Dharana of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras… effortless focus…
Pashya… ‘see’, but what/who really sees?
is there really such a thing a subtle sight?
tired minds: lackadaisical minds give lackadaisical results
There’s always a ‘new kid in town’, drugs and torn open ‘third eyes’
Depths of the human psyche… Bats, Flying Monkeys, and the Wizard of Oz
Somebody should write the book ‘How to manipulate mass mentality’… a plethora of modern and historical references to choose from… covers spectrum from world history to local and interpersonal history
Essential emotional stability
“There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.”
R. BUCKMINSTER FULLER“There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human, are created, strengthened and maintained.”WINSTON CHURCHILL
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nurture people for what they have as opposed to judging them for what they don’t have. do your best to understand them and speak to them accordingly. not as easy as it sounds
the teacher can only suggest or point in a direction. the rest is up to the student.
yet it takes pressure to make a diamond. push but only so much.
at the same time:
someone said my podcasts are too deep and people have a hard time understanding them. my interest is not in popularity via superficiality but rather is for people who do want and need a deeper level of understanding. It is best to take not understanding as an invitation to pursue not a discouragement or criticism. My heart goes out to those who need and long for a deeper knowledge when it is not available. Relying on the knowledge I have been given integrated with my own experience, I offer to the best of my ability, whatever insights I have. There are great scholars out there and I rely upon their insights, but discernment as Adi Shandara said, is the path. We must discern the level of the people they are addressing at any given time. Even the greatest master can target the average level of consciousness. My goal is twofold: 1] build the enlightened city and 2] provide the deepest understanding I can… direct and undiluted.
He who has no name. Beyond perspective.
It’s not just about new thoughts, but rather a new way of thinking.
Two human needs: communion and privacy
It’s not about over thinking but perhaps just sitting with it. To be interested solely in technique would be a very superficial thing to me.”
ANDREW WYETH
someone sent this to me at just the right time:
“The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave.”
RONALD REAGAN
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if thousands of years of history has proven one thing, it is that current approaches to world peace do not work: clean the fish bowl is the only answer: Mt Soma is dedicated to that; residents gain liberation in the process
Kamila Valieva Russian skater
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blog:
This week’s unedited notes randomly collected, loosely or directly related to this week’s podcast:
‘bounded’ works here in place of ‘small’:
scripture, cognition, teaching, movement,
both eternal and changing
Maharishi: ‘These are Brahma Sūtras (sūtras about Brahman), not Jagat sūtras (sūtras about the world).’
you are Brahma
“I am Brahma[n]”
The World Reveals Brahman
pashya: ’see’ and early Brahma Chaitanya [Brahman Consciousness]
K + A = KA, manifest [consonates] are rooted in unbounded [unmanifest]
without the observer, there is no pillow
Ramayana in the Physiology:
Ravana: specificity [space, time, etc.] ultimately a misunderstanding about reality, Rama restores Absolute in awareness… why Lanka is so beautiful
projection/perception: our sensory functions project a ‘reality’ onto the Absolute; Brahman is all of this together: a level of consciousness, not a ‘thing’. point of view creates ones ‘reality’ [e.g. science, religion, business, music, etc.]; is physiological as well determined by karma as education, heritage, etc. [dynamics of structure of physiology], can view from any perspective and is fine if it ultimately meets all other perspectives
Bhagavad Gita 9.8: curving back on myself I create over and over again
Trimutri and Prakritis: structure, function, purpose:
what defines silence [Shiva] is sound [Parvati], everything is creation is Parvati [Prakriti], She is every structure that defines every space. Parvati is Prakriti of Shiva
Vishnu dynamism, function is Lakshmi… Prakriti of Vishnu:dynamism is Lakshmi:function
Brahma Knowledge Prakriti is Saraswati Organizing Power [Plan] … House has a function but how to use it is a plan. Brahma holds the 4 Veda… logic, plan
Purusha is all of them together: they are all the same thing seen from different perspectives/realities
Ram is Brahm… Totality… The embodiment of Chaitanya [the Absolute]… the 50% of Vishnu: the embodiment of the other parts, the other 50%…. takes all values and puts them together in their full value in wholeness
This is full; that is full. from Fullness comes Fullness Upanishad from Shukla Yajur Veda
My universe is my self
Atma is subjective, personal, individual: yet in a wholistic or collective manner/way.
experience atma as the field of sensory perception
Silence, or space, is found as Shiva.
