Are we really in control?

Currently, every country is talking about economic downturn. Everyday we keep hearing about retrenchments, people being shown pink slips etc. Many banks and companies are closing down. We are all on high-alert. Many of my friends have been having sleepless nights thinking about their jobs. There is a certain eery stillness around.

If we look back a few months ago, before the talks about economic downturn and subprime markets etc. started, we will see a totally different picture altogether. The spending power of a working individual was higher; he was happy to spend on holidays or buying a house. He was comfortable to get a new car and do up his house. Now over the last few months, the picture is no longer the same. There was time when the real estate market had more buyers than sellers; the housing price rocketed up. Now, the picture is totally different. In Singapore, landlords are willing to waive off large sums of money (called cash over valuation) so that they can sell their property, but even then they are finding it hard to get a buyer.

Till a few months back, we thought we were all powerful. We thought we had everything in control. We had planned for years in front of us - a nice house, a big car etc. etc. Each one of us thought we are the king. We have all the strings of our lives right in our hands.

Suddenly, we now feel everything is slipping away from our hands. We are holding on tight and expecting and praying everything will become safe for us. Many of us are praying, "let me not be the next in line..."

This post is not about highlighting the negativity that is already in abundance around us right now. This is not one of those hundreds of "Cope with the Downturn" kind of articles. It is about the truth which enlightened masters have always been talking about.

The greed that was before and the fear that is now, are because of our concept of reality and life. We are very strongly attached to our material possessions, our name, our fame, our life. It is our strong belief that we are all powerful and we are incharge, makes our entire world shake when the slightest of the breeze blows. We are very serious about all this which we call as reality. If the something wrong happens in our dream, we don't care about it once we wake up.

All enlightened masters have talked about one truth - what we perceive as reality is also another dream. Paramahamsa Nithyananda says, "Understand that every dream is made up of the same things as what you think is reality - the same materials, the same emotions, the same stuff. When we wake up, we don't care about what happened in the dream. Then why can't we do the same thing with what we see as reality? All we have to do is to internalize that what we think as reality is also another dream. All we have to do is wake up from this dream also. That is enlightenment."

Our greed and our fear are because of our attachment to our possessions - material, emotional and even spiritual. Our attachment is because we perceive something as real and something as dream. When we live in a complete unclutched state, as Paramahamsa Nithyananda puts it, we constantly imbibe the truth about reality and dream. All we have to do is constantly remind ourselves of the dream we are seeing. The non-attachment is a liberating feeling. Paramahamsa Nithyananda says, "When the non-attachment happens, then whatever happens around you, you will take it as auspicious. There cannot be any suffering, only bliss."

Difficult it may sound, but we surely can try right!! We certainly won't lose anything :)

Conflict-free clicks for Jeevanmukti!

Our beloved Master Paramahamsa Nithyananda uses the word 'click' often. He defines a click as a revelation that happens in our inner space; a sort of explosion of clarity on listening to certain truths, a feeling of "Ah Yes, How True!" from deep inside. He infact says the process of initiation happens through these clicks in a disciple. It is these clicks that are like sparks that eventually catch fire to burn the thick forest of ignorance that lies inside. Here is a video on clicks and initiation:




25th December was celebrated as Acharyas day as part of the 10 day Brahmotsavam celebrations culminating with Swamiji's Jayanthi on 1st. That day Swamiji addressed all His acharyas in a conference at the ashram. He said very beautifully that if we scan our inner space, we will see that there are 3 types of clicks.

The first category is those clicks which would have experientially created an impact in our lives and we know for certain that they work. Personally, I experienced many such clicks for the first time when I attended the Life Bliss Program. Starting from insight into our engraved memories and how we give power to them, understanding about being in the present moment and how it can help us improve our work efficiency etc etc. Those clicks which we have internalized experientially are like weapons that we readily use to raise ourselves out of low mood or depression or worry or fear... they are like instant solutions.

There is a second category of clicks which we know work, but we need to put in a certain effort each time we try it. Then there is a third category which consists of those clicks that the Master has given us but which really haven't clicked in us. Swamiji said that as Acharyas it is very easy to be talking about the clicks in the first category, but when it comes to the second or the thrid, it will be transparent to the audience that the experience is yet to happen.

He went on to say that if we constantly keep experimenting with the clicks, we suddenly see that many clicks would have moved from the second category to the first, and from the third to the second. We eventually reach a point where all clicks have become an experience in us. We reach a space where there are no conflicts in the clicks inside, here there is no inner chattering.

That is the point when we start to radiate Jeevanmukti, living enlightenment. To live all clicks in a conflict free manner and to radiate that experience of the Truth that has happened inside. So, let us all keep experimenting with all the clicks that have been gifted to us by the Master and allow the explosion of inner clarity to happen. The Master, out of His compassion and grace has blessed planet earth to enter a new cycle of divine consciousness (in His Jayanthi message). Let us be one amongst those radiating Nithyananda and living Jeevanmukti!

Jayanti 2009 - Jeevan Mukti

From 23 December to 1st January, there were celebrations in the Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam ashram in Bidadi, not that it is any different during the rest of the year :) This part of the year, one can tangibly feel the energy of the place with eternal celebrations (nithyotsava) happening every corner of the ashram. We were fortunate and blessed to attend some of these days. People from all over the world had come to attend the birthday celebrations of our Master.

It was such an amazing experience to meet people from across the world and the only thread that runs common in all of us is - Nithyananda. Each one, whether an Indian or American or Chinese, greets "Nithyanandam" with a blissful smile on the face really meaning the word "Nithyanandam", eternal bliss.

We got to meet some people whom we know only by name or email. When we got to meet them in person, it felt as if we have known each other all along; it is not the first time we are meeting. The reason, our Master, Nithyananda runs through all of us.

Durin the 10 days, the Master dedicates each day to each of the pillars of His Mission, one day for His ashramites, one day for His devotees, one day for His healers, one day for His acharyas and so on. Each day was special. Starting from welcoming Him from the entrance of the ashram, the procession all the way to Anandeswara-Anandeswari temple and Banyan Tree, the aarati at the temple, fire walking, the messages by Master, the cultural programs, the blessings and darshans, everything were special.

Each day, the Master showed a different bhava, a different energy. On the youth day, He was young like a child. It was hard to believe that He is the Master, 32 years old. He was like a child, innocently dancing to the tunes. He was like a friend, dressed beautifully in short white sherwani with a turban. On the contrary, on Acharyas day, He was dressed in saffron robes. He was the Master guiding us; He was intense.

Every day, to every one, His only message was - Living Enlightenment - Jeevan Mukti. He initiated everyone who came on His birthday to Jeevan Mukti. He ignited the spark to live enlightenment. In His message, He says, "It is high time to raise human consciousness; it is late in fact." All He wants is more and more enlightened beings, He wants each one of us to experience and express our enlightenment. He wants us to get ourselves out of miseries which we have created ourselves. Even living our desires, He wants to us to live them with fulfillment, otherwise the list of desires will grow to a never ending list.

He is on fire. In all His recent messages and programs, the core idea that He is initiating people into is - living enlightenment, living with fulfillment - jeevan mukti. From a few years back, when we used to see Him talk about getting rid of worries, getting over our mind, He is now taking us to a different level altogether - towards enlightenment. No more, He is giving sugar candy to people. Now He is seeking only seekers, only those who are seeking enlightenment. He is making it clear in public the real purpose why He has taken the six feet body that we fall in love with.

He has made it loud and clear - come and be a jeevan mukta. Now, it is upto us to either go for It or stay in our cozy comfort zones. The ball is in our court ...

Lastly, please do not miss the Jayanti message here: