms (that is the word we will use as I only know hologram based on current mind perception visual)? How...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 28, 2024 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Body, Direct Path, Freedom, I, Mind, Suffering, Upanishad, Vasana
You cannot claim the object that you illumine! Question: Ektaji, could you please clarify whether vasanas are a hindrance to freedom? Answer: Until you consider the body-mind as yours, Vasanas belong to you. Until Vasanas belong to you, personhood cannot cease....
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 24, 2024 | 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 Ekta Bathija | Jan 21, 2024 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Existence, Mind, Self- Realization, Thoughts, Upanishad
Locus of the Being! Question: My self-inquiry – Every physical and mental object is just pure Consciousness. There is vacillation going on regards the stand taken. Though there is the being of pure Consciousness, the locus of the being is still here, where the...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 17, 2024 | Advaita, Awareness, Company/Association/Sangha, Consciousness, Duality, Enlightenment, General Spiritual, Guru, I, Knowledge, Masters, Paths, Ramana Maharshi, Religion, Scriptures, You
Many Masters One Path Question: Why do you teach so many scriptures from different paths and not restrict to one particular religion/sect/organization only? Answer: Since 1998, I have propagated scriptures by several spiritual masters. I know for sure from my...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 7, 2024 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Direct Path, Dreams, Ego, Illusion, Knowledge, Mind, Senses, Upanishad
Difference between false and illusion! Question: One question has been daunting to me for some time. I understand that everything I can grasp with my senses is an illusion. So whatever I see with my eyes is an illusion created by the ego. I am looking at a book right...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 3, 2024 | Atmananda, Buddha, Consciousness, Dispassion, God, Guru, Kabir, Knowledge, Meditation, Moksha, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Ramana Maharshi, Self, Self-Effort, Silence, Wisdom
Is sadhana alone not sufficient for attaining moksha? Question: Ekta didi, If we are doing our sadhana and meditation which then what is the need for knowledge? Is sadhana alone not sufficient for attaining moksha? Please guide me, I am stuck in this. Answer:...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 1, 2024 | Advaita, Direct Path, Gnyana, Self- Realization, Wisdom
Happy New Wisdom Year 2024! Dear Spiritual Seekers, May the New Year bring the essential pre-requisites for Self-Realization your way: 1] Eagerness to know your own true Being2] Sincerity in walking the path3] Ability to SEE as opposed to blind belief.4] Honesty and...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 27, 2023 | Buddha, Buddha, Commitment, Gossip, Karma, Meditation, Mind, New year, Samadhi, Sankalpa/Intention, Silence
New Years vows for the sake of spiritual progress! Happy New Year Angels! In the new year, let’s take Buddha’s vows to make it the year where your spiritual wisdom grows at rocket speed. Remember, your own experience is your teacher. If in your own experience, you...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 20, 2023 | Awareness, General Spiritual, God, Guru, Knowledge, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, Scriptures, Self, Self- Realization, Silence, Thoughts, Wisdom
How to do a Spiritual Sabbatical? Question: How to do a few days of Spiritual sabbatical? Answer: Spirituality is about looking within and finding that peace within. For beginners, who have not yet learnt to be with their own selves, every Teacher/Guru/Master...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 17, 2023 | Advaita, Body, Desire, Direct Path, Doership, Ego, Enlightenment, Feverishness, Flow with Life, Jealousy, Just Be, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Truth
Intense longing for self-realization Question: I have a strong and a very old habit of indulging in story creation and I realized it only after studying Chapter 12. This is the reason why I am not able to move ahead on the path, I am still at the level of doer and...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 13, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Body, Causation, Death, Direct Path, Dreams, Guilt, Guru, Independent Spirituality, Kabir, Karma, Karmaphalam, Love, Memory, Mind, Ramana Maharshi, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sankalpa/Intention, Suffering
Contradictions in Advaita! Question: Hello Dear Ekta, in the Ramana Maharishi’s Guru videos you asked us whether we recognize the four stages of creation and manifestation of a personal universe, thru Sankalpa – [Inclination/attraction] Kaama – [Lusting...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 6, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Bondage, Buddha, Consciousness, Direct Path, Doership, Drama, Ego, Enlightenment, Flow with Life, Human, I, Knowledge, Life, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Suffering, Thoughts, Universe, Upanishad, Wisdom
The script of life is always perfect! Question: Didi,What did/do you do when you witness that everybody is living in their own heads with their own stories and are suffering unnecessarily because of not being able to see the drama? Answer: Every single human on...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 22, 2023 | God, Grateful, Gratitude, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Service, Seva, Thanksgiving
How to thank the Infinite? Someone asked me how to thank that infinite power? What could I do for God that would be the closest possible thanks to him? I answered, “God does not need your prayer, rites, rituals. He really does not need your flowers, fruit, coconut,...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 5, 2023 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, Causation, Commitment, Destiny, Drama, Freewill, I, Impressions, Karma, Knowledge, Maaya, Maya, Mind, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Samsara, Space-Time, Time-past/present/Future, Truth, Vedic, Wisdom, You
Free will is a misnomer! Question: Ekta Ji, Please can you elaborate on this. Is there no free will? I thought only few things like birth, death, longevity of life, source of birth are predetermined. Others, we can change our karmas. The statement below contradicts....
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 1, 2023 | Advaita, Anger, Bhakti, Body, Buddha, Compassion, Concepts, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dispassion, Ego, Energy, Fear, Flow with Life, Gnyana, Illusion, Independent Spirituality, Let go, Life, Meditation, Mind, Religion, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Thoughts, Truth
Let go of the story! Question: While yoga and Buddha’s path made me feel more calm and secure, I feel it was the mind still finding security and solace in some concept/activity, albeit more socially acceptable. Answer: What is the mind? It is simply...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 25, 2023 | Animal, Buddha, Courage, Intellect, Karma, Karmaphalam, Liberation, Moksha, Rituals, Vedic
Animal Sacrifice for Peace & Goodluck! Question: Dear Ekta Ji, I am constructing a new house and it has reached the end stage. I have heard that we need to do animal sacrifice at home and put its blood on the walls of the new house to do peace for the new house....
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 22, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Body, Death, Direct Path, Dreams, Emptiness, Food, Illusion, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Ramana Maharshi, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Self- Realization, Sensations, Thoughts
Do thoughts cease at least at Self-realization? Question: Didi, you said in your previous post that “Nothing is going to change by following the spiritual path not even your mind’s noise”. But Ramana Maharshi session you read out the quote where he...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 18, 2023 | Advaita, Awareness, Body, Buddha, Consciousness, Knowledge, Meditation, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Suffering, Surrender
Will my medical condition disappear during meditation? Question: I have a common chronic medical condition. Like my awareness, it is always there. But, when my mind is full of activity I do not notice it. I meditate for an hour a day and have moments of complete peace...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 8, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Body, Death, Direct Path, Dreams, Knowledge, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Silence, Thoughts
Can thoughts cease? Question: Will the thoughts cease with the Advaita knowledge of being the Witness? Answer: There is Peace when you take the stand as the Witness but the Peace itself is not silent. The thoughts still continue to arise from this Peace, just...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 4, 2023 | Attachment, Buddha, Buddha, Choice, Commitment, Courage, Dispassion, Enlightenment, Equanimous, Guru, Marriage, Present Moment, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Self-Effort, Seva, Surrender, Vedic
Marriage or Seva? Question: I want to do seva to progress spiritually. I feel I will progress much more if I were at my master’s feet than being at home. I also do not want to get married, but my mother wants me to get married. I am in a quandary. Should I focus on...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 27, 2023 | Buddha, Buddha, Commitment, Meditation, Purushartha, Samadhi, Self- Realization, Truth
Why some people cannot meditate? Question: Why some people cannot meditate? Answer: Many people asked the Buddha why they couldn’t meditate? Here’s what Buddha said… Many spiritual practitioners during Buddha’s time were following the Vedic techniques of...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 17, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, Gnyana, I, Mind, Present Moment, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara, Sankalpa/Intention, Scriptures, Thoughts
Truth reveals itself slowly… Question: Dear Ektaji.The power of attention in order to come to the NOW is heavily promoted in many spiritual circles. But in my direct experience, I am either paying full attention to something/someone or not. Either way, it is a...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 14, 2023 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, Desire, Freedom, Happiness, Misery, Pleasure/Pain, Present Moment, Vedic
How to handle joy? Question: Ektaji, at present, I am on the verge of going through a big change in life. Whatever I have known till now is suddenly being metamorphosed into something larger. All three aspects of people, situation and things are in transition. From a...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 27, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Direct Path, Dispassion, Doership, Ego, Enlightenment, Non-Doership
Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists! Question: Dear Ekta, I notice on the spiritual path, some people experience fear, some sadness but I guess they don’t understand that nothing can be lost. To quote A Course in Miracles: “Nothing real...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 13, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Body, Direct Path, Doership, Ego, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
Labeling thoughts is doership Question: When I watch the arisings with open eyes as I go about my day, I have noticed that sometimes l label arisings like, ” I-thought”, “trigger for habit pattern thought “, “desire/raga thought”,...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 9, 2023 | Awareness, Awareness, Body, Buddha, Buddha, Craving, Desire, Dispassion, Doership, Elements, Feverishness, Gunas, Impressions, Karma, Non-Doership, Pleasure/Pain, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Self- Realization, Sensations, Senses, Sex/Passion/Celibacy, Truth, Vairagya, Vasana
Dealing with Sexual desires on the spiritual path! Question: What should be the effort from our side to get over sexual desire on the spiritual path, if we should not suppress it? If we express it aren’t we making those impressions stronger? What should be our...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 6, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Buddha, Direct Path, Existence, Guru, I, Illusion, Laziness, Masters, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Ramana Maharshi, Religion, Scriptures, Seeking, Self- Realization, Senses, Silence, Thoughts, Truth, Worship
Why shouldn’t one simply follow a Guru blindly? Dear Ektaji, I can grasp your teachings very well. I also know that you see the truth. Then why shouldn’t I simply follow you blindly? Why is there insistence on following the inner Guru as opposed to an...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 30, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
The two witnesses! Question: Ektaji, in deep sleep, Awareness is resting as Pure Consciousness. There is no world. Then how is Awareness aware of being asleep or unconscious? (Ch. 11, I AM THAT) Answer: Nisargadatta Maharaj has explained that there are two...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 26, 2023 | Bhakti, Buddha, Causation, Devotion, Doership, Faith, Flow with Life, Illusion, Intellect, Just Be, Karma, Knowledge, Maaya, Niyati, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Self-Effort, You
Benefits of Vipassana or Satipatthana Question: I went for the 10 days retreat. The experience was very fulfilling. On day 4 of the Vipassana program during meditation, I was vividly seeing the events from my childhood more than 35 years ago which upset me very much...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 23, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Direct Path, Ego, Mind, Non-Doership, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Senses, Thoughts
Witness the transactional reality! Question: How to interact in the transactional reality mode [Vyavaharik satyam] without offending anyone as I feel distant, quiet, indifferent, and absorbed in the Witness Consciousness [Adhyatmik satyam] around friends and family?...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 19, 2023 | Advaita, Awareness, Brahman, Consciousness, Desire, Direct Path, Knowledge, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Spontaneous, Suffering, Thoughts, Vasana
Is desire not a thought? Question: Didi, please would you explain if Vichara [thought] and Vasana [desire] are the same or different? Is desire, not a thought? Answer: There is a major difference between Vichara [thought] and Vasana [desire]. Nisargadatta...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 16, 2023 | Ashtavakra Gita, Commitment, Dreams, Food, Freewill, Guru, Knowledge, Life, Love/Hate, Meditation, Mind, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Sex/Passion/Celibacy, Truth, Vedic
How to come out of the dream? Question: When I don’t know/realize that I’m living in a dream then how do I come out of the dream? – is it right to even think that I should come out (is there something outside of this ) OR think that it’s a dream n nothing matters...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 9, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Body, Choice, Consciousness, Direct Path, Intuition, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Thoughts
Intuition and Inner Voice Question: Dear Ektaji, Is intuition a form of mind phenomenon (feeling), or is it an inner ‘voice of consciousness’? Answer: The witness/infinite void never speaks. So there is no question of a voice to arise from it....
