Train Your Mind For a Fulfilling Life

Karma – the sum of a person’s actions in his existence is viewed as his or her fate in the future

On Sunday November 15th, Gautum Baiji said:

"The Bhajan we sang about Lord Krishna reminds us that our ties to our spiritual source should never be broken. The love we bestow at the the feet of Lord Krishna is infinite.

We must train our minds so that the actions we take create a fulfilling life. During our life's journey, we face many difficulties.

Even the simplest act of having a glass of water requires us to get a glass, pour water, and then drink it. We have to do Karma (Karma – the sum of a person’s actions in his existence is viewed as his or her fate in future) no matter how small or big the task.

Saints have said Bhakti (dedication) is like walking on a sharp blade of a sword. It will test you immensely. One who wins a war on a battlefield is called a hero, but one who wins one’s mind is called a superhero.

A Pandit is a scholarly person who has knowledge, but Gyani is one who has a deep understanding of the wisdom and knowledge and lives accordingly. Gyani does not identify with the self or with the “I”. He is in union with the Supreme Being. When we identify ourselves with our ego – “I” - we cannot be free and cannot realize God – the truth.

One wonders why people who have obtained knowledge and listened to wisdom during Satsang (discourse) still have not seen any changes in their lives. For example, a child knows there is a shower with warm water available to clean his/her body and that this would be a good action. But when the child does not take a shower for several days despite knowing this, he/she will start to smell bad. Nobody will enjoy being around this smelly child, but if the child decides to take a shower, he/she will be clean. 

Likewise, one must obtain wisdom from Satsang and put it into practice. Without your determination and willingness to act on your knowledge, you will not benefit from Satsang.

The mind is very fickle and active. Negative thoughts are spoiling your joy and peace. This is where suffering comes from. So how do we calm the mind? No one is making us happy or unhappy. We are doing it to ourselves with our Karma and thoughts. This way, your mind can be your friend or your enemy. 

No matter what the situation, we should always stay positive. God has given us free will. The trick is to not recycle the thoughts over and over in your mind and allow them to stay active. 

Think of this another way. If someone gives you smelly garbage, would you take it home with you and keep poking at it with a stick, keeping the bad smell alive? In the same way, we should not let negative thoughts reside in our minds and keep thinking about them again and again. Meditation helps our minds remain calm and purified. Meditation also makes you mentally strong and increases your will power to act on wisdom. 

Pursue Satsang and Bhajans for a Life of Peace and Joy

Bhajan - a devotional song

Bhakti - devotion 
Satsang - a spiritual discourse or spiritual gathering
Atma Gyan - the ability to find our inner self

At Satsang, Rammurti Baiji said:

"Listening to Bhajans and understanding them can be challenging for beginners. Spiritually enlightened saints expressed their life experiences and embedded many deep meanings in the Bhajans that can be hard to grasp. Repeated listening in the company of spiritually enlightened people will slowly have an illuminating effect on you. Bhajan bhakti is that by nature.

We may wear various forms of jewelry, like gold. As beautiful and pure as it is, even gold has to be cleaned. At other times gold is melted, and it has to take heat to get the shine back and more heat will further enhance its shine, Through all this, it stays strong and can even get stronger.

Human beings similarly go through many negative and harsh experiences in life, which can actually strengthen our inner being. Saints who have obtained strong inner strength are not effected by outside events and environment. All humans have same opportunity to cultivate that.

A small child needs help to learn walking by holding our hand. But eventually he learns to walk on this own. As he grows he will learn to walk and maneuver obstacles. He does not need to hold our hand anymore. He will learn and mange his own struggles. He has obtained knowledge of walking!

In the same way, if we participate in Satsang we obtain true knowledge and enhance our inner strength so negative outside forces cannot come near us. We function without fear and are not affected. Our inner peace and purity cannot be disturbed.

At night we may see many stars in sky but when the sun appears, they all disappear. It's the same when we have the true knowledge: all small matters disappear and we are left with essential true knowledge.

After all what is life? See, the temptation of young adulthood robs our childhood. Then we spend our life accumulating wealth. Work and worry robs our youth. Then we worry about retirement and that robs our life. We typically spend our first twenty years with a big appetite and we eat large amount of "food" during these years. Then next ten years we spend enjoying and indulging in various useless activities. The next ten years we're in search of what to do to take responsibility of earning money - you may have wife and children to support. Then we start worrying and thinking about how to save money and invest so our family is taken care of. Later in life we start to struggle and life can become bothersome. Regrets, sadness and tears may become part of old age.

