Om! The existential void by Atman Nityananda

The existential void
by Atman Nityananda 

Our existential void is due to ignorance of our divine nature and the development of the ego in our psyche, which involves identification with the body, mind and objects, people and situations.

If we ignore our true Self (Consciousness, Being), if we do not live in conscious contact with our divine essence, we cannot live with peace, fullness and deep contentment. We will always have a sense of lack, of dissatisfaction, an existential void that we will try in vain to fill with sensory experiences and illusory pleasures.

If our actions, deeds, thoughts and emotions do not vibrate in harmony with our Soul, we will feel that something is missing, we will experience a sense of emptiness and dissatisfaction.

Synopsis

The existential void is not filled with objects, pleasures, sensory experiences and worldly successes, but only with the conscious connection with our source, our divine nature (Consciousness, Self, Atman).

The existential void can only be filled by conscious connection with our source, our divine nature (Consciousness, Self, Atman).

🌺 Peace, Love, Harmony 

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Om! Spiritual practice and meditation by Atman Nityananda

Spiritual practice and meditation
by Atman Nityananda 

All spiritual practices (and the spiritual life in general) are intended to prepare our minds for deep and unceasing meditation.

Deep meditation is only possible for a pure sattvic mind. A pure-sattvic mind, free from rajas and tamas qualities (gunas), pride, desire and lust (for pleasure, power, acquisition, fame and recognition), anger, fear, greed, attachments and other selfish tendencies, is luminous, clear, sharp, serene, steady detached and focused.

The above qualities enable the mind to meditate deeply and realize its identity with its source, the divine Consciousness, (the silent living presence within us).

So the whole spiritual process is a systematic and continuous effort to overcome, one by one, all the obstacles (which are egoic tendencies, and the gunas of rajas and tamas) that prevent us from meditating and realizing that we are the silent living presence that is pure, eternal and infinite Consciousness, and to establish ourselves in it.

Practice meditation daily. Overcome obstacles one by one and deepen more and more into meditation.

Meditation is the steady fixation and absorption of mind and attention on our essence the deepest part of our being, the eternally present silent living presence within us.

One way to meditate is to repeat and feel the following phrases with awareness of the inner silence (silent living presence). It is important to feel what we are saying and not to mechanically repeat the phrases. Feel, sense that you are, that you exist as you repeat the phrases and the Om.

Ooommm…, Ooommm…, Ooommm…, Ooommm…
I am pure Consciousness, always free and blissful, Ooommm…
I am the silent void, full, luminous and peaceful, Ooommm…
I am the deep silence, always peaceful, complete and blissful, Ooommm…
I am the deep silence, full of peace, love and light, Ooommm…
I am eternal peace, love and bliss, Ooommm…
I am Atman, infinite and eternal Consciousness, Ooommm…
I am Atman, the immortal, indestructible Consciousness, Ooommm…
Ooommm… Atman, Ooommm… Atman, Ooommm… Atman
Ooommm… peace, Ooommm… light, Ooommm… Love,
Ooommm…, Ooommm…, Ooommm…, Ooommm…

We repeat these phrases for several minutes according to our ability.

You can choose only a few of these truth-phrases if you wish, the ones that are most vibrant and closest to your experience.

As we calmly repeat these phrases, (we do so with interest and without trying to concentrate), our mind and attention will become more and more focused on them, and gradually our mind will become more and more calm, clear and steady, At the same time, the background of the mind, the silent living presence (the inner silence) will become more and more apparent.

When the mind becomes calm and steady and the inner silence becomes intensely manifest we abandon repetition of the above phrase-truths and all mental activity and remain aware of the inner silence, deepening into it.

In Greek: Η πνευματική άσκηση και ο διαλογισμός December 25, 2022

Om! Sattvic living ~ Atman Nityananda

SATTVIC LIVING

The sattvic living is the foundation of a healthy life as well as of the spiritual path. To live with peace, light, love, wisdom, creativity and harmony is possible only when the sattva guna predominates in our mind.