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 8, 2023 | Advaita, Bhakti, Body, Brahman, Consciousness, Direct Path, Ego, God, Guru, Illusion, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Self- Realization, Upanishad
Guru Ashtakam helps one look inwards toward the Inner Guru! Question: Ektaji, sometimes, I listen to Guru Astakam as it helps my mind/EGO to dissolve into Turiya or Amness. On further self-inquiry, Turiya merges back to void or Brahman. Am I going in the right...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 7, 2023 | Advaita, Ashtavakra Gita, Attachment, Buddha, Company/Association/Sangha, Ego, Enlightenment, Flow with Life, Guru, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Krishna, Masters, Mind, Paths, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
Am I cheating my Guru if I follow somebody else? Question: Dearest Ekta Didi, I have been with a spiritual foundation for the past 22 years and have done several courses there. Ever since I stumbled upon Ramana’s sessions with you, there has been a huge change that I...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Jul 4, 2023 | Company/Association/Sangha, Competition, Ego, General Spiritual, Gossip, Gratitude, Guru, Guru, Guru Poornima, Happiness, Paths, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Vedic, Viveka
Have a ‘Pure’ Inner-Guru Poornima! Question: What are the important things that a sincere seeker should understand about Guru Poornima? I was wondering how should a sincere seeker and disciple’s acharan [behaviour] be on the spiritual path especially in...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 3, 2023 | Body, Brahman, Commitment, Concepts, Consciousness, General Spiritual, Guru, Guru, Guru Poornima, Intellect, Liberation, Maaya, Maya, Moksha, Paths, Physical, Pleasure/Pain, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Samsara, Scriptures, Self-Effort, Siddha, Wisdom
How to do proper darshan of the Guru during Guru Poornima? Question: Ektaji, Can you please give me tips on how to get a Proper True Darshan of my Guru during this upcoming Guru Poornima. The mind gets swept away with the much fanfare and misses seeing the Guru in his...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 25, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Craving, Direct Path, Ego, Illusion, Mind, Senses, Silence, Thoughts
Thought is the father of the World! Question: Why does the mind make me feel that this illusory world is real? Answer: That’s because Perception is inside out, not outside in. The senses do not gather information correctly because reality is colorless,...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 18, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Direct Path, Doership, Ego, Freedom, Illusion, Non-Doership, Suffering, Thoughts
What happens when I recognize that I am NOT the doer? Question: Ektaji, by recognizing that ‘I am not the doer’, does the world-projection end? Answer: By you recognizing the truth that you are not the doer, has the projection of your family ended?...
by Ekta Bathija | May 28, 2023 | Advaita, Doership, Ego, Enlightenment, General Spiritual, I, Karma, Liberation, Non-Doership, Paths, Raaga/Dvesha, Self- Realization, You
If I am not the doer then how do I accrue Karma? Question: If I am not the doer then how do I accrue Karma? If I am not the doer then how is there a karma bag? If I didn’t do anything then whose Karma bag am I carrying? Answer: When you were a baby, there...
by Ekta Bathija | May 24, 2023 | Buddha, Concepts, Dharma, Flow with Life, Impressions, Intellect, Opinion/Behavior/Judgement, Raaga/Dvesha, Vedic, Viveka
Drop Judging! Question: I attended a family reunion last week, first time in a long time being in such a large gathering for an extended period. I noticed that even though I could let go of judging externally, i.e. expressing my judgements, I still found myself...
by Ekta Bathija | May 21, 2023 | Ashtavakra Gita, Bhakti, Bondage, Devotion, Divine, Duality, Enlightenment, Faith, Form, Formless, Gnyana, Gnyani, God, Guru, Guru, I, Ignorance, Karma, Knowledge, Krishna, Liberation, Love, Meditation, Self, Soul, Truth, Vedic, You
I and You Question: With every episode, this knowledge is going in circles. Everything feeds off of the other. Ego dissolves in Love, now Ashtavakra says move from love to knowledge and then drop knowledge to move to love in which you dissolve. The example, that...
by Ekta Bathija | May 14, 2023 | Advaita, Conscious, Doubts, Faith, General Spiritual, God, Grateful, Gratitude, Greed, Human, Knowledge, Liberation, Life, Love, Mind, Personality, Religion, Rituals, Self, Self-Effort, Seva, Truth, Unconscious, Wisdom, Worship
Psychological and Spiritual Poverty Question: Hello Ekta, In the field of Psychology, there is a concept of psychological poverty due to a lack of formative years of unconditional love. Is there something like spiritual poverty that could be a possibility in such...
by Ekta Bathija | May 10, 2023 | Advaita, Awareness, Chanting, Consciousness, Enlightenment, Kabir, Paths, Pranayama, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence
Kabir says that ‘you are that’ already… recognize it before its too late! Question: I found this Kabir poem recitation by Shabnam Virmani. She learned this poem from Bhairavidevi who sings songs about Kabir. Please can you help translate it into...
by Ekta Bathija | May 7, 2023 | Awareness, Buddha, Concepts, Ego, Enlightenment, Intellect, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Liberation, Meditation, Purushartha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara, Self- Realization, Vairagya, Wisdom
Intellectualization of Spiritual Knowledge is a MAJOR obstacle! Question: Ekta ji, can you point to any references in scriptures or your own experience on how to identify the symptoms of being half baked in Vedanta knowledge or being caught up just in the theory of...
by Ekta Bathija | May 3, 2023 | Awareness, Buddha, Dhyana, Enlightenment, Gnyana, Gnyani, Guru, Guru, Guru, Knowledge, Knowledge, Meditation, Meditation, No-Mind, Present Moment, Purushartha, Purushartha, Samadhi, Scriptures, Seeking, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Silence, Thoughts
How to experience the spiritual knowledge? Question: I am starting to get to a point of reading/listening/understanding this spiritual knowledge where I am “making it a concept” as Guruji puts it. How do I “experience” the knowledge rather than “learn” it? Just wait...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 26, 2023 | Buddha, Buddha, Courage, Emotions, Mind, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Self- Realization, Sensations, Thoughts
Churning in the fire of insults/criticism? Burn! Question: JGD Ekta Didi,Lately I have been inundated with thoughts of intimidating people in my family. My mind rewinds and plays the incident and cajoles me to react. While I was in this war in my mind, I realized that...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 9, 2023 | Advaita, Awareness, Consciousness, Duality, Enlightenment, Independent Spirituality, Paths, Ramana Maharshi, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Self- Realization
Belief v/s Experience Question: Ektaji, how can witnessing become my experience when I don’t know the very first step itself? I know the Upanishads are Rishi’s meditated and this knowledge came. So I believe in that and studied but if I don’t believe...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 26, 2023 | Advaita, Advaita, Consciousness, Dreams, Mind, No-Mind, Paths, Types of Mind
Why are they called the 3 states of the Mind in Advaita? Dear Sincere seeker, Please find the short video clip and its transcript below for the answer to the question, Why are they called the 3 states of the Mind in Advaita & not 3 states of consciousness?...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 12, 2023 | Awareness, Consciousness, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Purusha, Scriptures, Self, Yoga Vasistha
Who are you? Question: When we say ‘know yourself’ or ‘realize yourself’ who you or “your true nature” or real self, It looks like we are pointing towards the ONE Self who is SELF of all, our inner self or in other words the ocean...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 8, 2023 | Awareness, Buddha, Buddha, Faith, God, Knowledge, Let go, Mind, Non-Doership, Self, Surrender, Truth, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
Is Faith required? Question: Didi, what is the meaning of faith? An experience, made me think about what faith means to me anymore. From my understanding I think there are no Gods up there in the sky, there is nobody to hold onto. I see the flow brings situations into...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 22, 2023 | Awareness, Breath, Buddha, Buddha, Ego, Meditation, Meditation, Mindfulness, Sensations, Silence
Are you tensing up in meditation instead of relaxing? Question: A teacher said that “If you practice mindfulness too much, you cannot relax and experience the unknown.” I had been pondering on this a lot, I find it true and untrue at the same time. During...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 19, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Consciousness, Ego, Illusion, Ramana Maharshi, Seeking, Silence
Go beyond the understanding that ‘The world is an illusion’! Question: Ektaji, at Ajata Vaada level, why is it incorrect to just say, “The world is an illusion”. Doesn’t the world exist only when I perceive it? Answer: It’s not wrong dear....