But we can obtain a higher power and salvage the normally painful life cycle. This is illustrated by how flour is made out of grain. They use two grinding stone wheels held by a post in the center. Grain is put in the center in an opening near the post. The grinding action of the wheels pulls the grains away from the post and gets crushed and turned into powder.

But the grain that stays close to the post and takes refuge, is saved. We also need to stay close to our “post”- our inner knowledge and truth that gives us strength so we do not get swept away like the grain that turns into powder.

We are fortunate to have an opportunity for Atma Gyan. We can change our life to peace and joy. We do not need to roam the world looking for peace and true happiness. No matter how much we try, ocean water will always taste salty. The world is full of sea water of misery and pain. If we want pure water we can take it from a river: the river of true life knowledge. This knowledge is within us. Align with God and do not deviate from it. That is our true journey.

Satsang - The Key to Happiness

Today, Gautum Baiji said:

"People say, I Want Happiness. How can they get it?

Start by removing the I. What is I? Ego. If ego is there, no matter how close you are, you can't see God.

Because I is the curtain. I is the biggest enemy. As long as the I is there, you cannot achieve your spiritual goals.

After you remove the I (the ego), you need to remove the Want, which is desire (whose non-fulfillment causes suffering).

Remove the I and the Want, and what you have left is Happiness.

Everyone says they want Happiness. But Happiness does not dwell at any permanent address.

It dwells in those who help others. Because if you help others, you do not need to ask for Happiness, Happiness automatically comes to you. You don't need to run after it.

Baiji's Satsang: Diwali

This is a special post: it's the first one featuring a Satsang from Rammurti Baiji. It was graciously translated by Manu Patel.

"During the Bhajans (spiritual songs), I was watching everyone, to see how attentively everyone was listening. Some were clapping in rhythm, and some were calmly sitting with their eyes closed. It is important that Bhajans be absorbed completely so they will touch your soul and your awareness.

Next week (Nov. 8-12) we will be celebrating Diwali. In celebration of Diwali people will do puja (worship), they will decorate their homes, clean their homes, prepare food and celebrate with family and friends.

Just as we clean our homes, we can take the opportunity to also clean our minds and hearts. We have anger, ego, bad and harmful thoughts that need to be cleaned. The way to clean our mind and heart is to listen to Bhajans and Satsang with our full attention and feeling deep within us. Diwali celebration symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, hope over despair.

Something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite and eternal is our Atman (soul). The celebration of Diwali as the "victory over good and evil" refers to the light of higher knowledge dispelling all ignorance, the ignorance that masks one's true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging infinite. Diwali is the celebration of this inner light over darkness.

Anything done sincerely and with devotion and love brings good results. God looks after and thinks highly of devoted people. 

Diwali is celebrated in honor of the return of Lord Rama, his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana from exile of 14 years, signifying the victory of good and the defeat of ego, hate, anger, temptations, and evil thoughts.

Once Rama, Sita and Lakshmana were walking on a path in the jungle when Rama stepped on a thorn. It caused him great pain, and Lakshmana pulled it out. Then Rama immediately urged Mother Earth to remove every single thorn from this same path and replace them with flowers because his Bharat would surely be walking the same path soon, and he did not want his beloved brother to be hurt. 

Then Mother Earth asks Lord Rama why he is so worried about Bharat. "Does he have more delicate feet than yours?" 

Lord Rama replied the thorns will not only hurt his feet, but also his heart! Why? Bharat will be heartbroken with thought that Rama and Lakshmana had just walked the path before him and would have suffered from the thorns. 

See how Bharat was a true devotee of his brothers Rama and Lakshmana? This great devotion is reflected in prayers and Bhajans for the return of Rama. 

While we're singing Bhajans, notice how we sometimes close our eyes automatically. We do that as God is within and not outside. Going within is where we have the power, awareness, love and devotion. The joy of Bhajan is pure and unmatched. Even Raja (royalty) and wealthy people always went to a remote place to experience knowledge of the Self and get blessings that wealth and power could not fulfill for them. 

Diwali is therefore a pointer for us to find real joy and peace within us by being devoted to Bhajan.

Good Job vs God Job - Ego vs Soul

I read a quote recently about the importance of "imprinting" my intention on the Universe...

Instead of seeing everything as perfect and as God intended, it seemed to suggest I should work hard to impose my view on life and the order of things.

