by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 8, 2020 | 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...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 6, 2020 | Body, Emptiness, General Spiritual, Karma, Mind, Niyati, Paths, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Silence, Spontaneous
How would I know I am not seeking anymore? Question: Can you please explain how would we know whether we have united or reached our self and are Pure witness right now. How do we know we are doing it right? How would I know I am not seeking anymore? Answer: Being a...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jan 27, 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 | Jan 2, 2020 | buddha, Buddha, Company/Association/Sangha, Gossip, Guilt, I, Karma, Meditation, Mind, New year, Purushartha, Samadhi, Silence
New Years vows for the sake of spiritual progress! 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 notĀ yet learnt to be with their own selves, every...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jan 2, 2020 | 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 notĀ yet learnt to be with their own selves, every Teacher/Guru/Master gives...
by Gnyana Sangha | Dec 14, 2019 | 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 | 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 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:Thatās an invaluable question, dear. But,Ā It does not have a straight answer.Ā There is NO way to ensure not to be born...
by Gnyana Sangha | 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?Ā Just like...
by Gnyana Sangha | 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 Iām just happily using it for all this worldly Maaya stuff. For a person to...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 8, 2019 | Awareness, Buddha, General Spiritual, Impressions, Maaya, Meditation, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Samadhi, Silence, Thoughts
Results for "yogamaaya" Question:I have a strange experience to share. Today in my meditation I felt like I was distanced from myself when I got carried away in my thoughts and the moment I came back to the breath I felt like that distance was gone. It is a...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 8, 2019 | Commitment, Dhyana, General Spiritual, Guru, I, Just Be, Knowledge, Meditation, New year, Samadhi, Scriptures, Self-Effort, Silence, You
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 gives...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 8, 2019 | Awareness, General Spiritual, Intellect, Just Be, Maaya, Mind, No-Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence
Results for "being aware" Question:Dear Ekta Didi, I observe a habit of talking to myself. I try hard not to speak, but I canāt stop it and then I join the conversation again! I have experienced a state of not talking to myself and justĀ being,Ā but I find it...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 8, 2019 | 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, letās take Buddhaās 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 feel...
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 8, 2019 | Desire, Flow with Life, General Spiritual, Impressions, Meditation, Mind, No-Mind, Silence, Suffering, Surrender, Thoughts, Truth, Unconscious
Results for "root cause" Question:Desires and tendencies ā itās one thing being aware as they come up, suppress them, reduce them, possibly even eliminate them. But there is always a danger lurking of reviving them. I am going through one right now. Itās a...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 8, 2019 | Awareness, Awareness, Consciousness, Drama, I, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, Meditation, Mind, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Sensations, Silence, Temporary, Thoughts
Results for "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...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 1, 2019 | Aagami, Awareness, Buddha, Consciousness, Impressions, Intuition, Mind, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Silence, Spontaneous, Thoughts, Time-past/present/Future, Types of Karma
Thought body and Intuitive body Question:What’s the difference between thought body and intuitive body?Answer:Only awareness is the tool that can help distinguish a thought from an intuition. Here are a few tell-tale signs.Thought – Very clearly, if you...
by Gnyana Sangha | Mar 1, 2019 | 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 Kriya and meditation but I just canāt get my mind to shut up! It constantly brings thoughts. I donāt resist them. But I am slightly concerned. I am in no way impatient, I will...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 23, 2019 | Brahman, Consciousness, Energy, General Spiritual, Hindu, Life, Maya, Meditation, Miscellaneous, Opinion/Behavior/Judgement, Shiva, Silence
God is a thorough businessman! Question:Jai gurudev! IĀ understand that āHariā and āHaraā are one and the same. Yet I want to know wearing of what is scientifically more beneficial, the rudraksha that is connected to lord shiva or the tulasi beads that are associated...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 23, 2019 | Awareness, Awareness, Breath, Buddha, Meditation, Prana, Pranayama, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Silence, Thoughts
Silence the thoughts skillfully Question:Ekta ji,Ā Jai Guru Dev !Ā What is the power of thought, how much importance should I attach to it, can I dismiss all the thoughts that spring up,Ā life (mundane chores) runs on Thoughts, so called actions spring out of thoughts,...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 21, 2019 | Buddha, Meditation, Mind, No-Mind, Silence
Meditation is not for me! Question:While meditating, not even once have I listened to the whole meditation,Ā 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 drifting.2....
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 20, 2019 | Attachment, Flow with Life, Happiness, Independent Spirituality, Just Be, No-Mind, Senses, Silence, Temporary
Real Joy V/s Fake Joy Question: How do you differentiate real joy and fake joy? How can we find the enjoyment is real and not fake one?Answer: JGD dear, thatās a real deep question. The joy that comes from the objects of senses is temporary. Hence it is not real joy....
