"I AM BRAHMAN"

The fool thinks, “I am the body.”

The intelligent man thinks,

“I am an individual soul united with the body.”

But the wise man, in the greatness of his knowledge and

spiritual discrimination, sees the Self as the only reality,

and thinks, “I am Brahman.”

~ Sri Shankaracharya ~

Vivekachudamani

Om.

Aham Brahma Asmi - I am Brahman.

Soham - I am He.

Sivoham - I am Siva.

Satchidananda Svarupoham - I am Existence-Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute.
(Swami Sivananda)

Wisdom Quotes from Vivekananda

♥A few heart-whole, sincere, and energetic men and women can do more in a year than a mob in a century.

♥A tremendous stream is flowing toward the ocean, carrying us all along with it; and though like straws and scraps of paper we may at times float aimlessly about, in the long run we are sure to join the Ocean of Life and Bliss.

♥Above all, beware of compromises. Hold on to your own principles in weal or woe and never adjust them to others’ “fads” through the greed of getting supporters. Your Atman is the support of the universe—whose support do you stand in need of?

♥After every happiness comes misery; they may be far apart or near. The more advanced the soul, the more quickly does one follow the other. What we want is neither happiness nor misery. Both make us forget our true nature; both are chains - one iron, one gold; behind both is the Atman, who knows neither happiness nor misery. These are states, and states must ever change; but the nature of the Atman is bliss, peace, unchanging. We have not to get it, we have it; only wash away the dross and see it.

"Know Thyself"

The simple method to enlightenment is to first know yourself.

~~~

There was once a swami who used to teach students every day. One of the students listened attentively and heard the swami speaking about vairagya, the philosophy of non-attachment, and the student took off for a forest dwelling and there, he was enlightened. After dwelling there for twelve years, he wondered what had happened and what had been the fate of his friends, with whom he used to learn. So he returned to that place, and everyone was still sitting there exactly like before,and the swami was still lecturing. "What a waste of time!"

The point is that you don’t need much external information;you already have true knowledge within.You need to learn how to apply the knowledge that you have.You are taught: “Be good, be nice, be gentle, be loving.”You have all been taught that, but you should learn to practice, understand, and to apply that knowledge to yourself. You need to understand how you function,and the process that results in your actions.

~~~

There is only one real book to study and learn from-the greatest of all books—and that is the very manuscript that you, yourself, are.

~~~

Above all else, remember this one thing:It is easy to meet that Infinity within you—to attain that awareness, you just have to be silent and quiet.

~~~

The best and deepest of the teachings is not communicated through books, speech or actions, but through silence. That special teaching is understood only when you are silent.

~~~

I am telling you to face this reality: the path to enlightenment and unfoldment is not really so austere, abstruse, or difficult—it’s actually very easy. The easiest way to make progress is just to “know thyself”—to accept and understand yourself on all levels.

~ Swami Rama of The Himalayas ~

Meditation

For thousands of years,the science of meditation has been practiced and studied by aspirants who sought to make their lives more serene, creative, and fulfilling. Meditation will give you the capacity to improve your health,your relationships, and the skillfulness of all your activities. This is because meditation can give you something that no other technique can accomplish—it introduces you to yourself on all levels,and finally leads you to the center of consciousness within,from where consciousness flows.

~ Swami Rama of The Himalayas ~

"Thou Art That"

The sun, the moon, the stars,and all the lights that you can imagine in the entire external world are but fragments of that one great Light that is within you. It is the light of knowledge, the light of discrimination,the light of understanding, the light of life,the light of sharing and love,the light of Being that you are. “Thou art that.”

The light within is like a ripple in the vast ocean of bliss—

that which we call Brahman, the Absolute, Infinity, the Highest.

You yourself are that ripple; you are a wave. You should always have confidence that the light of life really is within you.

Physics corroborates this philosophy; it also says that life is like a particle, like a wave. It repeats the ancient philosophy that tells us that life is a wave born from the ocean of bliss, playing in it,and subsiding again into it.

~ Swami Rama, Path of Fire and Light ~