Annamalai Swami Misc -2

 https://realization.org/p/annamalai-swami/annamalai.talks.html

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tasya bhasha sarvam idam vibhati

jiske bhasne se sabhi bhas akata hai

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Q: Going back to your advice to think ‘I am the Self’: we are accustomed to make distinctions between things. You say, ‘Meditate that you are the Self’. If I try to generate this feeling, ‘I am the Self, it will not be the real thing; it will just be another idea in the mind. Can thinking about this idea really help me?

AS: When I say, ‘Meditate on the Self, I am asking you to be the Self, not think about it. Be aware of what remains when thoughts stop. 

Be aware of the consciousness that is the origin of all your thoughts. 

Be that consciousness. 

Feel that that is what you really are. 

If you do this, you are meditating on the Self.

 But if you cannot stabilise in that consciousness because your vasanas are too strong and too active, it is beneficial to hold on to the thought ‘I am the Self’. 

If you meditate in this way, you are not co-operating with your vasanas, the ones that are blocking your Self-awareness. 

If you don’t cooperate with your vasanas, sooner or later they are bound to leave you.

Q: When I read the Ramanasramam literature, Bhagavan often appears to be very strict and stern. Was Bhagavan as kind to you as you have been to us?

AS: Different people elicited different responses from him. In my case he was always kind and considerate. But you should not judge Bhagavan by his behaviour. If he got angry with people or ignored them, it was always for their own good. He was transmitting grace through his anger as well as through his kindness.

Q: Bhagavan’s body has gone now. I know intellectually that he is the Self and that he is everywhere but I still sometimes wish that I could have had the good fortune of sitting in his physical presence. I know that the body is ultimately not important, but I would feel so happy and secure if I knew that I could go and talk or just sit with Bhagavan every time I had a problem.

AS: Everything you see is Bhagavan’s body. The guiding presence that you desire is shining through all these forms and animating them. Don’t be attached to Bhagavan’s form or body. The real Bhagavan is beyond form and beyond death.

Though water flows through the mouth of a stone tiger statue, everyone knows that it is not coming from the tiger. We all know that it is coming from the reservoir. Similarly, Bhagavan now speaks through everyone who knows and experiences him as he really is.

Q: You often say that sat sangh is important. Can I have sat sangh of Bhagavan even though he is now dead? I am asking this because I once had a very powerful experience of his presence while I was in Switzerland. At that time Bhagavan had been dead for many years.

AS: Bhagavan is at all times and in all places. Since he is the Self and not any particular form, it is of little importance that the body which we took to be Bhagavan is now dead. Radio waves can be received anywhere. If you tune yourself to Bhagavan’s frequency, which means abiding in the Self, you can be aware of him broadcasting his grace wherever you are.

There is never any separation from Bhagavan. Every atom in the material universe is Bhagavan. Every act which happens in the world is done by Bhagavan alone. Every being, every form, is Bhagavan’s form. 

When you are clearly attuned to Bhagavan you will experience clarity and peace. You will receive guidance wherever you are.

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