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 12, 2023 | Advaita, Awareness, Bhakti Sutra, Equanimous, Independent Spirituality, Meditation, Ramana Maharshi, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self-Effort
No ‘I’ No ‘You’! Question: Sutras from the higher chapters of Ashtavakra Gita and Narada Bhaktisutras clearly mention that you are already enlightened and that there is no need to meditate, then why are meditations encouraged by so many? How do...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 8, 2023 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Awareness, Body, Breath, Buddha, Dhyana, Doership, Equanimous, Flow with Life, I, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Just Be, Krishna, Meditation, Mind, Mindfulness, No-Mind, Non-Doership, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Present Moment, Purushartha, Purushartha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Senses, Silence, Spontaneous, Thoughts
Is being a witness and being 100% aware the same? Question 1: I was practicing 100% awareness for most of the day. But it seemed to me that as I was 100% aware, I was also totally aware of what I was experiencing through the senses – I was totally aware of what my...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 5, 2023 | Advaita, Atmananda, Body, Breath, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dvaita, Ego, Ignorance, Knowledge, Mind, Non-Doership, Pranayama, Surrender
Were my Dvaitam practices a waste? Question: After coming onto the Advaitam path, the thought arises whether all the Dvaitam practices done for the past decades were a waste? Answer: No dear, that is just the Ego throwing tantrums. Ignore the tantrums and...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 2, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Doership, I, Mind, Self-Effort, Thoughts
Thought is not conscious! Question: Didi,In the example that you gave during the session, the 1st thought arose out of my previous conditioning that on Sundays I have to attend Atma Nirvriti class. The second thought arose out of the habit of being lazy and the last...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 31, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Concepts, Direct Path, Energy, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Senses, Silence
When you drop labels, you find Awareness! Question: I feel the energy as well, as soon as I sink into silence. I find the energy is intense and overpowering. I am not sure If it is the witness that is witnessing this energy or is it the mind that is feeling this...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 29, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Body, Concepts, Direct Path, Emotions, Mind, Physical, Sensations, Senses, Temporary, Thoughts
Difference between perceptions, sensations, thoughts, and feelings! Question: Didi, Is there a difference between perceptions, sensations, thoughts, and feelings? Answer: Let’s understand them in detail: Perception:Perception is nothing but images...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 26, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Buddha, Direct Path, Ego, Flow with Life, I, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence
Nobody is in control! Question: Didi, I realize that all the vows from Buddha’s path are basically a reminder that I am taking a stand as the mind or body. The moment the recognition happens I get thrown into awareness! I experienced this at work today – it...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 22, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Causation, Direct Path, Mind, Sensations, Thoughts
Awareness knows that the body is shutdown in deep-sleep! Question: What is the hindrance in being aware of sensations in deep sleep? Currently, In the waking state, Awareness is not aware of itself all the time. If Awareness would be aware of itself during all waking...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 19, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Sensations
Who knows the absence of objects in deep-sleep? Question: Ekta Di, If I am holding a baby’s hand, there is touch perceived in awareness. Now, if the body falls asleep holding the baby’s hand the touch is no longer perceived in awareness. Awareness is permanent and is...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 17, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Enlightenment, Home, Ignorance, Maaya, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara
Deep-sleep & Turiya Question: Dear Ektaji, For an Enlightened Being, is the Deep sleep state the biggest as he/she is in Awareness ALL the time? Answer: A beginner only knows the three states of waking-dreaming-deep sleep. Therefore, at the beginning...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 15, 2023 | Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Atmananda, Brahman, Direct Path, Drama, Duality, Illusion, Mind, Ramana Maharshi, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara, Silence
Drishti Srishti Vaada and Ajaata Vaad Namaste Ektaji: Is it possible that I am shuttling between the two viewpoints? When I am the Witness/Void, I am in Ajaata-vada viewpoint? When I get pulled out by the mind and get involved in the drama, then I am in...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 12, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Senses, Silence, Thoughts
Is it okay to stop actions and thoughts to be the Witness? Question: Ektaji, When I am in confusion I try to stop my action & thoughts to look into the constant companionship of the Witness. Can you guide me on whether my path is right? Answer: At the...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 10, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
The collapse of the witness! Question: Didi, I am puzzled by what I think I heard – when explaining Drishti-Shristi Vada, I believe you said that along with the Creation the Witness is born … and at night when the Creation dissolves the Witness also...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 8, 2023 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, Illusion, Meditation, Memory, Mind, Sensations, Silence, Thoughts
Is there a conscious link between thoughts? Question: Thoughts being dead information are simply a result of the memory of people, situations, things, ideas picked up from conditioning. Is there a conscious link between thoughts? Answer: If you are looking for...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 3, 2023 | Aagami, Anger, Animal, Birth, Body, Drama, Flow with Life, General Spiritual, Human, Karma, Knowledge, Life, Name/Roles, Sanchita, Vedic
Your name does not belong to you! Question: Didi, I am 30 +. My Mom has nothing but to give advice every day and scold me. She always says negative about me and no encouragement. I cannot ignore them and I am getting angry at them and I decided not to call her for...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 27, 2022 | Ego, Emptiness, Enlightenment, General Spiritual, Mind, Paths, Seeking, Self- Realization, Soul
Enlightenment is the sole purpose! Question: Dearest Ekta, Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I recently read your answer in the “Many masters One path” post and it resonated with me. https://ektabathija.com/many-masters-one-path/ Towards the end, you...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 18, 2022 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Direct Path, Doership, I, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Thoughts
It’s very simple and easy! Question: Is it as simple as withdrawing from the stand of body/mind and resting as the awareness? Answer: Yes, it is that simple. It is both simple and easy. That is why it is called effortlessness. You have to give up the...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 4, 2022 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Direct Path, Drama, Duality, Ego, Just Be, Laziness, Maya, Self-Effort
Why drop conditioning? Question: In Atma Nrvriti we are talking about unlearning what we have been taught thus far and to drop all the conditioning, isn’t this another conditioning to drop conditioning? Can we just be? Answer: The Ego makes new excuses daily...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 1, 2022 | Ashtavakra Gita, Craving, Drama, Expectations, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Service, Seva, Vedic
If life is a happening, then what do I celebrate? what do I strive for? Question: I understand that I am not the 5 elements, I am not the body, the mind or the intellect. I am not any labels, I am not male or female, young or old etc. I am a Sakshi, a witness and I...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 29, 2022 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Body, Buddha, Direct Path, I, Mind, No-Mind, Sensations, Silence
Silence is your new friend! Question: Dear Ektaji, After struggling for many days/attempts I could settle down my mind today taking my attention away from whatever my mind was creating. After a while, a sense of silence overtook me. My being had this kind of...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 27, 2022 | Attachment, Awareness, Breath, Dreams, Kriya, Meditation, Mindfulness, Pranayama, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Scriptures, Service, Seva, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
You are in a dream! Wake up! Question: Didi, today in my meditation, all of a sudden, I felt that the dimensions (square, rectangle) the room is not real.. I felt it turning to circle and disappearing.. As though this dimension is not real. Yesterday I was doing some...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 22, 2022 | Attachment, Awareness, Consciousness, General Spiritual, Independent Spirituality, Love, Mind, Paths, Self- Realization, Seva, Silence
Graduate from seeking to giving! Question: Why is a ‘donation’ option not available on the website www.ektabathija.com? Answer: Ekta’s main teaching is to attain the inner silence of consciousness so that one awakens to his own inner truth. What is the...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 20, 2022 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Brahman, Consciousness, Gratitude, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Kriya, Meditation, Pranayama, Scriptures, Self, Upanishad, Vedic
Your nature is Gratefulness! Question: Being grateful is your very nature and I totally understand that. What is confusing is, in earlier verses of Ashtavakra, he says if you are grateful to me that means you recognize myself as someone other than yourself (not seeing...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 17, 2022 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Brahman, Consciousness, Direct Path, Duality, Existence, God, Illusion, Mind, Self, Sensations, Senses, Thoughts, Yoga Vasistha
If this world is a dream, how is it that we all share the same dream? Question: In Yoga Vashishta on page 33 last paragraph, it is said that the Creator is the mind or pure intelligence, the Creator is the mind and pure intelligence is His body, thought is inherent in...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 15, 2022 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Brahman, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dreams, Duality, I, Mind, You
Is the awareness/knowingness limited to special people? Question: Do we all experience the awareness/knowingness or is it limited to special people? Can I ever come to the point of recognizing this awareness/knowingness everywhere in everything and everyone? ...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 13, 2022 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Direct Path, Existence, I, Mind
Why can’t ‘I’ experience another person’s ‘I’? Question: Dear Ekta Didi, When this ‘I’ is present in every being, why is it that I am not able to experience another person’s ‘I’? I am able to experience only my awareness within my body complex. Could you enlighten me...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 10, 2022 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Dreams, Ego, Memory, Mind, Thoughts
Chittachaya – Borrowed Consciousness! Question: Ekta didi, please would you explain Chittachaya [borrowed consciousness]? Answer: Just like we cannot see gravity but we can experience it, knowingness cannot be seen but its effects are experiential. ...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 8, 2022 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Brahman, Consciousness, Direct Path, Mind, Self, Sensations, Thoughts
Advaita [Non-Duality] in a nutshell. Everything is Brahman [Consciousness]. How? Question: Ekta didi, please would you explain Advaita [Non-Duality] in a nutshell. Everything is Brahman [Consciousness]. How? Answer: Let’s directly experience it rather...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 1, 2022 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Direct Path, Ego, Fear, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Thoughts
The Sun is always shining! Question: The response of the mind to ‘Perceptions are not conscious by themselves’ went from fear to denial to acceptance. The mind recognized that it has been thirsting to merge with the Infinite. Then why fear? Answer: This happens...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 30, 2022 | Advaita, Atma Nirvriti, Atmananda, Awareness, Consciousness, Direct Path, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
Difference between the witness and pure consciousness! Question: Didi, could you explain the difference between consciousness and pure consciousness? Answer: Whenever there is an object to witness, then only the witnessing consciousness arises. The witnessing...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 25, 2022 | Awareness, Body, Consciousness, Dreams, Existence, Illusion, Knowledge, Matter, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Thoughts
Are sensation and feeling different or the same? Question: What is sensation? What is feeling? Are they different or the same? Answer: A sensation is simply ‘knowledge’. A feeling is simply ‘knowledge’.A pleasant sensation is only...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 9, 2022 | Aagami, Awareness, Buddha, Drama, Dreams, Emotions, Gnyana, Ignorance, Impressions, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Jealousy, Mind, Mindfulness, Opinion/Behavior/Judgement, Raaga/Dvesha, Self- Realization, Sub-conscious, Suffering, Thoughts, Types of Mind, Viveka
Who are you listening to? Question: Hi Ektaji, Is Drishti/Nazar real? My son gets sick OR runs to emergency with some stiches/fractures etc after he achieves any trophy OR he exposes his skills in a group. Mostly, whenever I get ready and am happy, immediately...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 2, 2022 | Awareness, Buddha, Flow with Life, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Let go, Meditation, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Prarabdha, Present Moment, Purushartha, Samadhi, Scriptures, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Viveka
Be like a crystal! Question: In Patanjali Yogasutras, a reference is made to ‘being a crystal’. Is ‘being a crystal’ different from Sampragnyata samadhi? Answer: ‘Being a crystal’ means living as if you don’t exist....
