Finding Onions When You Expect Oranges

Satsang by Mahatma Gautumbaiji

When we pray, we say:

"Oh God, please lead us from darkness to light.
Lead us from untruth to truth.
Lead us from mortal to immortality."

But we never think about that.
We only sing it (in our bhajans) - we never try to walk on that path.
We cannot get anywhere just be reading about it

But if we practice, we can get whatever we want.

Someone asked Buddha, "What do you get from meditation?"

"Nothing," was his reply. "But if you ask me what I lost, I will tell you I lost my anger. I lost my desire. I lost depression, anxiety, fear of old age and death." 

When a person starts doing meditation, he or she starts moving into reality.

Life is a dream, and dream and reality are very different.

One girl loves a boy. They are very happy. But when they get married, they notice they change. Same person, different perspectives.  

One says, "When we met, you were a totally different person. Why the change?" 

Change should come, especially if you are sowing any seeds. 
Are the seeds changing, or not?

Why don't we accept that change?

The seed is changing slowly, slowly. 
You nurture the plant to help it along
You make a nice planter, you water it every day. 
But after a certain time, you don't need to water it every day. (change)
Then maybe you transfer it into the ground because it needs more room to put down roots.
And it grows into a big tree.

Sometimes in this world, we forget to face this reality.
Everyone wants the truth in their life, but we don't want to face the reality.
We want it our way, a way that causes no pain or sorrow.

We want to change the onion into an orange.
That's our problem - we are trying to change it.

We may think we didn't want the onion, but what goes better in soup?
The onion. It will make your soup more tasty.

Why are we coming here (to satsang at the ashram)?
What is our goal?

We are using our time, sitting here for two hours.
Our time is precious, it's hard to do.

But we know we are coming here for our goal: peace.

But how will we get it?

A new person came here, and I said, "This place is unique. You will get everything here. Everything means everything. But always remember and don't forget your goal. What is my goal?"

Just like shopping at the mall. You never forget why you are there. Are you buying a nice dress? You do that right away, especially if you have a time limit, and then if you have extra time, you do other things. You achieved your goal.

The same way we came to this planet. We must remember our goal.
It's a big mall, everything is here, but always keep in your mind your goal.
If you remember that, then you will achieve it. You will fill your bag with what you want and be able to enjoy your life deeply.
But if you fill your bag with other things...

Your "glass" will be full, and you'll run out of time to get anything else...

So we must practice.

Can I play tabla like Dada? Not without practice.
Can I sing like Baiji? Not without practice.

No time? We always make time to feed our belly. We just open the refrigerator and eat.

Why don't we make it a priority to feed our soul?

Ego Fights Change, Then Self Reaps Reward

I Wisely Decided Against a Clever Title

... or did I?

Yoga Makes Change Much Easier

Every day, little by little, you're becoming someone different, aren't you?

Whether you call it "growing up," maturing, deepening, or becoming enlightened, there are many little changes you notice, some little changes you create, and they're all adding up to something new.

Hopefully you're moving closer to your truest self, so you can live the most fulfilling life possible in alignment with your soul's aim.

Which is awesome... but...

You also have to deal with the consequences of these incremental changes. Transformation means you're making changes in your life, and changes can prick.

You changed X, and didn't realize Y would have to change as well. Changing Y now is a bit inconvenient, so you either roll with it or expend energy shoring it up.

For now. Until you accept the consequences of Y for Z, followed by the fundamental ABC changes that cause your friends and family to scratch their heads and even challenge you.

Unless they're transforming too, and then they get it.

If not, you weather the storm. It's your life after all.

Now, if there is something that promises to make all this easier to take, that promises to help you handle it with infinitely more grace, take it! Do it, grab it, squeeze it, cherish it...

And tell others about it.

Q: Does Yoga Change You? A: Which You?

Am I a different person if I’m less anxious than I was six months ago because of yoga? Less worried about things that are out of my control, less inclined to indulge in behaviors that, in their absence, now offer more space and clarity in my life, leaving me more empowered?

Yes, that’s different. But did I change?

Yes, but in this way: my ego shrunk, and my higher self expanded.

What does that mean? And why does it matter?

We all know what our ego is: it's that thing that takes things personally, and gets upset at the smallest slights. It's that thing that worries needlessly, and prevents us from being vulnerable, fully expressed loving people for fear of getting hurt (because we got hurt being vulnerable and loving in the past). 

Ironically, the ego thinks it’s protecting us, but it’s just trying to keep us in an emotional, and even spiritual box.

What is our higher self? Does it mean we're "coming from our heart?" Is it referring to "our better angels?” God? The Divine? Our connection to the Oneness? Something we imagine? Something that fills us with great joy? 

I know which sounds better to me. 

Who knew the practice of yoga would shrink one and expand the other and make me so much happier?

Millions of you? Why didn't you tell me sooner?!