For me it's more true to join with the Universe... to uncover my soul's intention, which is already in alignment with the Universe/God, and live into that.

"Imprinting my intention on the Universe" has ego present in the way an artist seeks recognition through desiring "immortality" in their work.

There's also a warning in the quote about absorbing other's intentions so that you're not steered off your own course.

Of course we wouldn't want to lose ourselves to another's will (except God's!)...

But what if you give your life to serving others, and it's not about you at all? You'd probably engage with them energetically to offer whatever assistance they needed for the next step in their journey.

If I ever think it's about me, then it's just my ego talking. Good reminder.

Mini Satsangs

Gautum Baiji said, "We know what our practice is, and yet if we do not practice it, we cannot achieve our spiritual goals.

We can sit in front of the Gardens of God and not experience God at all.

The mind does not want to allow it. It doesn't want to become your slave. It says, "Follow me!"

Yet the mind is like a monkey - it can never stay in one place.

How can we concentrate the mind with the Holy Name? Because if you remember the Holy Name, all sorrows and pain can go away.

Meditation.








A philosopher said life is not full of joy or sorrow, it is filled with what you think it is filled with, what you decide it is filled with.

How can the bird get the fish in the water without getting wet? The same is true for us.

There are two things you have to do for yourself: eat, and meditate. If you want liberation and salvation, meditate.








A man came to a doctor and asked for a cure for his wife's deafness.

"Bring her here and I will examine her first," the doctor said.

"No, she will not come," the man said sadly.

"Well I at least need to know how serious the problem is, so here's what you do: stand 40 feet away and ask her something simple. If she does not respond, go to 30 feet, and so on."

So the man left. When he arrived at home, he stood 40 feet from his wife and said, "Will you make me some lentil soup?"

Nothing. So he moved 30 feet from her. "Will you make me some lentil soup?"

Still nothing. So he repeated it at 20 and 10 feet away with no success.

Finally he walked right to her and said right in her ear, "Will you make me some lentil soup-"

Suddenly she shouted, "I keep telling you over and over, make it yourself!"

Who was deaf? Him.

Happiness and sorrow will happen like the ebb and flow of the tide. The goal is to rise above and know joy and bliss through meditation.

The human body is one of the greatest miracles. Experiencing, seeing, hearing...

It has the capacity to realize God, as long as you practice your meditation.

The Kingdom's Secret - a Satsang

Dr. Ashok Modh, the Vice President of Divine Art of Yoga Center, gave the following satsang:

Once there was a king who ruled over a peaceful kingdom. There was no war ever, and the peasants were always very happy, even if they were poor. The whole kingdom was very peaceful and content.

One day a king from a nearby kingdom heard rumors about this happy kingdom and yearned to know their secret. So he sent his Minister to find out. 

When the Minister arrived, he did indeed discover that the town was quite happy. Then he happened to meet one of the king's daughters, and they fell for each other very quickly. When he asked her the secret to the town's happiness, she told him it was because of Neel Mahadev, a cave that possessed a powerful force for peace and happiness. He insisted he be able to see it. 

So she went to her father and asked him to meet the Minister because they wanted to get married. When they met, the Minister agreed to marry her, but on one condition, "I must see the secret in the cave. I must see the Neel Mahadev."

The king reluctantly agreed, but with a condition of his own. "You will be blindfolded to keep its location secret."

So he blindfolded him and led him through the forest until they came to the cave. 

When the Minister entered and removed his blindfold, he saw utter happiness among the townspeople there. They were singing, dancing and having a good time with each other.

The Minister turned to the princess and said, "I will deliver the message of this place to my king, and then come back and marry you."

So when the Minister returned to his kingdom, he told the king all about the wonders of the Neel Mahadev in the cave. The king was astonished and wanted to know more. "How can we find this place if you were blindfolded?"

The Minister said, "I didn't know if I would ever be able to go back or not, so what I did is put seeds in my pocket, which I cut a hole in. As we walked, the seeds would drop out and become planted in the soil. When you go, you just follow those plants and you will get to the cave." 

So this king gathered his forces and descended on the kingdom, conquering the whole town. Then they followed the plants... and found the cave completely empty. There was nothing there except the king.

Everyone is amazed. What happened here? Why is there nothing to be found? 

The king finally says, "Neel Mahadev is nothing but a state of mind. It's the peacefulness of the town that created Neel Mahadev. And when the peace went away, the Neel Mahadev went away."