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 25, 2022 | Aagami, Animal, Anxiety, Ashtavakra Gita, Attachment, Aversion, Bhagwad Gita, Consciousness, Craving, Desire, Emotions, Enlightenment, Feverishness, Gunas, Guru, I, Karma, Karmaphalam, Maaya, Maya, Niyati, Prarabdha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sanchita, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Scriptures, Self, Soul, Types of Karma, Upanishad, Vedic
Beyond the realm of right and wrong… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHArGdiJR3c&feature=youtu.be Have questions? Reach out to Ekta by clicking on the “Ask a Question” button on the left sidebar. For attending Ekta’s online knowledge sessions, click the...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 14, 2022 | Awareness, Awareness, Guru, Intellect, Knowledge, Knowledge, Let go, Meditation, Mind, Mindfulness, Miscellaneous, Present Moment, Purushartha, Scriptures, Surrender, Vedic
What to do when you have problems in life? We all have problems in life, now what to do when your emotions are high and you are just not able to cope? 1 ) First of all calm your self down with some 10 minute knowledge video from here –...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 11, 2022 | Bhakti, Devotion, Enlightenment, Expectations, Faith, Gnyana, Gnyani, Guru, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Non-Doership, Prayer, Raaga/Dvesha, Seeking, Seeking, Self- Realization, Surrender, Vairagya
Three paths for a Seeker! Question: Good to meet you didi. Love being in a place where the knowledge is discussed… feels light and natural. One thought that passed me during today’s discussion: Loving the God, consciousness in a idol form or even an Enlightened...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 7, 2022 | Aagami, General Spiritual, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Scriptures, Vedic
Bad karma with the opposite sex Question: I just got out of a bad and abusive marriage, my parents helped me out. Seven years ago, I was in an abusive relationship too, at that time also my parents helped me out. I am trying to understand what kind of karma is this?...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 31, 2022 | Aagami, Awareness, Bhakti, Craving, Divine, Emotions, Enlightenment, General Spiritual, Gnyana, Impressions, Intellect, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Meditation, Mind, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Prarabdha, Reaction, Sanchita, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Tapas, Types of Karma, Vedic, Wisdom
Dealing with Anxiety Question: Dear Ektaji, How should one deal with anxiety through Karma Yoga? I understand the role of gyana and bhakti/surrender when we are anxious about something in future but it is still prabhava gyana. Therefore I end up reasoning with my...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 28, 2022 | Aagami, Aversion, Craving, Karma, Mind, Niyati, Reaction, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Scriptures, Vedic
Can animals get enlightened? Question: If in a non-human life form you don’t do things that are out of your nature and do only things as a part of that life, how can it be that Raaga(likes)/Dvesha(dislikes) had developed becoming the seed for a next life? Is it...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 24, 2022 | Aagami, Anger, Ashtavakra Gita, Bondage, Doership, Emotions, Fear, Flow with Life, Freewill, Guilt, Jealousy, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Let go, Life, Love/Hate, Mind, Niyati, Prarabdha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sanchita, Scriptures, Types of Karma, Vedic
Life is a flow of events on account of Karma Question: If life is a flow of events, where everything that is happening has to and we have nothing to do with it, then how does the karma theory play in with the above statement, where we alone are responsible for our...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 21, 2022 | Jealousy, Mind, Scriptures, Truth, Vedic
Overcoming Jealousy Question: We are all social beings. We need to socialize once in a while with our friends just to get away from the home environment. All our friends are very mature, happy and well to do. They drive better cars, they have better homes, they have...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 4, 2022 | Anxiety, Awareness, Awareness, Buddha, Concepts, Doubts, Emotions, Equanimous, Fear, Flow with Life, Gnyani, I, Just Be, Knowledge, Let go, Love/Hate, Matter, Mind, Misery, Present Moment, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Sensations, Stress, Suffering, Surrender, Viveka, Wisdom
Stop struggling and float with Life! Question: At times I feel like I have dropped a desire, but again it pops up with more intensity. And at times I feel I am dropping the desire but doubt arises if I am just resisting it. How to differentiate between dropping a...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 7, 2022 | Dispassion, Guru, Guru, Knowledge, Maaya, Samsara, Vedic
Guru chose me or I chose the Guru? Question: Didi, I have heard that Guru chooses his disciples and we are not choosing our Guru. Can you please explain this. Answer: One aspect to it is that in the ancient times, the Guru would test the disciple to see if he...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Jun 28, 2022 | Faith, God, God, Guru, Guru, Guru, Love, Vedic
Faith is like falling in love! Question: Didi, What is faith ? Answer: You don’t know me, you have never met nor have you ever seen me, still you have a firm connection with me and know that I will give you true answers for your questions. This is called Faith 😊...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 23, 2022 | Attention-Seeking, Devotion, Dhyana, Dispassion, General Spiritual, Gnyana, Guru, Guru, Guru, Just Be, Knowledge, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, Purushartha, Self, Self- Realization, Self-Effort
Connect with the Master internally instead of the external physical body! Question: I did feel a strong connection to my Guru when I did the course. But 3 years later now, I don’t feel anything. When I go to Ashram, I see people in crowds getting excited about Guruji,...
by Ekta Bathija | May 31, 2022 | Attachment, Karma, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Scriptures, Vedic
Will I acquire Karma by killing an insect? Question: Killing an insect with no attachment – Do we acquire Karma impression? Answer: Why would you kill an insect if there was no attachment? There is definitely a dvesha, that’s why the thought of ‘killing’...
by Ekta Bathija | May 19, 2022 | Concepts, Emotions, General Spiritual, Knowledge, Mind, Scriptures, Self- Realization, Sensations, Thoughts, Wisdom
Stand naked in front of the mirror Question: Hi Ektaji, How to control or stop negative thoughts that are coming in the mind every time or in any situation and think positive? Answer: JGD dear, Mind is a trickster so there are certain important steps that we...
by Ekta Bathija | May 12, 2022 | Compassion, Ego, I, Love, Service, Seva, Vedic
What do you want to be? ‘King’ or a ‘Beggar’? Question: JGD Didi, I take up seva with full enthusiasm but then I slack and never complete what I have started or if I do, I am usually doing it thinking what will I get from this. Didi, how can I...
by Ekta Bathija | May 3, 2022 | Commitment, Destiny, Guru, Impressions, Karma, Knowledge, Meditation, Niyati, Prarabdha, Purushartha, Sanchita, Scriptures, Self-Effort, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
Vashistha talks about Fate and Self-effort Question: I am reading the Yoga Vasistha these days, could you please explain to me pages 22-24 of the Supreme Yoga – by Swami Venkatesananda, where he talks about Fate and self effort? Answer: Vasistha says that ‘Self...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 10, 2022 | Fear, Guru, Just Be, Knowledge, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Surrender, Thoughts, Vedic, Wisdom
How do you tell the difference between fear and intuition ? Question: I’ve been feeling extremely anxious (more than normal). I try to resist negative thoughts, but they keep coming up. How do I handle this? Somehow, I can’t shake off this anxious feeling...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 17, 2022 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Awareness, Bhagwad Gita, Bhakti Sutra, Body, Ego, Feverishness, I, Impressions, Karma, Knowledge, Maaya, Mind, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sanchita, Scriptures, Upanishad, Vedic, Viveka
Impressions related to body and sex Question: I have impressions on my mind for past so many years that this body is me. How do I get rid of this impression that is so strongly rooted in my mind? Will the impression of “I am the body” be the reason for my re-birth...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 8, 2022 | Buddha, Meditation, Mind, No-Mind, Silence
Meditation is not for me! Question: While meditating, not even once have I listened to the whole meditation, there are variety of things happening every single time: 1. As soon as I close my eyes, even when I am paying attention to the voice, my mind starts...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 24, 2022 | Company/Association/Sangha, Gnyana, Life, Paths, Religion, Seeking, Self- Realization, Stress, Uncategorized
Who is Gnyana Sangha for? Question: Who is Gnyana Sangha for? Answer: Let me start with a simple basic fact; Everyone is NOT looking for true spirituality. What are most people looking for? The general stresses of life creates unpleasantness that people are...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 17, 2022 | Advaita, Body, Conscious, Direct Path, Dreams, I, Illusion, Memory, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Thoughts, Uncategorized, Upanishad
Does the dreamer have the waking memory? Question: After waking up we recognize that dream objects are illusory. Similarly, when we go into the dream state do we recognize that waking state objects are illusory. Experientially I do not know. Is the memory of waking...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 13, 2022 | Aagami, Guru, Karma, Karmaphalam, Kriya, Meditation, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Scriptures, Vedic
Can meditation erase my past bad karma? Question: Are we stuck with bad karma if we have made mistakes in the past such as hurting people verbally or in thoughts due to ignorance? Do we have to undergo those consequences or can I erase that bad karma that I have...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 6, 2022 | Aagami, Attachment, Conscious, Impressions, Karma, Life, Niyati, Purushartha, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Vedic
Daivam, Niyati & Purushartha Question: What is Daivam, Niyati & Purushartha? The further we go into Yoga Vashishtha the more confused I get… specially with this “Now it depends on the intensity of your commitment whether your Purushartha wins over your Daivam...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 1, 2022 | Attachment, Attraction, Awareness, Consciousness, Emptiness, Enlightenment, Expectations, Gnyana, Impressions, Knowledge, Mind, Prakriti, Purusha, Scriptures, Self, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Surrender, Vedic, Viveka, Wisdom
Abiding in the Self! Question: There is a sort of ‘bond’ between the awareness and the mind. The awareness goes out every time (away from the self to the world). And this connection or bond must be broken. How can I break this connection? I know that I have to take a...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 30, 2022 | Courage, Ego, Fear, I, Liberation, Meditation, Vedic
The greatest fear! Question: Dear didi, your recent post made me realize that the ego is the cause of my beginning. Now that I have taken a step towards liberation there is a strange fear of becoming no one again, the mind says- what will happen to’me’ after...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 23, 2022 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Intellect, Let go, Purushartha, Sankalpa/Intention, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Self-Effort, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
Make Sankalpas then drop them! Question: In Ashtavakra Gita, you say “Make a Sankalpa”. In Yogavashishta, you say drop Sankalpas and be committed to zabardast Purushartha. I am confused. Please help. Answer: This is not the first time for you on the Spiritual...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 16, 2022 | Ashtavakra Gita, Dispassion, Dukkha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara, Seeking, Vedic
Dispassion is natural on the path! Question: We learnt in Yoga Vasishtha that seeking is the cause of Dukha in this Samsaara. I have been applying this knowledge and walking sincerely on this spiritual path for over 5 years now. I am feeling stuck in my career and...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 13, 2022 | Aagami, Attachment, Aversion, Bhakti Sutra, Craving, Doership, Impressions, Intellect, Karma, Prarabdha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sanchita, Vedic
Learn the skill to act without doer-ship Question: How to deal with a dishonest business partner and at the same time be able to drop doer-ship and act without creating any Agami Karma [future karma]? Answer: First, let’s understand how Sanchita Karma becomes...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 6, 2022 | Ashtavakra Gita, Birth, Body, Death, Karma, No-Mind, Samadhi, Self, Vedic