He Who Has No Name observes without bias the illusion
Consciousness is Brahman (Prajnanam Brahma).
Upanishad 3.1.3
To listen to the audio version, please click here.
This week’s unedited notes randomly collected, loosely or directly related to this week’s podcast:
announcements:
Gun Violence: the only solution
remodeling kitchen so no food service at Mt Soma for a while.
Gyan is foundation of success.
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Subtlety Within Words is Everything Aham Vishvam My universe is myself [Brahman Viewpoint] … vs I am the universe. [Relative Viewpoint; Taittiriya Upanishad 3.10 Brahman Consciousness [Brahmi Chetana] in a Nutshell
Pragyanam Brahma— fully awake consciousness [knowledge] is Brahman
God’s Will Manifests through you, as you. People think of the Light of God [God’s Will] as something outside in themselves. The Light of God emerges within people…. through their hearts through their determination through the light in their eye, through a commitment to the Purity underlying their ideals. God’s will emerges within you, as you, as your thoughts, as your feelings…. the clearer the vessel, the fuller the expression. God’s Will is found within you, as you. It does not lie outside yourself but rather IS your True Self.: Atma Support of Nature flows within you. We have only to clear the vessel.
The Gold is in your backyard, i.e. within you.
the physiology is the veda… shareer
Why the enlightened are not easy to understand:
what is “this’? What is “that”? In enlightenment, what was ‘this’ becomes ‘that’ and what was ‘that’’ becomes ‘this’. God is closer than people think.
For him who does not know being [the transcendent] what can the hymns of Veda accomplish?
what lies beyond [not born of] the mind… cosmic intelligence… foundation of natural thoughts… in harmony with nature.
knowledge/experience
Consciousness is Brahman (Prajnanam Brahma).
Aitareya Upanishad 3.1.3
“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”
RUDYARD KIPLING
To listen to the audio version, please click here.
Relationships key: How to “See” the person/“pillow” in front of you
This week’s unedited notes:
announcements:
temple “Updates&Reflections” tab
remodeling kitchen so no food service at Mt Soma for a while.
pandit boy school
greenhouse
my role should best be: Gyan which is foundation of success.
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Shiva’s Drum Damaru
A to Ka may first feel like theory or intellectual only, but as you reflect upon it or touch into it, the reality is enlivened in your awareness, which is why I strive to relate it to the experience
a gardener nurtures the delicate sprout. it all eternally remains unfathomable for us all
veda and relative alike
external dynamics of relationship do not define the relationship
i.e. A and Ka, staying lively with the A-A-A value is key to relationships
beauty in reaching for Truth through the veil of chitta and vritti [thoughts/whirlpools source, from where one is coming from]
knowing essence of music, or math, or any field.
the difference between an enlightened person and a god. house of mud vs house of crystalline glass
pay attention to how you ‘define’ others… your thoughts and attitudes have tremendous power.
Veda is in the physiology, not the words
‘Know that one thing by which all else is known’
4 abhavas… junction point of relative and absolute. tangent to a line… smriti
Chiranjeevi: immortal , the 7 Rishis [sometimes spelled: chiranjivi]
Purusha: He who has no name. become Chiranjeevi
Mind, {separate to worship at a distance] or merge with
Brahman [Chiranjeevi] as experienced by the immortals] … like being the sun
Beyond initial ‘enlightenment’ [cosmic consciousness] it is a matter of clearing sight of what one knows ones Self to be. entering dark cave analogy as eyes adjust.
Katha Upanishad Third Valli verse 10. ‘Beyond the senses are their objects.’ senses, objects, mind, intellect, great self, unmanifest, Purusha
Katz, Vernon. The Upanishads (Tarcher Cornerstone Editions) Penguin Publishing Group.
Yama wanted Nachiketas to ask another question … can only answer it by facilitating awakening to that level of immortality. some say He did not answer the question, but he did in the only way it could really be answered.
‘the entire universe is my expression’ befriend the devata … the laws of nature
yagyas reorganize karma
Purusha size of thumb in center of body… what that really means… not speaking of emotional heart… heart cave
the Upanishads reveal level of unity within everything
It is through the light of God that the eyes see and the ears hear MMY
upanishads reveal the ‘location’ of the Absolute at the basis of all aspects of life
live the Purusha value
Upanishads : Absolute in terms of, approached step by step, from every angle of the relative. Absolute taught in terms of the relative. as if absolute speaking to relative in relatives terms.
