by Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Apr 12, 2023 | Awareness, Awareness, Breath, Buddha, Meditation, Prana, Pranayama, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence, Thoughts
Silence the thoughts skillfully Question: Ekta ji, Jai Guru Dev ! What is the power of thought, how much importance should I attach to it, can I dismiss all the thoughts that spring up, life (mundane chores) runs on Thoughts, so called actions spring out of thoughts,...
by Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Jul 31, 2022 | Awareness, Buddha, Doership, Kriya, Meditation, Mind
Resistance to meditation Question: Dear Ekta, I have a question. You told us to give the divine the highest priority. For a few years I have been doing do my practice every day. Every day I spend time on studying the knowledge. Also trying to implement this. I never...
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 | Apr 28, 2022 | Attachment, Aversion, Choice, Craving, Emotions, General Spiritual, Kriya, Love/Hate, Preference, Raaga/Dvesha, Seeking, Suffering
The vicious cycle of Likes & Dislikes! Question: Dear Ekta Di, if getting rid of karma is the sole purpose and to then to get enlightened is what we want, then how should we deal with this present life? I mean what should we do with this life ? If I should not...
by Gnyana Sangha | Apr 26, 2022 | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | 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 Gnyana Sangha | Dec 3, 2021 | 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 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 | Jun 29, 2021 | Aagami, Company/Association/Sangha, Emotions, Equanimous, General Spiritual, Karma, Kriya, Let go, Life, Physical, Prakriti, Pranayama, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Raaga/Dvesha, Types of Karma
Dealing with difficult people & situations Question: Dear Ekta, I really don’t trust my business partner as he cheats on tax and my share of profits. I also realize that it must be karma, so I have to deal with this. At this moment I don’t have an alternative,...
by Gnyana Sangha | 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 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 | Jun 21, 2020 | Breath, Chanting, Emotions, General Spiritual, Guru, Kriya, Meditation, Mind, Paths, Pranayama, Ramana Maharshi, Silence
Mental Health and Spirituality Question: Dear Ektaji, my sister, suffering from bipolar disorder has done Vipassana, AOL basic, and silence course. She told Guruji that she can’t do the kriya and meditation and he advised her to do ‘Om Nama Shivaya’...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jun 18, 2020 | Advaita, Advaita, Awareness, Breath, Buddha, Chanting, Consciousness, Doership, Ego, Meditation, Paths, Pranayama, Samadhi, Satipathana, Silence
Buddhadvaita could be your way! Question: Ektaji, in Anapana meditation, when I observe my breath after few minutes of unknown thoughts appear then I am gone (unaware about anything) then again I realize I have to be aware of the breath then again the same thing...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jun 16, 2020 | 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 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 11, 2020 | Awareness, Conscious, Expectations, Fear, General Spiritual, Impressions, Karma, Karmaphalam, Kriya, Sub-conscious
How to work on erasing past patterns? Question: JGD Ekta di, we acquire certain belief systems and patterns from our past birth as a result of Sanchita karma and these are strong impressions embedded in us that makes us act and react in a certain manner. The objective...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jan 13, 2020 | Awareness, Awareness, Body, Breath, Buddha, Fear, Impressions, Just Be, Meditation, Memory, Physical, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Satipathana, Sensations, Senses, Thoughts
Shivering during meditation, is it normal? Question: Yesterday, when I was meditating, I could only do three rounds of body observation but I felt I was aware the whole time and I felt for the first time I am doing it as you had explained, I was feeling all my body...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 8, 2019 | Breath, General Spiritual, Just Be, Let go, Meditation, Mind, Senses, Silence, Surrender
Unclothe the Emperor! Question: When I close my eyes and sit for meditation then the mind is very chatty and wants to pass judgement but as soon as I open my eyes, the chattering mind stops. In other words, why is the mind more cluttered inside as compared to outside...
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...