Therefore one of the fundamental goals in the spiritual life is to increase the sattva guna (quality) in our mind. The sattva guna is the quality of light, intelligence, virtue, clarity and harmony and helps us develop the superior capabilities of the mind and heart, (like discernement, intution, compassion, love etc.)

When  the sattva guna predominates in us, we create the foundation on which all divine virtues and spiritual practices can easily flourish. The ability to discern the true of the false and the ability to be detached from the objects, thoughts, emotions semsations and exteral situations can be developed fully in a sattvic mind. 

Our capacity for concentration, meditation and self-inquiry, which are the most important practices for self-realization, can be developed highly only when the sattva guna predominates in our mind.  The sattva guna makes the mind, quiet, calm, sharp, luminous, focused, introverted and aspire for truth, peace and eternal bliss.

On the contrary when in our mind prevails the rajas guna, it becomes extroverted, restless, distracted and turbulent and therefore we cannot concentrate steadily into the space of silence within (or any othe object of meditation). The mind by defoult in rajas guna mode is seeking sensual experiences, action and pleasure. 

When the mind is under the dominion of tamas guna it becomes inert, sleepy, dull, lazy, and thus it becomes very difficult (or quite impossible) to remain alert enough and vigilant, in order to pay attention, concentrate and meditate as well as it isn't capable to learn, discern and understand.

In order we to increase the sattva guna in the mind, we must keep sattvic associations or relations at all levels of existence. That means, that the sensory impressions (sounds, colors, sights, smells), the meals, drinks, relationships, activities, actions, words, thoughts, emotions, the environment in which we live and work etc. must be of sattvic nature.

Our meals and drinks should be sattvic (read here about sattvic foods) as well as all sensory impressions (read sattvic  books, listen to music and songs sattvic, make relations with sattvic people and spiritual teachers, have contact with nature etc.)

Of course, our self, (the lower rajasotamásic self, the ego) with its selfish tendencies, the mental and emotional patterns and conditioning, and its habits wants to keep repeating the same things mechanically and compulsively. 

Our rajasotamasic ego resists greatly the changes we want to make. And here is the importance of the spiritual guidance, which can be the spiritual teachings (from books, videos, internet), a spiritual center or a spiritual teacher; their support and knowledge can be a great help for us to overcome  the obstacles, the resistance as well as our habits and subconscious patterns. Of course they cannot practice for us. Although the external help is of great importance, 'we have to make the effort, 'we are the most important factor of our transformation; only 'we can change ourselves, none else. Only very rare ripe souls doesn't need much help from outside.

It is also certain that we cannot change everything in ourselves at once; But if we do our spiritual practices regularly and diligently, with determination, faith, self-confidence, patience, tenacity and perseverance, we can undoubtedly overcome all obstacles and develop all necessary capabilities to transform ourselves. We will finally transform ourselves in beings of love and light.

It is only a matter of faith, practice and time.

It is obvious that several times we will find ourselves in situations that are not sattvic as well as in difficult conditions in which it will be not so easy to act according our intentions and goals. If this is the case, we must accept what happens and do our best to alleviate the situation until it will possible for us to change external things and situations. In this case, the difficulties and the challenges can be either opportunities for us to develop capabilities or occasions for complaints and suffering.  Depends on our attitude, maturity and capacity to maintain our inner equilibrium as much as possible and learn from these challenges. 

It is certain also that we cannot always avoid pain or difficult situations but suffering depends only on our state of consciousness, mental purity, psychological skills and mental attitude.

Our transformation is a continuous process to discard the tamasic and rajasic qualities, patterns, tendencies, habits, emotions and beliefs and increase the sattvic ones until our mind and intellect become completely sattvic. The final step is to go beyond even the sattva and rest permanently in our essential nature (Atman, absolute or pure Consciousness) which is beyond the three gunas (gunanita).