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 20, 2019 | Emotions, Flow with Life, Independent Spirituality, Karma, Karmaphalam, Mind, Pleasure/Pain, Problem/Struggle/Calamity, Relationship, Silence, Stress, Suffering, Temporary, Vedic
Storm of Emotions in Relationships Question: I am going through a lot of stress in relationships, too much storm of emotions in relationship with one particular individual. Please help! Answer: There are definite steps to always follow irrespective of who/what is the...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 20, 2019 | 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 āaniccha ā everything is incapable of satisfyingā. It was kind of relieving that I didnāt have to wait to actually do something or...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 20, 2019 | 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?Ā Please clarify.Answer:On the spiritual path, many different kinds of people walk.Ā Some people are in the head and some people are completely in the heart.Ā The people...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 18, 2019 | Body, Emptiness, General Spiritual, Karma, Mind, Niyati, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Sakshi Bhav/Witness, Seeking, Silence, Spontaneous
Question:Can you please explain how would we know whether we have united or reached our self and are Pure witness right now. How do we know we are doing it right? How would I know I am not seeking anymore?Answer:Being a witness is as simple as looking at your mind and...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 18, 2019 | 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 orĀ since they are...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 16, 2019 | 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.Ā There was this Shastrarth that took place between sage Astavakra and Acharya Bandi in presence of King Janaka. Can I assume that at...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 15, 2019 | Anger, Attachment, Aversion, Craving, Death, Fear, Guilt, Impressions, Jealousy, Knowledge, Love/Hate, Maya, Meditation, Mind, Raaga/Dvesha, Raaga/Dvesha, Scriptures, Seeking, Self-Effort, Seva, Silence, Thoughts, Vedic
Fear of the ālast thoughts at deathā Question:Ektaji āĀ Is it fair to have Dvesha to control the last impression (not to think certain thing)? If it is something out of controlĀ why not make it like ācome as it comesā like spontaneously? Can we train our subconscious...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 15, 2019 | Compassion, Flow with Life, General Spiritual, Impulsive, Karma, Present Moment, Raaga/Dvesha, Silence, Spontaneous
How does one distinguish between spontaneous and impulsive actions? Question:Act spontaneouslyā¦that is my nature I have always been spontaneousā¦but allĀ spontaneousĀ actsĀ are not always wise decisions! I have experienced in my life whenever I have been spontaneous I...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 15, 2019 | Ego, Emptiness, Gossip, Impressions, Karma, Mind, Sankalpa/Intention, Silence, Vedic
Hollow and Empty! Question:Dear Ektaji, referring to āI am hollow and emptyā ā does this mean if I remind myself that I am nothing, I will automatically modify my speech and eventually it will become pure?Answer:āI am hollow and emptyā is a meditation that we do in...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 15, 2019 | 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 ā I was totally aware of what my body...
by Gnyana Sangha | Feb 7, 2019 | 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:āDrop the small mindā. 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 Gnyana Sangha | Jan 16, 2019 | 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 āmaking it a conceptā as Guruji puts it. How do I āexperienceā the knowledge rather than ālearnā it? Just wait...
by Gnyana Sangha | Dec 13, 2018 | Gossip, Mind, Silence, Vedic
Speaking is a skill for the wise! Question:You said it is best to keep quiet unless you have something positive or helpful to say. I used to do this, but people used to say that I am unfriendly, uninterested or arrogant. Should I speak up more to create a better...
by Gnyana Sangha | Dec 13, 2018 | Attraction, Dukkha, General Spiritual, I, Karma, Misery, Silence, Stress, Suffering, Sukkha, Vedic, You
Fools blame others! Wise look inwards! Question:After doing so many knowledge sessions with you, I have realized that I have a tendency to think that I am perfect and others are wrong.Ā My ways are correct and theirs are wrong.Ā I understand this is the cycle...
by Gnyana Sangha | Aug 25, 2018 | Body, Independent Spirituality, Mind, Present Moment, Self, Self, Silence, Sub-conscious, Tapas, Thoughts
Silenceā¦..Shhhhh! Question: How to keep an optimum silence during the Silence Course?Answer: Silence is not only of the body, it is of the mind. So one must make every attempt to at least taste a minute of complete silence of the mind at a Silence retreat otherwise it...
by Gnyana Sangha | Jun 10, 2018 | General Spiritual, Just Be, Meditation, Mind, Present Moment, Samadhi, Self, Silence, Space-Time, Time-past/present/Future, Truth
Results for "let go" Question:Time in addition to raaga/ dvesha or thoughts creates a barrier in meditation. Mind and Time seem undetachable unless consciousness goes in the silent core. Do you have tips to get over this Mind-Time obstacle when sitting down...