It is the same with any organization, in any town or community: if we want Neel Mahadev, we need to develop peace, we need to develop harmony, and we need to help everyone work together. Then we can bring Neel Mahadev to help conquer the evil within us.

At the Divine Art of Yoga Center, we can allow the baijis to guide us as our spiritual leaders and help us find our bliss. 

Satsang: Prana, the Mind, and Meditation

At satsang, Gautum baiji said:

"The mind... is so strong, yet so subtle.

It can bring salvation, or bondage.

We have thousands of thoughts, positive and negative. How can we control them so we can have peace?

The mind is so subtle, and to capture a subtle thing, we need a subtle method.

Suppose I want to tie up an ant. If I use a thick rope - the kind you would tie an elephant with - we can tie all the knots we want but there will still be holes big enough for thousands of ants to pass through.

An ant is very small, so if we want to tie it up we need a very fine thread.

So how do we control the mind?

Once there was a body where the organs were fighting with each other. Each organ thought they were the most important, and that without them, the whole body would perish.

Then the eyes said, "Fine, then I will leave for a month and only then will you realize you can't live without me."

So the eyes left for a month. Upon returning, they were surprised the body was functioning.

"How did you live without me?"

"We lived like a blind person. It was hard, but we managed," said the other organs.

The ears said, "Now it's my turn. I know you won't be able to live without me."

And the ears left. Thirty days later they returned.

"How did you live without me?"

"Like a deaf person. It was hard, but we managed."

Then the mind spoke: "Now you're really going to learn a lesson, because I'm leaving for thirty days and if you're still around when I return, I will listen to your tales of suffering."

Thirty days passed, and the mind returned to the body. "You're still alive? How did you live without me?"

"Like a simple child, but we survived."

Finally prana* spoke. "To show you my importance, I am leaving the body now..."

With the prana/life force gone, sudden changes occurred. The eyes became unable to see. The ears could no longer hear. Every single organ began failing.

It was no contest who was the most important.

Prana is like electricity - without it, no appliance can work.

We never think about the life force. We know the importance of not spending too much money, but not how we spend our life force."

So how do we control the mind? It is no coincidence that a good technique for deep meditation is to count... our breaths, our prana.

Meditate, breathe deeply, self realize.

* Prana - breath, considered as a life-giving force. Not merely the breath, air or oxygen, but also the original life force. Prana is a Sanskrit word constructed of the syllables pra and an. 'An' means movement and 'pra' is a prefix meaning constant. Therefore, prana means constant motion. This constant motion commences in the human being as soon as s/he is conceived in his mother's womb. Prana is therefore a type of energy responsible for the body's life, heat and maintenance.

Understanding and "Innerstanding"

Gautum Baiji said feelings are like waves in the water.

Thoughts are like waves.

I asked if the waves were my soul "talking" to me.

She said we are the ocean. The om vibration is already there.

When we calm our mind through meditation, the waves (our thoughts and feelings) will go down and allow us to be the ocean, to be one with our soul.

Baiji's Satsang - The Bird Trapper

"A holy man was walking through the forest when he came upon a man who had a beautiful parrot in a cage. He asked him how he caught it.

'It's easy. I throw down seed until they come to eat it, then I throw my net on top of them. It's almost too easy.'

At this, the holy man had a thought, and decided to purchase the parrot from the trapper.

Once he had the bird to himself, he began to teach it phrases like, 'I'm not eating that seed, you'll catch me!' and 'I'm a smart bird who can see your nets!' These became the parrot's mantras.

Then the holy man let the bird go. When it was free, it went back to its friends in the trees and immediately began saying its new mantras.

The other parrots started repeating them until they were all saying the same mantras.

Later, the holy man came upon the bird trapper again, who now looked very depressed.

'Why are you so sad?' said the holy man.

'Because now the birds are too smart for me to catch them and I'm going to become poor.'

'Why can't you catch them?'

'Don't you hear? They're saying they're too smart for my tricks. They keep saying over and over that they know I'll throw my nets on them if they come eat my seed!'

'Throw your seed and they will still come, trust me," the holy man said.

The bird trapper doubted him, but did it anyway. Sure enough the birds came as usual, and he was able to easily trap them.

The same is true for our own mantras and meditation practice. It does us no good to say nice words over and over if we don't know their meaning, and it does us no good to sit in a meditative pose and not calm our mind sufficiently so our connection with God can happen.