Regulate your breathing, and thereby control the mind.
Universal religion has no location in time or space. Its area is infinite, like the God it preaches. It is an experience. It is God-consciousness… All religions are challenged today by a common enemy: the rising tide of skepticism and secularism.
Christ was crucified once, but his teachings suffer crucifixion every day at the hands of men of limited vision. Christ’s teachings cannot be understood just by reading the Bible…but by living and trying out in everyday life the principles taught in the book.
At the time of God-realisation, nothing new is realised; on the contrary, the yogi feels that this state of God-consciousness which he is experiencing was already known to him.
The greatest freedom is to be obedient and faithful to God. As we yield ourselves to God’s love and mercy, we are liberated from the suffering of sins. No longer are we dominated by unreasonable fears, compulsions and addictions. We live in peace and unity with all people. Despair and rage pass away.
Fasting in the monastic community is considered an ascetic practice, a “dhutanga” practice. Dhutanga means “to shake up” or “invigoration”. The Buddha, as is well known, emphasized moderation, the Middle Way that avoids extremes, in all things. Fasting is an additional method that one can take up, with supervision, for a time.
If we only practice compassion at the mind level, we run a great risk of our compassion being just talk. As we know, talk is cheap. To develop true compassion we have to put our money where our mouth is.
If we celebrate the festival with the objective of divine wealth then we will get an experience of supreme Bliss or anand and the desire for worldly inferior pleasures will automatically start reducing, leading to our true Liberation.
Hanuman is the breath of Rama, the breath of God. God is not far away from us but as close as our breath. Symbolically Hanuman represents the breath, our constant companion and aid along the spiritual path.
Begin with yourself. There is no time to waste. It is your duty to do your part to bring God’s kingdom on earth.