Drop the body before the body drops you! Question : In Asthavakra 8, you said, at death, the body gets tired of you and drops you. Is it not the other way around? When karma is exhausted the Purusha drops the Prakriti. Isn’t it true? Please help to clarify. ...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 19, 2021 | Brahman, Buddha, Just Be, Knowledge, Meditation, Mindfulness, Prana, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Seva, Vedic
Just DO NOthing! Question: How do you meditate on a specific subject? For example, I think I can utilize deep meditation to get a stronger comprehension of love and how that’s what I’m made of etc etc. But if I’m already in meditation, to try to grab at a specific...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 16, 2021 | Animal, Body, Craving, Desire, Freewill, General Spiritual, Intellect, Liberation, Maaya, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Senses, Viveka
How is ‘human life’ different from ‘animal life’? Question: I am wondering that the ideal way to live is: be in the present moment without worrying. No desires even desire for liberation is not necessary as it may become a craving ragga...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 9, 2021 | Body, Commitment, Guru, Karma, Knowledge, Laziness, Maaya, Meditation, Mind, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Purushartha, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Scriptures, Self-Effort, Vedic
No proxies allowed in Spirituality! Question: My peaceful experiences are not stable, and I am going up and down in my spiritual path, I feel there is no steady growth in my spiritual path. What should I do? Answer: The spiritual path is long, it is unknown,...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Nov 14, 2021 | Choice, Choicelessness, Consciousness, Flow with Life, General Spiritual, Just Be, Raaga/Dvesha, Seeking, Seeking, Viveka
Choicelessness is freedom! Question: Is applying viveka, a kind of seeking? Because choosing/deciding right from wrong is so relative to this mind? Answer: Actually, Viveka is deeper than just plain discrimination between right and wrong. Viveka is the ability...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Nov 9, 2021 | Awareness, Awareness, Bondage, Food, Freedom, Games/Play/Fun, General Spiritual, Knowledge, Love/Hate, Maya, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara, Senses, Sex/Passion/Celibacy
From scenery to seer! Question: Ektaji, what is the scenery and what does it mean ‘not to get lost’ in the scenery? Who is the seer? Answer: Scenery: Everything around you is the scenery. The people, situations and things around you are all scenery Seer: You...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 26, 2021 | Awareness, Awareness, Buddha, Causation, Faith, Flow with Life, Intellect, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Life, Love, Memory, Mind, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Truth, Wisdom
What if the Karma theory is wrong? Question: I am getting a feeling of missing out. What if this Karma Theory is wrong and I wake up 40 years from now realizing that I missed out on people, places and things that at least gave me short-term pleasure. Now I have to...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 12, 2021 | Aagami, Desire, Destiny, Dharma, Doership, Education, Ego, Flow with Life, Freewill, Guru, Karma, Karmaphalam, Marriage, Mind, Prarabdha, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sanchita, Self-Effort, Service, Seva, Spouse, Tapas, Vedic, Wisdom
Karma affects both Material life and spiritual goals? Question: We do not choose where we are born or what profession we choose, but we choose whom we get married to or have kids. Also, the kind of people who come into our life is a result of our past karmas – good or...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 3, 2021 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Death, Enlightenment, History, Maya, Mind, Scriptures, Self, Silence, Truth, Vedic
Scriptures are not history! Question: I am a humble learner with a multi-variate interest in scriptures and vedas since my school days. There was this Shastrarth that took place between sage Astavakra and Acharya Bandi in presence of King Janaka. Can I assume that at...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 28, 2021 | Courage, Craving, Desire, Dispassion, Doership, Ego, I, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Karma, Knowledge, Life, Non-Doership, Personality, Pleasure/Pain, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara, Self, Self- Realization, Truth, Vairagya
Who am I? Question: Similar to what’s said in AG 4- I got caught in identifying with a talent and also with not having a talent & was/is suffering. What is said in it still repeats in my ears. It is mentioned “you don’t know who you are”. I started thinking how...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 26, 2021 | Choice, Choicelessness, Flow with Life, Freedom, Independent Spirituality, Mind, Viveka
Choices – what is right and wrong? Question: Is applying viveka, a kind of seeking? Because choosing/deciding right from wrong is so relative to this mind? Answer: Actually Viveka is deeper than just plain discrimination between right and wrong. Viveka is...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 23, 2021 | Attraction, Courage, Craving, Dukkha, Equanimous, Happiness, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Knowledge, Life, Mind, Misery, Pleasure/Pain, Raaga/Dvesha, Samsara, Seeking, Seeking, Self, Self- Realization, Sukkha, Temporary, Truth
There is no happiness in this world! Question: Why am I not happy with my-self? Why am I continuously looking for someone/something/some situation to make me happy or make me feel that I am happy? Answer: There is no Happiness/Sukha in this world, but the mind does...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 21, 2021 | Guru, Guru, Non-Doership, Thoughts, Truth, Vedic
Are you responsible for your own thoughts & feelings or not? Question: I saw this below knowledge, I am kind of confused 🤔 There is a contradiction between his two statements. 1] Your worries, your feelings, your thoughts arise in your own mind. You are totally...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 19, 2021 | Ashtavakra Gita, Bondage, Drama, Feverishness, Flow with Life, Just Be, Karma, Maaya, Maya, Niyati, Seeking, Vedic, Wonder
When will I progress spiritually? Question: I have been attending all sessions of Ashtavakra, at times I feel I have all the “theoretical” knowledge but wonder why it is not sinking in deeper! Lately, my mind is just jumping from one thing to another…I have not even...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 14, 2021 | Causation, Destiny, Doership, Flow with Life, Guru, Intellect, Karma, Knowledge, Niyati, Self-Effort, Vedic
You are not the doer! Question: We strongly believe – Everything is happening. We are not doing anything. It is foolishness to think, I worked hard to achieve my current state…On the other hand – we also say, we should do our duties. We have to make sure, we do our...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 26, 2021 | Ashtavakra Gita, Impressions, Let go, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Spontaneous, Vedic
How does raaga(likes) and dvesha(dislikes) become an impression? Question: JGD Ektaji, about Ragaa and Dwesha, it is natural to have a feeling of like and dislike. Is it a problem if we have a ragaa and dwesha as a fleeting impression or something that lasts few hours...
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 19, 2021 | Anger, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Body, Dreams, Emotions, Equanimous, General Spiritual, Impressions, Jealousy, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Sensations, Sub-conscious, Types of Mind
Reacting in Dreams Question: During the daytime a thought came to me, to say something nasty to my colleague in office. But I stopped myself and I let go of that dvesha [aversion] and I also forgot about it. By the time it was evening and I came home, I felt very...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Aug 5, 2021 | Bhakti, Brahman, Consciousness, Devotion, Ego, Gnyana, Guru, Intellect, Knowledge, Knowledge, Kriya, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, Upanishad, Vedic, Wisdom
Is there something like “too much spiritual knowledge”? Question: All who worship what is not real knowledge, enter into blind darkness: those who delight in real knowledge, enter, as it were, into greater darkness. This is excerpt from Ishavasya...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Aug 1, 2021 | Company/Association/Sangha, General Spiritual, Knowledge, Mind, Self- Realization, Service, Seva, Vedic, Wisdom
Are you in good company? Question: If the people around me are not good, will it affect my spiritual growth? Answer: The company you keep matters a lot, especially on the spiritual path. For e.g. if a group of people is sitting and laughing, you are...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 13, 2021 | Aagami, Brahman, Consciousness, Dukkha, Elements, Gnyani, Impressions, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Maya, Meditation, Prakriti, Prarabdha, Raaga/Dvesha, Samsara, Sanchita, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Space-Time, Surrender, Upanishad, Vedic
KARMA! Question: Please explain the sentences Excerpt 1 -The space is not afflicted by any action. Similarly, you are free from karma. Answer: Look around you right now. You are surrounded by space from all angles. Can you touch the space around you?...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 8, 2021 | Awareness, Company/Association/Sangha, Elements, Food, General Spiritual, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, Prakriti, Present Moment, Purushartha, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Self-Effort, Sub-conscious, Thoughts
How do thoughts generate in the mind? Questions: How does the thought generate in our mind? Answer: From a Dvaitam perspective: Thoughts generate out of the subconscious. Now what is the quality of your subconscious? It depends on the conditioning of your mind from:...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 6, 2021 | Courage, Ego, Fear, Opinion/Behavior/Judgement, Service, Vedic
Are you a Lion or a fox? Question: JGD! Can you please explain today’s Guru Punch- Invoke the lion within you and have an attitude of sacrifice to rescue yourself from anxiety. I don’t understand the ‘attitude of sacrifice’ piece. Answer: People live in a lot...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 1, 2021 | Awareness, Awareness, Dhyana, Emptiness, I, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, Non-Doership, Purushartha, Purushartha, Seeking, Seeking, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Silence, Thoughts
How do I experience Silence during meditation ? Question: “Drop the small mind”. I understand one way is to keep saying I am not the body, I am not the mind, I am not the ego etc. I do this during meditation, yet I am unable to TRULY drop the mind just does not go...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 24, 2021 | Fear, Greed, Independent Spirituality, Love/Hate, Maaya, Mind, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Vedic, Viveka
Non-stealing in the mind Question: Patanjali says, that we should not steal even in our mind. Asteya – Non-stealing. I have a habit of always wishing for others’ things, others’ possessions, others’ looks. I really want to get over this because I know, in the process...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Jun 17, 2021 | Consciousness, Dhyana, Ego, I, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Meditation, Meditation, Self, Self- Realization
Gnyana leads to Dhyana Question: JGD didi, I have been listening to the knowledge and applying the knowledge points in my life and I have started feeling the nothingness/the consciousness. It is strange. It does not happen in meditation but it happens in...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 15, 2021 | Body, Concepts, Doership, Dreams, Ego, Faith, I, Just Be, Mind, No-Mind, Purushartha, Samsara, Self, Thoughts, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
The Mind does not exist! Question: JGD Ekta Ji, I am of the mindset that there will always be thoughts in the mind but by staying in knowledge and other techniques you can control your mind so that you are not attached to these thoughts. This way you are still...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 8, 2021 | Ashtavakra Gita, Aversion, Craving, Equanimous, Facebook, General Spiritual, Knowledge, Meditation, Mind, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Self-Effort
To Facebook or not? Question: With the advent of social media and uncontrolled use of it, we have added immensely to the list of Raagas and Dveshas especially on viewing people’s profiles, photos or posting messages. In a very subtle way, it impacts the mind and...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 6, 2021 | Attachment, Buddha, Courage, Dhyana, Ego, Gnyani, I, Illusion, Maaya, Maya, Meditation, Mind, No-Mind, Purushartha, Samsara, Self-Effort, Selfishness, Yoga Vasistha, You
Who is the designer of the Mind? Question: Didi I was just in wonder why is my mind so cunning / playing games all the time and not letting me be at peace / be a Sakshi? Why is it designed so? Answer: Design of the Mind: Mind is ruled by the inherent power of...
