The Ashtavakra Gita

Meditate on the Self.
One without two,
Exalted awareness.

Give up the illusion
Of the separate self.

Give up the feeling,
Within or without,
That you are this or that.

The self is called atman or soul

It is the microcosmic aspect of Brahman, smaller than an atom and vaster than the earth, the ether, the heavens and all the worlds, without qualities and having the same consciousness as that of Brahman. The self is subject to illusion, bondage and the laws of karma. When it achieves liberation it regains its true nature and either rejoins Brahman or exists eternally in its purest state. Different schools of Hinduism interpret the nature of relationship between atman and Brahman differently.

Author unknown

                                                                    

Nisargadatta Maharsj

You can spend an eternity looking elsewhere for truth and love, intelligence and goodwill, imploring God and man — all in vain. You must begin in yourself, with yourself — this is the inexorable law

Ramana Maharshi

Plunge deep into yourself, in the inner most depths of your heart, as the pearl diver holding speech and breath plunges deep into the waters and so secure with mind alert the treasure of the Self within.

The power of the Dharma, Stephen Knapp

Generally speaking, many Hindus will respect all religions. They may be initiated by a Vedic guru, devoutly practice yoga, attend the temple regularly, yet still go to see some Christian preacher, or Buddhist teacher, or even hear an Islamic Imam talk about God. They may do this with the idea of attaining new insights, yet still not consider themselves falling away from their own path or converting to a different religion. Yet, if a Christian or Muslim would do such a thing as participate in an alternative religion, or even a different sect from which they belong, they may be considered sinful and apostates, or at least hypocrites and deserving of some punishment. But such narrow-mindedness hardly touches the person following the Vedic path.

Bhagavad Gita

"For one who sees with the eyes of the heart, rather than the senses, the world looks different; the blades of grass, the song of the birds, the drops of dew, all are seen to be none other than the One Life that surrounds us in every moment.They see the One in every creature and every creature in the One… they see everything with an equal eye.“ 

.

D.T. Suzuki

Somebody has remarked, “Everything without tells the individual that they are nothing, while everything within persuades them that they are everything.” This is a remarkable saying, for it is the feeling everyone of us has when they sit quietly and deeply look into the inmost chamber of their being. Something is moving there and would whisper to them in a still small voice that they are not born in vain. I read somewhere again: “You are tried alone; alone you pass into the desert; alone you are sifted by the world.” But let a person once look within in all sincerity and they will then realize that they are not lonely, forlorn, and deserted; there is within a person, a certain feeling of a royally magnificent aloneness, standing all by themselves and yet not separated from the rest of existence.

Robert Adams

The Self can’t be known; the mind can never know what it already is. What is the solution? More sadhana? More intense meditation? No, the solution is to have a cup of tea. Deal with the dream but relax; things will work themselves out as they must. 

JOHN MCINTOSH

-Consciousness simply IS

-It is also called God, ONE, I AM, Life and ‘LOVE’ [and many other names]

-Love’s Purpose ‘is’ to Love but being ONE there is no Beloved to Love except IT SELF

-To Love IT SELF … IT ‘imagines’ IT SELF ‘as’ the Beloved and in so doing castes IT SELF into a deep dreaming sleep

-In this dream there occurs the illusory projection of ‘other’ and this begins the belief in separation

-Within this dream the entire universe [a dream body] seems to exist

-Separation from the Beloved generates intense ‘longing’, which in turn generates ‘seeking’

-The more IT seeks the Beloved the more profound is ITs longing to express Love

-Everything that unfolds in the universe/world/your life experience is oriented to this single Purpose in some way … deeply hidden under layer upon layer of masks

-Ultimately this search results in ‘union’ … NOT with a so called ‘other’ but with the return to the Awareness of the Beloved ‘as’ IT SELF ‘as’ ONE

-This completes the cycle and is called SELF Realization

BOOKS by John McIntosh

https://www.johnmcintosh.info/copy-of-books

The works of; John Woodroffe (pseudonym: Arthur Avalon)

The works of; John Woodroffe (pseudonym: Arthur Avalon) gave an important overview of Bengali Tantra.  Perhaps his most influential work is The Serpent Power, which is on the subject of the so-called Kundalini-Shakti, the latent psycho-spiritual power which according to Tantric philosophy lies dormant at the base of the spine but can be awakened through specific Hatha Yoga exercises.

Just as there are Vaishnuite and Shaivite Guru-sects, so  there are Shaktic ones.  I might mention the "Sahaja-Yoga" movement of Nirmala Mataji, which promises its followers instant and  spontaneous "self-realisation".  My own experience with this sect has convinced me such claims are over-enthusiastic to say the least!.

Author Unknown

Sri Muruganar

Know that according to His will, law and plan, every moment of every day the five functions of God [creation, sustenance, destruction, veiling and Grace] will be going on perfectly and unceasingly in the universe, which is full of moving and unmoving objects.

Guru Vachaka Kovai (The Garland of Guru’s Sayings) 

**Sri Muruganar  was the M who chronicled Ramana's lectures

Guru Bhaneshwaranand

Doe Zantamata

Darkness may hide the trees and the flowers from the eyes but it cannot hide love from the soul.
Rumi

“It is only in our darkest hours that we may discover the true strength of the brilliant light within ourselves that can never, ever, be dimmed.”

-Antoine de Saint Exupéry

It is only with the heart that one can see
rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life is about choices and hovering in the middle can be extremely frightening. Remember, once you make a decision the universe will conspire to make it happen…. but you must choose.

~ Incredible String Band

This moment is different from any before it

This moment if different, it is now
And if I don't kiss you, that kiss is untasted
I'll never, no never, get it back
But why should I want to, I'll be in the next moment
Sweet moment, sweet lover, sweet now
...

The walls of this room are different from any before them, they are now
The air that you breathe is different from any before it, it is now
...

You may think that life is repeating, repeating
You may think that life is repeating, oh no ...
...

I just want to tell each one of you that
Each note hit is different from any before it
Each note hit is different, it is now.
...

Nikos Kazantzakis

A person needs a little madness, or else they never dare cut the rope and be free.

Ram Dass

If you feel a sense of social responsibility, first of all keep working on yourself. Being peaceful yourself is the first step if you want to live in a peaceful universe.

☀ SHRI VISHNU NARAYANA ॐ ☀

“The human form of life affords one a chance to return home, back to Godhead. Therefore every living entity, especially in the human form of life, must engage in devotional service to the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu. This devotional service is natural because Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the most beloved, the master of the soul, and the well-wisher of all other living beings.”~Srimad Bhagavatam 7.6.2

Supreme Master Ching Hai

“Your heart has to be as pure as a child’s. Be pure and simple in doing everything, then you’ll soon attain the Truth.”

Walt Whitman

“Happiness,
not in another place
but this place…
not for another hour,
but this hour.”