Brahman includes experience of both fullnesses together as one fullness
Brahma Sutras gives understanding of experience of Brahman Consciousness
Agni: Aa to Ka is every object in creation, that [all wholenesses] wholeness is Indra [“King of the Gpds”]
what it means to ‘experience everything’
Ananda Mayi Ma said she understands everything {pure knowledge] and also that she is a small child and you have to explain everything to her [memorization of facts, etc.].
need relative to enter Brahman
longing for Brahman brings forth the teacher or teacher brings forth Brahman.. works both ways.
yet karma takes one to the teacher and karma takes one away. so steady hand on the rudder
sound of the versus enlivens the versus within
Pashya……see
‘It is my responsibility to protect Mt Soma…our people here… even if they do not see what i am protecting them from. Rakshasas work through people in this age of Kali Yuga. Easy to see the Divinity within individuals. Not always easy to concurrently not overlook the Rakshasa within them. My life struggle perhaps has been my lack of willingness to believe that if I show my care for them, they will not allow the Rakshasa to gain control and act out. Big mistake but one I have learned I must face wide eyed … not always so easy to do’… love
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Katha Upanishad… Immortality
two levels/meanings [and more] of attaining Brahman [Brahma Chaithanya and immortality, Chiranjeevi]…see last 2 verses of Katha Upanishad
Like all things Upanishads and Brahma Sutras can be viewed/interpreted on many levels [knowledge is structured in consciousness]
‘Entire universe is my expression of life’
Living/realizing ‘He who has no name” is you… and God is beyond, i.e. unknowable
the world is as we are.. it is your mirror
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Scientific American current issue essentially says [as we have been saying] that big bang theory is not correct. James Webb telescope confirms that.
“Wisdom is what’s left after we’ve run out of personal opinions.”
CULLEN HIGHTOWER Interesting quote follows. Do we focus on others Divinity, or the limitations through which they function?:
“I like people too much or not at all.”
SYLVIA PLATH
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Some say the Brahma Sutra should only be studied, can only be understood by a person in Unity Consciousness as it blossoms to Brahman Consciousness, a very high level of evolution. However, the Sutras can be understood to some degree from the perspective of whatever level of consciousness an individual has. In fact, commentaries are just that and when those commentaries are studied or translated, that is done so from the level of consciousness of the reader/translater.
In this podcast, I will attempt to convey an understanding of the deepest meaning of the Brahma Sutra. Before making this podcast I ran my perspective by fully trained [highly qualified] Vedic Pandits. To be completely transparent, I felt almost embarrassed after doing so. “Who am I”, I thought, “To have been so presumptuous to do so”. I was humbled when told they were enthusiastic about what I said and delighted that I was willing to share it with the world via this podcast. I reverently do so.
This week we discuss the first sutras of the Brahma Sutra. It is more a discussion than a list of points so this weeks notes will not include a summary of what is discussed. Please enjoy the podcast!
At first, the experience is overwhelming, almost unbearable. “What happened to me?”
taste of strawberry, culminating in Brahman
the vision
at first, overwhelming… like waking up to 3 arms
not about personality [your nature] but do cultivate an evolutionary lifestyle… not mood making
the relative: its presence is inferred by the effect it produces. Maya
under the influence of maya, brahm appears as ishwara-personal god
maya; clear water avidya; muddy water
under influence of avidya, atma appears as jiva or individual soul
“I always prefer to believe the best of everybody; it saves so much trouble”
RUDYARD KIPLING
“Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.”
HERMANN HESSE
“Hearts are the strongest when they beat in response to noble ideals.”
RALPH BUNCHE
“The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it.”
JOHN RUSKIN
“It is infinitely better to have a few good Men, than many indifferent ones.”
GEORGE WASHINGTON
“A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.”
JEAN DE LA FONTAINE
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"Take the time to reflect on what is said here. If you find yourself associating this material with things you have heard elsewhere, please take the time to diligently explore how they are different. This knowledge is elusive. I share it here because I have seen how much this knowledge helps people – the potential is enormous." – Michael Mamas
"True knowledge slips through the fingers of those not willing to ponder…" – Michael Mamas
"Take what I say and work with it to develop a deeper understanding of life, rather than taking what I say and forcing it into the mold of your current relationship with life." – Michael Mamas
"Evolution means change." – Michael Mamas
"Your disposition is the tone with which you hold yourself, your cells, your psyche, your beliefs. More than anything else, it determines your life." – Michael Mamas