by Ekta Bathija | May 30, 2021 | Aagami, Attachment, Causation, Emotions, Expectations, Feverishness, Karma, Karmaphalam, Krishna, Let go, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Seeking, Surrender, Surrender, Vedic
Karma and Karmaphalam Question: Is karma about keeping your intentions positive or is it about keeping your intention and thoughts neutral? Answer: Karma is not created just by action, it is created by speech, it is created by thoughts too. But not by every...
by Ekta Bathija | May 20, 2021 | Consciousness, Dhyana, Meditation, Patanjali Yogs Sutra, Samadhi, Scriptures, Vedic
Is it possible to go into a complete thoughtless state while meditating? Question: When meditating, I sometime get down to a very relaxed clear state, where I feel only peace (there really isn’t any word for it though) but there are usually one or two thoughts...
by Ekta Bathija | May 18, 2021 | Ignorance, Karma, Maaya, Present Moment, Suffering, Vedic, Viveka
What is ignorance in the present moment ? Question: I have a question: “Ignorance in the present moment” – Does that mean not everything that happens is karma? Or even that is karma only? Answer: Let’s understand what is ignorance in the present moment. It is being...
by Ekta Bathija | May 11, 2021 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, Consciousness, Expectations, God, Guru, Karma, Karmaphalam, Mind, Sankalpa/Intention, Spontaneous, Vedic
Attachment to Karmaphalam (fruit of an action) Question:Please help me understand this. We have been working really hard for the upcoming course. We are talking about the benefits of meditation and this course to everyone. We have been doing intro talks but we still...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 29, 2021 | Aagami, Awareness, Guilt, Karma, Karmaphalam, Life, Niyati, Opinion/Behavior/Judgement, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Vedic
Everything that comes your way is Karma! Question: Dear Ektaji, today I listened to AG 2 “The five principles” here it is said that “don’t be wrong against wrong”. After 3-4 hours of listening, I was faced with the situation. I was arguing with my...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 22, 2021 | Aagami, Death, Ego, Emotions, Fear, General Spiritual, Karma, Knowledge, Maaya, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Wealth
Are you spiritually wealthy? Question: Jgd Didi, I am working on not creating any more Agami Karma through my thoughts, speech, and action by meditating regularly and being in knowledge. But what if I die and in the next birth because of being lost in MAAYA, I again...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 30, 2021 | Anger, Attachment, Aversion, Craving, Death, Fear, Guilt, Impressions, Jealousy, Kabir, Knowledge, Love/Hate, Maya, Meditation, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Scriptures, Seeking, Self-Effort, Seva, Silence, Thoughts, Vedic
Fear of the ‘last thoughts at death’ Question: Ektaji – Is it fair to have Dvesha to control the last impression (not to think certain thing)? If it is something out of control why not make it like “come as it comes” like spontaneously? Can we train our subconscious...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 25, 2021 | Aagami, Attachment, Awareness, Buddha, Emotions, Just Be, Karma, Let go, Mind, Niyati, Prarabdha, Reaction, Sanchita, Thoughts, Wisdom
Stop saying ‘why is this happening to me?’ Eat fresh! Question:Hello Ekta didi, sometimes I wonder how come some people don’t have to let go of anything in life. They have been blessed with things others aren’t. Why is it so? Is it all karma again? How come some...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 16, 2021 | Consciousness, Desire, Emotions, General Spiritual, Gnyani, Knowledge, Meditation, Memory, Mind, No-Mind, Paths, Raaga/Dvesha, Satvik/Rajasic/Tamasic, Self- Realization, Sensations, Sex/Passion/Celibacy
Wanting to look good….. Raaga or not? Question:I have a desire to have clear pretty skin. I was wondering if it is Raaga or it is part of nature? Is it a bad karma or a bad desire to want to look pretty not with make-up but with normal skin?Answer:You are the...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 14, 2021 | Awareness, Concepts, Dhyana, Energy, Guru, Knowledge, Kriya, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, Pranayama, Purushartha, Scriptures, Silence, Thoughts, Upanishad, Vedic
Thoughts during meditation and sadness after! Question: Dear Ekta didi, I have been doing my meditation but I just can’t get my mind to shut up! It constantly brings thoughts. I don’t resist them. But I am slightly concerned. I am in no way impatient, I will continue...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 11, 2021 | Aagami, Body, Bondage, Destiny, Doership, Enlightenment, Freewill, Guru, I, Karma, Karmaphalam, Maaya, Mind, Niyati, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Samsara, Sankalpa/Intention, Siddha, Soul, Temporary, Time-past/present/Future, Vedic
If everything is a play of Destiny, then what is Freewill? Question:I am still not clear on how Destiny and Freewill play a part in our lives. When do we have a freewill when it is all our destiny or a result of our past karma. If I am not the Doer, where is free will...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 9, 2021 | Attachment, Buddha, Courage, Dhyana, Ego, Gnyana, Gnyani, I, Illusion, Knowledge, Maaya, Maya, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, No-Mind, Paths, Purushartha, Purushartha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara, Scriptures, Self-Effort, Yoga Vasistha, You
Who is the designer of the Mind? Question: Didi I was just in wonder why is my mind so cunning / playing games all the time and not letting me be at peace / be a Sakshi? Why is it designed so? Answer: Design of the Mind: Mind is ruled by the inherent power of Nature...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 4, 2021 | Body, Concepts, Doubts, Emptiness, Faith, Fullness, Guru, Intellect, Knowledge, Mind, Opinion/Behavior/Judgement, Personality, Prakriti, Purusha, Vedic
See Guru as an Energy, not a Personality! Question: You said, ‘See Guru as beyond a personality, see the being, see the hollow and empty, ever full presence’. From past few weeks, I was actually wanting to feel Guru beyond the body. How to see that?...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 29, 2021 | Anger, Craving, Desire, Dispassion, Equanimous, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Just Be, Knowledge, Meditation, Mind, Present Moment
Dispassion is not Suppressing Desires Question: Is dispassion accepting what has come our way and not longing for a certain outcome? Answer: Dispassion is a natural maturity of the intellect that comes after dissolving yourself in self-introspection or spiritual...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Jan 19, 2021 | Awareness, Courage, Impressions, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Maaya, Meditation, Truth
Crossing through the dark clouds of Maaya! Question:I am practicing being more and more aware. In spite of being aware that my particular Karma or action will create a future karma, my mind gets stuck suddenly and I land up creating an aagami karma seed. How is it...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 17, 2021 | Company/Association/Sangha, Compassion, Ego, Guru, Guru, Guru, I, Independent Spirituality, Karma, Knowledge, Life, Maya, Meditation, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Scriptures, Self, Senses, Truth, Vedic
Ego is a major pitfall on the Spiritual path! Question : Dear Didi, I tend to be influenced by those who are having too much fun and less awareness and don’t take the spiritual path seriously. I feel that we are not even eligible to learn this beautiful knowledge from...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 5, 2021 | Awareness, Devas, Divine, Doership, Ego, Energy, Existence, Freedom, I, Intellect, Karma, Let go, Mind, No-Mind, Prayer, Present Moment, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Spontaneous, Suffering, Surrender, Vedic, Wisdom
Surrender Question:I am trying to understand why we have to surrender our impulses/attachments to the Devas. We talked about asking forgiveness of the Devas and asking them to guide us, free us and help us so that we don’t get tripped by the obstacles they throw...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 27, 2020 | Aagami, Ambition/Career, Commitment, Desire, Doership, Ego, Feverishness, Karma, Mind, Purushartha, Purushartha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sanchita, Seeking, Seeking, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
Is Ambition also a seeking? Question:One of yesterday’s Yoga Vasishtha knowledge points and homework, that you gave was ‘not to seek and just be and live effortlessly through whatever transpires because of Sanchita karma.’ How do we differentiate seeking from...
by Ekta Bathija | Dec 6, 2020 | Aagami, Alcohol, Bhakti Sutra, Company/Association/Sangha, Facebook, Gossip, Guilt, Laziness, Maaya, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Senses, Smoking, Vedic
Dusangha sarvathaiva tyajaha – Shun bad company at all costs! Question: Di, there is tremendous change in the society in India…everyone is so much into alcohol and stuff. There are special afternoon get together of females where all of them go to pubs…I am...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 29, 2020 | Awareness, Body, Enlightenment, Gnyani, Guru, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Masters, Matter, Mind, Physical, Pleasure/Pain, Prakriti, Ramana Maharshi, Suffering
Does a Guru or the Enlightened one feel sadness? Do they actually fall sick? Question: I have a question, although it may sound silly. I was wondering, do enlightened beings feel sadness? Do they actually feel sick? As I look at an enlightened one, I see consciousness...
by Ekta Bathija | Nov 3, 2020 | Awareness, Guru, Independent Spirituality, Knowledge, Maaya, Maya, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, Paths, Present Moment, Purushartha, Purushartha, Scriptures, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Vedic
Guilt of spiritual insincerity Question: JGD Didi, I have started listening to knowledge recently and I, suddenly, realized that I have been tremendously insincere in the past.This is bothering me too much. I want to progress on the path, please guide me on how to...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 17, 2020 | Attachment, Bondage, Commitment, Consciousness, Courage, Craving, Desire, Doership, Ego, Enlightenment, Feverishness, Freedom, Illusion, Independent Spirituality, Liberation, Life, Maya, Moksha, Non-Doership, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Samsara, Self, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Soul, Tapas, Temporary, Truth, Vedic, Viveka, Wisdom
The life of ‘maximum relief’ Question: My friend somewhere read that the life before liberation is the toughest, is there any truth to this? Answer: I don’t think that the last life before liberation is the toughest. It is just that in that life, you will...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 15, 2020 | Body, Buddha, Energy, Enlightenment, Meditation, Paths, Samadhi, Samsara, Satipathana, Self- Realization, Senses, Wisdom
Meditating during periods! Question: Is it ok to do meditation during periods? My doubt arose because I can feel the energy flow upwards in meditation, while the energy is said to flow downwards during periods. This is a huge topic of controversy in Kerala, India....
