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 | 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 | May 7, 2025 | Advaita, Aversion, Courage, Craving, Direct Path, Existence, Happiness, I, Illusion, Mind, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Thoughts, Truth
Quit the idea of ‘personhood’ Question: How does trying to please the mind strengthen the belief in ‘the person’? Answer: The mind is nothing but the ‘I-thought’ pretending to be ‘this’ or ‘that’. Its existence as... 
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 | 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 | Dec 30, 2023 | Commitment, Courage, Emotions, General Spiritual, Life, Maaya, Maya, Purushartha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness
Did you miss the boat? 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 Bhaav) and as an outsider... 
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 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 | 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 | May 31, 2023 | Buddha, Courage, Desire, Maaya, Misery, Temporary
Desires put you in a catch 22 situation! Question: How does one deal with desires? Whereas some desires may be frivolous like clothes, jewelry, material things and others seem to be existential like taking an extra leadership role at work or leading a volunteering... 
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 | Mar 15, 2023 | Awareness, Body, Buddha, Buddha, Courage, Ego, Mind, Present Moment, Purushartha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Self-Effort, Senses
Can I be in Sakshi Bhava all the time? Question: Being lost in the object and withdrawing from the object and becoming a “sakshi”. I am able to do it for a split second especially when I am typing on a keyboard I can see my fingers moving and witness it without being... 
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 | 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 | 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 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 | Jul 29, 2021 | Commitment, Courage, General Spiritual, Let go, Mind, Self-Effort, Thoughts
Consistent effort is the only way out! Question: JGD Ektaji, I have seen many of your videos. Needless to say I loved them all . Sometimes I feel that I should first be very regular with my sadhana/practice. Because the knowledge that you explain is so very good that... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 22, 2021 | Aversion, Awareness, Courage, Craving, Independent Spirituality, Maya, Mind, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha
Kapti Mann Question: If my entire life, I keep on thinking about my raagas and dveshas and try to remove all the karma that I have created in the past, it will take billions of lifetimes and I will never be able to empty my karma bag. Is that the purpose of the raaga... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jul 11, 2021 | Compassion, Courage, Dispassion, Ego, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Present Moment, Relationship
Dispassion or Ego? Question: Is it important for the outside world to accept my change in personality/ my growing dispassion? I don’t care about or see the outside world and when an ego of an external person/world comes up, I concentrate to focus on myself and the... 
by 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 | Jun 27, 2021 | Aversion, Courage, Dispassion, Divine, Ego, Enlightenment, Equanimous, Greed, Guru, Happiness, Love, Raaga/Dvesha, Vairagya, Vedic
Enlightenment makes me greedy! Question: JGD Ektaji, Thanks for sharing this beautiful thought, but I believe thinking about enlightenment itself is a kind of suffering. You constantly work hard towards it reminding yourself that enlightenment is your end goal. I have... 
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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | Mar 29, 2020 | Aagami, Anger, Aversion, Courage, Emotions, General Spiritual, Jealousy, Karma, Karmaphalam, Love/Hate, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Reaction
Wrong Karma or Right Karma? Question:Didi – in everyday life situations if I start to ask myself ‘why am I put into this situation?’ and be with awareness and observe without attachments & listen to the inner voice – will I find the answer? ( trying to understand... 
by Ekta Bathija | Mar 16, 2020 | Attachment, Body, Courage, Death, Faith, Fear, Fear, Flow with Life, General Spiritual, I, Paths, Self, Self-Effort, You
All Fears are just the Fear of Death! Question: The Enlightened Ones say that “All fears are actually the Fear of death”. I am confused. Please help. Answer: There is actually only one fear. It is the fear of death. There is no other fear. All the other... 
by Ekta Bathija | Jan 9, 2020 | Compassion, Courage, Dispassion, Ego, Flow with Life, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Paths, Personality, Present Moment, Relationship, Vairagya
Dispassion or Ego? Question: Is it important for the outside world to accept my change in personality/ my growing dispassion? I don’t care about or see the outside world and when an ego of an external person/world comes up, I concentrate to focus on myself and the... 
by Ekta Bathija | Feb 16, 2019 | Courage, General Spiritual, Guilt, Guru, Infidelity, Karma, Marriage, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sankalpa/Intention, Self-Effort, Sex/Passion/Celibacy, Surrender, Surrender
How to get over the guilt of Infidelity? Question:How to work on maintaining internal purity when I know that I have become impure by stepping out of my marriage? How to get over the guilt of Infidelity?Answer:Everything that happens to us is because of our own Karma... 
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