by Gnyana Sangha | Jul 6, 2023 | Bhakti, Bondage, Commitment, Courage, Devotion, Dispassion, Doership, Ego, Faith, Freedom, Guru/Disciple, I, Independent Spirituality, Liberation, Mind, Moksha, Non-Doership, Prayer, Raaga/Dvesha, Samadhi, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Surrender, Surrender, Vairagya, Wisdom
Mind retaliates to your answer on craving for Guru! Question: Ektaji, My bhakti kicked in and did a little revolt against the answer – https://ektabathija.com/craving-for-guru/ Divine craving (for the physical guru or the tattva) is in my faith a blessing..does Mukti...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jul 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 Jai Guru Dev, Can you please give me tips on how to get a Proper True Darshan of Gurudev during this upcoming Guru Poornima. The mind gets swept away with the much fanfare and misses seeing...
by Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Dec 25, 2022 | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Nov 6, 2022 | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Jul 3, 2022 | Awareness, Breath, Commitment, Courage, Faith, Flow with Life, Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru/Disciple, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Knowledge, Let go, Life, Masters, Meditation, Meditation, Mind, Pranayama, Rumi, Samsara, Self, Self, Self-Effort, Truth, Wisdom
Journey from external to internal Question: Dear Ektaji, I have been with a spiritual organizaion for 15 yrs now, have done courses, seva, satsang(less of seva though :-), could be better) … However, one question that has never been understood is going within. Journey...
by Gnyana Sangha | May 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 Gnyana Sangha | Apr 19, 2022 | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Dec 14, 2021 | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Nov 30, 2021 | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Nov 28, 2021 | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Nov 27, 2021 | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Nov 26, 2021 | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Nov 11, 2021 | Ambition/Career, Awareness, Consciousness, Craving, Desire, Doership, Flow with Life, General Spiritual, Gnyani, Life, Mind, Non-Doership, Purusha, Relationship, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Self, Seva, Truth, Wisdom
How to manage job, family, Seva without getting overwhelmed? Question: Can you please give direction on how do you manage a job, family, personal endeavor, and Seva while not getting overwhelmed? I have a tendency to say yes to many things, but in the end, I’m just...
by Gnyana Sangha | Oct 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Sep 9, 2021 | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Jun 20, 2021 | Causation, Commitment, Destiny, Doubts, Gnyana, Guru, Guru, Guru, Independent Spirituality, Intellect, Karma, Knowledge, Liberation, Scriptures, Self, Self, Self- Realization, Self-Effort, Self-Effort, Truth, Wisdom
Are you worthy of Spiritual Knowledge? Question : Sometimes I wonder that, am I even worthy of this highest and beautiful knowledge? Even after studying and applying the knowledge we sometimes lose the path and get involved in cravings, desires and get carried away by...
by Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Mar 18, 2020 | Awareness, Bondage, Boss/Colleague, Death, Emotions, Existence, Fear, Fear, Form, Illusion, Maaya, Physical, Prakriti, Relationship, Samsara, Self, Self- Realization, Soul, Temporary, Vedic, Viveka, Wisdom
Death Question: Dearest Ektaji, My first boss and mentor who became a very good friend just died this morning. I have known him since 1985. Part of me feels ignorant/lost and part of me feels thirsty. I feel Lost because I do not have good knowledge about death and...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Mar 6, 2019 | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Mar 6, 2019 | 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 circle of...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 6, 2019 | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Mar 6, 2019 | Aagami, Awareness, Destiny, Doership, Flow with Life, Impressions, Just Be, Karma, Karmaphalam, Life, Love/Hate, Niyati, Prarabdha, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Relationship, Sanchita, Self- Realization, Soulmate, Surrender, Vedic, Wisdom
Are you crazy or wise? Question:I met a guy for a matrimonial alliance but he left saying I feel a pull towards u so if it’s meant to be then destiny will get us back together! I don’t know how to deal with this. Is it really all destiny? Or it’s just a name...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 1, 2019 | Aagami, Aversion, Awareness, Bhagwad Gita, Boss/Colleague, Compassion, Dharma, Ego, Emotions, Hurt, Impressions, Jealousy, Karma, Knowledge, Love/Hate, Mind, Name/Roles, Personality, Raaga/Dvesha, Relationship, Spontaneous, Vedic, Wisdom
How to deal with misbehavior? Question:After working with a person, some habit/pattern and memory came up. It reminds me that she acted like my ex-boss who needs us to respect her and follow her lead; but at some points, my ego tells me: No, this is not right! I...