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 13, 2020 | Awareness, Buddha, Enlightenment, Knowledge, Knowledge, Let go, Liberation, Life, Maaya, Maya, Meditation, Meditation, Moksha, Self, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Service, Seva, Vedic
Why do I feel stagnant in my spiritual growth? Question:JGD Ektaji – As you are aware, I have been in knowledge for about 3 years now. I have also been involved with some seva and regular sadhana but I feel like I am not growing. I watch my self all the time (sakshi...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 11, 2020 | Awareness, Awareness, Consciousness, Drama, I, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Meditation, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Silence, Temporary, Thoughts
A thought is just a JOKER! Question:When I am in the silent state during meditation and shift my object of meditation from sensations to the silence/ pure awareness I am experiencing, how to prolong that state? It feels like the mind is waiting behind the bushes like...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 8, 2020 | Awareness, Buddha, Buddha, Consciousness, Depression, Emotions, Knowledge, Let go, Mind, Present Moment, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self-Effort, Thoughts, Vedic, Viveka
Observing the mind and getting out of problems! Question: I understand that we have to maintain an observer’s attitude towards our mind. But sometimes, trying to observe what is going on in my mind creates more turmoil in my mind since an inner dialogue starts...
by Ekta Bathija | Oct 4, 2020 | Awareness, Buddha, Karma, Meditation, Purushartha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Truth, Vedic
Intention v/s Effort Question:How to be in Sakshi bhaav and master the mind when I don’t have any means of Sadhana, Seva and Satsang because of a personal situation? I am averse to 2 people in my office, my mind is getting trapped. Knowledge takes a back seat many...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 29, 2020 | Awareness, Body, Breath, Buddha, Buddha, Desire, Emotions, Feverishness, Gossip, Meditation, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Satipathana, Sensations, Senses, Silence, Thoughts, Truth, Wisdom
Preparation for a long Buddha retreat Question: Didi, please would you advise on how to prepare for my upcoming 10-day long Buddha retreat? Answer: Irrespective of whether you are enrolled in the Satipatthana retreat or the Jhana retreat or the Metta retreat, everyone...
by Ekta Bathija | Sep 13, 2020 | Buddha, Buddha, Enlightenment, Faith, Meditation, Mind, Samadhi, Scriptures, Truth, Vedic
Buddha became globally popular because… Question: Why is Buddha globally popular even though he was criticized by Vedic sages? Answer: Buddha, born as Prince Siddhartha Gautama had everything – money, name, fame, position, power, wife, everything one could wish for....
by Ekta Bathija | Aug 25, 2020 | Attachment, Awareness, Awareness, Bondage, Buddha, Buddha, Concepts, Craving, Desire, Equanimous, Freedom, Ignorance, Just Be, Knowledge, Let go, Meditation, Mind, Misery, No-Mind, Pleasure/Pain, Present Moment, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samadhi, Samsara, Satipathana, Seeking, Sensations, Silence, Suffering, Temporary, Thoughts, Wisdom
What is taught in a Buddha retreat? Question: Please would you explain what is taught in the Buddha retreats? I have statues of Buddha at home but am totally unaware of his teachings. Please enlighten me about what is Vipassana, Samatha, Jhanas, etc. Answer: Here is a...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Jul 16, 2020 | Awareness, Buddha, Consciousness, Enlightenment, Just Be, Meditation, Purushartha, Satipathana, Scriptures, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Soul, Soul, Sukkha, Truth
Buddha taught that there is NO SOUL! Question:Buddha taught that there is NO SOUL! Please, can you enlighten us on this?Answer:To understand Buddha first, we have to understand his basic teachings.Buddha was a prince, who saw riches/name/fame/relationships but did not...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 15, 2020 | Bhakti, Buddha, Causation, Devotion, Doership, Faith, Flow with Life, Illusion, Intellect, Just Be, Karma, Knowledge, Maaya, Niyati, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Self-Effort, You
Why are Buddha’s Suttas not easily accepted? Question:Why are Buddha’s Suttas not easily accepted? I notice that NOT ONLY in Hindu monks but also in the Buddhist sects. Why can’t man accept the Truth?Answer:Your question is valuable and will help many others.Buddha’s...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 12, 2020 | Advaita, Advaita, Ignorance, Life, Mind, Paths, Silence
Why does the waking state seem to be the bigger state when it is actually the reverse? Dear Sincere seeker, Please find the short video clip and its transcript below for the answer to the question, ‘Why does the waking state seem to be the bigger state when it...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 10, 2020 | Advaita, Advaita, Awareness, Body, Brahman, Consciousness, Ego, I, Paths, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
Is the body-mind inside the field of knowingness/awareness? Dear Sincere seeker, Please find the short video clip and its transcript below for the answer to the question, ‘Is the body-mind inside the field of knowingness awareness?’ Transcript: The...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 9, 2020 | Advaita, Advaita, Awareness, Emotions, Equanimous, Paths, Reaction, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Thoughts
Is there any emotion experienced in the knowingness/awareness? Dear Sincere seeker, Please find the short video clip and its transcript below for the answer to the question, Is there any emotion experienced in the knowingness/awareness? Transcript: What are...
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 8, 2020 | Advaita, Advaita, Awareness, Consciousness, Just Be, Paths, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence, Thoughts
What is the silence in between two thoughts? Dear Sincere seeker, Please find the short video clip and its transcript below for the answer to the question, ‘What is the silence in between two thoughts?’ Transcript: If you are not sleeping, if you...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Jul 1, 2020 | Advaita, Buddha, Buddha, Chanting, Company/Association/Sangha, Competition, Duality, Flow with Life, Guru, Independent Spirituality, Maaya, Non-Doership, Ramana Maharshi, Self- Realization
Can I continue vedic chanting along with Buddha’s & Ramana’s path? Question: Respected Ekta ji, I just wish to be guided if one can continue with general practices of chanting Hanuman Chalisa, Om Namah Shivaye , Om Namo Baghvate vasudevaye or Durga....
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 25, 2020 | Awareness, Brahman, Consciousness, Enlightenment, God, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Love, Present Moment, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Silence
God lives in my pocket… a poem by Ekta Bathija He said, “keep searching”,She said, “don’t stop the search”.I searched, I searched, I searched,And I couldn’t find anything. Then one fine day, sitting on the green couch,by the window, watching the sun’s golden...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 23, 2020 | Advaita, Advaita, Awareness, Awareness, Consciousness, Paths, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Thoughts
Is Sakshi bhava [awareness], just a thought produced by the mind? Dear Sincere seeker, Please find the short video clip and its transcript below for the answer to the question, ‘Is Sakshi bhava [awareness], just a thought produced by the mind?’ ...
by Ekta Bathija | Jun 7, 2020 | Consciousness, Dispassion, Flow with Life, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Knowledge, Samsara, Silence, Temporary, Vairagya
How to be motivated when you know everything is incapable of satisfying? Question:At first I had found satisfaction in this idea of “aniccha – everything is incapable of satisfying”. It was kind of relieving that I didn’t have to wait to actually do something or...
by Ekta Bathija | May 31, 2020 | Aagami, Animal, Ashtavakra Gita, Brahman, Consciousness, Ego, Fear, I, Impressions, Karma, Karmaphalam, Mind, Prakriti, Vedic
Consciousness in animals and immaterial objects Question:Since immaterial objects and animals have no mind, are they pure consciousness? (I feel like I’ve asked this before and you gave a simple answer, but not simple enough for me to remember!)Answer:The mind...
by Ekta Bathija | May 28, 2020 | Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Emotions, Guru, Liberation, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Vedic
Identifying yourself with your thoughts and emotions, thinking that you created them, is utter ignorance ! Question: I came across this message, “Identifying yourself with your thoughts and emotions, thinking that you created them, is utter ignorance. When you...
by Ekta Bathija | May 26, 2020 | Attraction, Awareness, Craving, Ego, Intellect, Life, Maaya, No-Mind, Senses, Vedic, Viveka
At what level are you in the Game of LIFE? Question:JGD Ekta Di, today in our modern society, we see people dressing in all kinds of ways for different social situations. Is there a spiritual perspective on how we should dress and what kind of clothes we should wear?...
by Ekta Bathija | May 17, 2020 | Buddha, Equanimous, Maaya, Mind, Reaction, Self- Realization
Non-application of the Mind is Equanimity! Question:When there is a wave of strong Maaya that makes me become unaware and lose myself, what is the best approach to sail though this? Is it the application of equanimity & awareness with the determination to let...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Apr 25, 2020 | Attachment, Dispassion, Dreams, Fear, General Spiritual, Let go, Life, Maaya, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Self- Realization, Truth
The truth is that you really don’t want to wake up! Question:If I have to get enlighten, it seems so difficult. I have to get over my attachment to my spouse, children, parents, friends, job, aspirations, power, position, company, money, house, car, friends, phone,...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 24, 2020 | Awareness, General Spiritual, Intellect, Just Be, Maaya, Mind, No-Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence
Being Aware! Question:Dear Ekta Didi, I observe a habit of talking to myself. I try hard not to speak, but I can’t stop it and then I join the conversation again! I have experienced a state of not talking to myself and just being, but I find it a very new thing and...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Apr 12, 2020 | Bhakti, Brahman, Buddha, Conscious, Consciousness, Devotion, Emotions, Emptiness, Enlightenment, Fullness, Gnyana, Gnyani, Intellect, Love, No-Mind, Silence, Thoughts
Emptiness IS Fullness! Question:How can emptiness be also called fullness on the spiritual path? Please clarify.Answer:On the spiritual path, many different kinds of people walk. Some people are in the head and some people are completely in the heart. The people...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 10, 2020 | Birth, Brahman, Consciousness, Death, Ego, Enlightenment, Fear, God, Grateful, Gratitude, Guru, Hindu, I, Intellect, Knowledge, Krishna, Liberation, Love, Masters, Maya, Puja, Rituals, Self- Realization, Shiva, Soul, Surrender, Surrender, Vedic, Wisdom, Worship
Spiritual but not Religious Question: Now a days it is becoming fashionable to say ” I am not religious but I am spiritual”. Could you help me understand the difference between the two. Isn’t spirituality a part of our religion? Does religion only mean to worship God...
