Self Realization

HOW To ATTAIN SELF REALIZATION?

YADASARVE VIMUCHYANTE KAMA YESHYA HRIDI STHITAH; TADAMRIT TWA MAPNOPATI JIVANNEVA NA SANSHAYAH.

WHEN THERE IS NO DESIRE LEFT IN THE HEART THEN A MAN IS CERTAIN TO EXPERIENCE THE DIVINE TASTE OF THIS NECTAR (SELF REALIZATION) IN HIS LIFE TIME– AND THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

Bhagavan Visnu - Garuda Purana

IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE?

I have to tell you that if I knew that it would be this hard to attain self realization, then I doubt I would have ever started all this. Sorry if that is negative, but that is the truth of what this ego thinks and feels.

But after 19 years, there is no turning back now. I very much fell down the rabbit hole, or took the blue pill—or was it red—and not much can be done at this point.

I really understand the saying, “ignorance is bliss”.

I do also understand that most of the thoughts I have about everything are only “in my mind”. I used to take that phrase as a massive insult. Now I know that everything actually is “in my mind”—all my thoughts and feelings are actually in my mind and are not me.

They are not me.

So, I try not to pay attention to any of it too much. The key word here is “try”.

I have come to understand that whenever I have any kind of thought at all that it is not really who I am.

The endless question that everybody tells us to ask is to inquire deeply “Who Am I?” and the sages inform that this answer will lead us to self realization.

This actually is the question that has led me deepest into my seeking for the truth.

I was sitting on the floor of Amma’s ashram room. Her huge Devi Bhava photo on my altar in front of me. I looked deep into her eyes which are vibrantly alive in the photo which she blessed by throwing sandal paste and flowers on it and asked her, “Who am I?"

After this I went to the only source who always answers my deepest questions: Google.

I searched the meaning of the spiritual name she gave me online. I am not going to reveal it here, since it is something very personal to me.

I was shocked to find out that the name I was given is actually a Goddess worshipped in Tantra and this Goddess is responsible to protect the Divine Mother—each one has their own mantra, yantra, and method of worship.

Say what? Wanna run that by me again?

You mean I am not some worthless, useless waste of space? I am a Goddess? This brief Google search was indeed life changing.

It sparked the beginning of a deep battle to jar me out of this “I am nobody” powerless state, to I am the Supreme!

Did you get a spiritual name? If so, examine it! Really pray and ask what is its meaning? Follow it. This can be one path which gets you closer to self realization. It has surely worked for me.

Leave a comment below and tell me what your spiritual name is!

AMAZING SYNCHRONICITY

One hour after I wrote this page, I found a quote from Anandamayi Ma on my FB wall explaining exactly what I wrote. I love that!

ONE WHO HAS GONE OUT IN QUEST OF THE ETERNAL CAN NO LONGER REMAIN ENGROSSED IN ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT LEAD TO SELF-REALIZATION, THE REALIZATION OF GOD. JUST AS WHEN A HOUSE IS ON FIRE, ONE OPENS THE DOOR AND LEAVES IT, SO ONCE DISCRIMINATION AND DISPASSION HAVE BEEN AWAKENED, THE QUESTION OF PROCEEDING IN ANY OTHER DIRECTION DOES NOT ARISE.

– SRI ANANDAMAYI MA