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 9, 2020 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, Awareness, Bhakti, Brahman, Consciousness, Destiny, Devotion, Divine, Doership, Gnyana, Guru, Knowledge, Love, Maya, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sanchita, Surrender, Surrender, Surrender, Vedic
Bhakti leads to the flowering of Gnyana Question: Hello Ektaji, I read somewhere “Devotion destroys all the karma”. Could you please explain this with reference to what we have learnt so far in Ashtavakra Gita? Answer: Ashtavakra is the path of Gnyana [knowledge]....
by Ekta Bathija | Apr 8, 2020 | Flow with Life, General Spiritual, God, Happiness, Love, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Vedic, Viveka
God Loves Fun 🙂 Question: If we need to stay away from thoughts and control the mind, why did god give us the mind? Answer: God loves fun! There is no real purpose for this creation. It is all for fun. It is meant for your enjoyment. So just enjoy everything in the...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Apr 3, 2020 | Buddha, Buddha, Consciousness, Dispassion, General Spiritual, God, Krishna, Maaya, Shiva
Krishna, Shiva, Buddha – They are all just ONE! Question:I am not able to understand the line – “The bestower of dispassion is Shiva, that Consciousness that is bliss, innocence, and omnipresence. Krishna is the outer manifestation of Shiva. And the inner...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 31, 2020 | Aagami, Attachment, Aversion, Body, Causation, Consciousness, Destiny, Doership, Dukkha, Ego, Freewill, Impressions, Karma, Karmaphalam, Life, Maaya, Mind, Niyati, Pleasure/Pain, Prarabdha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Samsara, Sanchita, Sankalpa/Intention, Scriptures, Self, Soul, Sukkha, Temporary, Thoughts, Types of Karma, Vedic
A few questions on KARMA Question:Is karma about keeping your intentions positive or is it about keeping your intention and thoughts neutral?Answer:There are two steps:Moving from negativity to positivityDropping the attachment to positivity = attaining...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 28, 2020 | Ashtavakra Gita, Buddha, I, Karma, Maaya, Maya, Non-Doership, Purushartha, Purushartha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self-Effort, Service, Seva, Vedic, Yoga Vasistha
The Ball is Rolling ! Question: We have mentioned before that through meditation and seva we are able to get rid of some of the karmas in our bags, however, knowing that I am not the doer and no matter what I do the ball will keep rolling, how do those 2 thoughts work...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 25, 2020 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, God, Guru, Impressions, Karma, Karmaphalam, Mind, Prarabdha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sanchita, Surrender, Thoughts, Vedic
Is it Karma or me? Question: It is said that we are living our thoughts and that we are responsible for our thoughts. During the last few months thoughts came to me of what we would do if we were in a difficult situation & now that has happened. So now I am here...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 24, 2020 | Attachment, General Spiritual, Impressions, Karma, Niyati, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Viveka
NIYATI – The higher management of Karma! Question: Are all the impressions or the karma we create also ruled by niyati? Are all our raaga and dvesha towards a person also part of niyati? Answer: Do you receive mail? Who brings your mail? Does it fall from the sky into...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 23, 2020 | Ashtavakra Gita, Body, Buddha, Death, Ego, Fear, Impressions, Karma, Karmaphalam, Niyati, Paths, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
Niyati brings to you what you deserve ! Question: In AG13 – Fear is like salt, Ashtavakra says a little bit of fear is needed to maintain orderliness and protecting life. Beyond that it engulfs the mind and body. Main fear is to lose this body. So in essence,...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Mar 19, 2020 | Birth, Bondage, Commitment, Death, Dhyana, Dispassion, General Spiritual, Gnyani, Guru, Life, Maaya, Meditation, Purushartha, Self-Effort, Truth
Mourn Birth & Celebrate Death! Question: Didi, we usually cry when a close one dies. There is a high possibility that he/she has finished his/her karma bag and will not take birth again. Instead of crying we should be happy for them. We cry for our own selfish...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Mar 17, 2020 | Awareness, Body, Doership, Energy, Flow with Life, General Spiritual, Gratitude, Mind, Misery, Pleasure/Pain, Prana, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Suffering, Truth, Wisdom
In sickness and in health! Question:Ekta ji, during Vyadhi, even as small as a headache, the Prana takes a hit and is focused only on the body. Should one wait for the phase to finish, and take it as tapas to come back and settle in the Self, what do you...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 16, 2020 | Awareness, Awareness, Enlightenment, General Spiritual, Guru, Ignorance, Masters, Meditation, Wisdom
Types of Spirituality paths! Question: I struggle between the need for objects of meditation (music, chanting) and just being in pure nothingness. Sometimes I am here, sometimes there. I want to reach the ultimate spiritual goal. Have I reached this confusion after a...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 31, 2020 | Choice, Choicelessness, Expectations, Flow with Life, Scriptures, Seeking, Vedic
Your life had no other way to go but that ONE way! Question: You say – “There is only one possibility of the ball rolling. Your life had no other way to go but this way!” This makes me realize that if there is no other way my life could’ve...
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 23, 2020 | Anger, Aversion, Awareness, Buddha, Craving, Desire, Emotions, Equanimous, Gnyani, Mind, Mindfulness, Paths, Pleasure/Pain, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Sensations, Thoughts
Sensation Vs Thought Question: If a craving (or aversion) arises in my mind, would it be more strategic to observe that thought itself objectively, or to just direct my attention to my body for an observation round? My guess is the former…..but I’ve been finding more...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Dec 14, 2019 | Bondage, Dispassion, Freedom, General Spiritual, Guru, Knowledge, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, No-Mind, Samadhi, Samsara, Scriptures, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Silence, Truth, Vairagya, Wisdom
Longer retreats for advanced meditators! Question: Please would you provide some insight into the need for longer retreats and how they help a spiritual seeker? Answer: In the longer retreats, a sincere spiritual seeker receives individual meditation instructions....
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 11, 2019 | Aversion, Birth, Choicelessness, Death, Desire, Dispassion, Enlightenment, Equanimous, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Liberation, Meditation, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Samadhi, Self- Realization, Silence
How to make sure not to be born again? Question:How to make sure not to be born again? How to stop the cyclical nonsense of birth and death?Answer:That’s an invaluable question, dear. But, It does not have a straight answer. There is NO way to ensure not to be born...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 10, 2019 | Awareness, Flow with Life, General Spiritual, Knowledge, Meditation, Mind, Silence
This meditation? Or that technique? Question:Sometimes I want to do this type of meditation, sometimes I want to do another type of technique? Is it okay to change or should I do both?Answer:Recognize the flow and move with that. What does the flow mean? Just like...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 10, 2019 | Compassion, Destiny, Dispassion, Freewill, Karma, Knowledge, Maaya, Mind, Pleasure/Pain, Purushartha, Self-Effort, Silence, Truth, Vedic
The higher Truth! Question-Today I was thinking that this body, this human life and the tools like Viveka that I currently have are only to understand, learn and reach the highest truth. But I’m just happily using it for all this worldly Maaya stuff. For a person to...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 10, 2019 | Desire, Destiny, Doership, Ego, Feverishness, Flow with Life, Freewill, General Spiritual, I, Karmaphalam, Mind, Purushartha, Sankalpa/Intention, Thoughts
Is it the Flow or my desire? Question:How to account for business goals and personal goals you want to achieve ? It has to start with a desire, correct?Answer:When you recognize that the flow brings in all that is needed to run your life whether personal or business...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 6, 2019 | Aagami, Ashtavakra Gita, Hurt, Impressions, Karma, Knowledge, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Vedic
How to let go of the past ? Question:What if people around do not let us forget few things of the past by either talking about it or however then how can we be content at that time?Answer:More Ashtavakra sessions will help you. I assume you understand that the more...
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 6, 2019 | Aagami, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Vedic
Does old karma get washed away ? Question: I wanted to marry a girl/get a job/some other things 20 years ago. But now I have grown up and I don’t want it anymore (often we don’t even remember it). So does that mean its corresponding Karma has washed away...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Feb 28, 2019 | Brahman, Consciousness, Elements, Existence, Form, I, Matter, Physical, Prakriti, Purusha, Scriptures, Self, Soul, Vedic
Pancha Rahasya – The 5 secrets of Creation Have questions? Reach out to Ekta by clicking on the “Ask a Question” button on the left sidebar. For attending Ekta’s online knowledge sessions, click the “Gnyana Sangha” button on the left sidebar. Have a Spiritual...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Feb 28, 2019 | Enlightenment, General Spiritual, Guru, Human, Knowledge, Liberation, Masters, Misery, Moksha, Rishi, Seva, Siddha, Swamy
What is the difference between a Rishi and a Guru? Question:Is there a difference between a Rishi and a Guru?Answer:A Guru is a Siddha, he has been liberated and has returned back to the world to help others attain liberation, to spread peace, to help humanity in...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 22, 2019 | Brahman, Consciousness, Enlightenment, God, Knowledge, Upanishad, Vedic
What are Upanishads? Question:If all these “upanishads” have different authors, what is the underlying reason that they’re all classified/grouped together as “upanishads”?Answer:It was a golden age where the rate of enlightenment was very high After the study of the...
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 20, 2019 | Alcohol, Ashtavakra Gita, Commitment, Emotions, Happiness, Hurt, Karma, Karmaphalam, Knowledge, Let go, Life, Love/Hate, Marriage, Meditation, Memory, Mind, Misery, Pleasure/Pain, Present Moment, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Purushartha, Scriptures, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Spouse, Suffering, Temporary, Thoughts, Vedic
Karma and its ways Question:My husband is an alcoholic all he does is work and sleep alone. there is practically no interaction or no marriage between us. I feel extremely lonely and very depressed at home.What should I do to come out of this loneliness and depressed...
by Ekta Bathija | 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 Ekta Bathija | Dec 8, 2018 | Compassion, Destiny, God, Karma, Karmaphalam, Misery, Service, Seva, Suffering, Vedic
Don’t help people who are suffering Question: It is said that one must not help anyone unless he or she asks for help. My assumption is because we will feel hurt when he/she do not appreciate us but I feel like helping others who suffer. Can I drop expectation...
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