There are times when we may not feel aligned in our thoughts and actions. These are moments of opportunity to pause and ask ourselves – with courageous intent – can I be steadfast and endure the truth of my being?

Being steadfast is being committed and disciplined enough to return again and again to the essence of one’s being with conviction. Therefore, with thoughtful consideration, seek to be steadfast and rooted in the heart of your inner truth.  Recognize that the truth of your being (your essence) offers you direction toward your dreams.  As you align your actions to the clarity of your inner knowing, it will support your ability to create and bring them into form.

When we acknowledge that our energy output creates our reality, and when we are accountable for how we choose to expend our energies, we develop greater balance and harmony based on inner truth.  Being steadfast proposes and ensures that with steady conviction and a trusting resolve, we return again to that one-pointed focus.

Taking the time to establish a foundation and a structure necessary to support the truth of our being will ensure our ability to create what we vision and the dreams that move us into action.  Knowing where our roots lay, and what seeds we have planted at the base of our tree, will encourage a steadfast approach to where we stand and what we are bringing into bloom around us.  Although the results of our efforts may not always appear exactly as we imagined, the more steadfast we become, and the more willing we are to steer in a one-pointed direction toward our dreams, the greater our ability to experience them.

Always remember, your dreams become your reality, so with wisdom align your dream with your inner truth.  As stated by Shakespeare:  ”Unto thine own self be true.”

As the days of summer pass, I continue to think a great deal about the nature of truth. As of late, I have been particularly fascinated by my fluctuating views of truth and how conditioning and my innate proclivities seem to shape what I believe is real and true in any given moment or circumstance. In contemplation, I return many times over to a truth that penetrates my mind from a place deep within my being. I often refer to this as my inner truth. There are times when I find myself discerning between the truth of my conditioned mind and voice of my inner truth in an attempt to understand and make meaning of the world around me.

A dear friend once asked me, “when is truth not good enough?”.  I thought it was a fascinating question. It seems to imply a universal truth – but also accounts for the fact that there are times when we don’t always perceive truth in the same way – not only amongst each other – but also within ourselves). Therein, lies the heart of my dilemma.

What I do know is this: there are moments when I feel a tremendous sense of clarity. And, I often interpret these moments, as moments of truth. As I reflect and contemplate the source of these insights, I recognize there is a place within me, (what I call the essence, or center of my being), that just knows what is true and seems to be constantly encouraging me to make choices accordingly.

Despite the sense of deep and resonating calm these moments bring, I’ve still been known to cross my arms and turn my head away from their wisdom; afraid to take action on my knowing, fearful of unanticipated outcomes. I wonder if you too have this battle within yourself?

Still I question: Am I, in fact, afraid of truth?

I’ve been at the coast for nearly one month’s time now – and I’ve been diligent in tending the property’s gardens. They remind me a great deal of this discussion on truth. While they are beautiful and lush, they are never without a constant crop of weeds that threaten the vitality of that which is intended to grow. New seeds flourish, but only when they are nourished. Its beauty – perhaps like truth – must be continually cultivated.

I wonder if it’s possible that a day will come when everyone will see the process of tending to our inner gardens as the most important thing we do, if indeed, tending to the inner lushness reveals the beauty of its awakening.

In devoted expression,

Swami Karikananda

“Every natural action is graceful.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Being gracious is revealed through one’s ability to blend and nurture the qualities of wisdom and compassion into action.   When we are able to see clearly through situations that arise, allowing the vision of wisdom to flourish as we accept circumstances with ease and compassion, the blossoms of grace are born.

There is a natural order and flow to life.   In yoga we call this rita.  As we attune to the rita of life and the flow of the universe, we enter a state of grace.   This attunement requires that we accept what is and manage situations accordingly.  Without struggling or fighting against that which confronts us we become transparent.  The gift of transparency is total acceptance.  To be seen, and to see, with clarity and total honesty is a natural state of being.   This innate and natural participation in life is the experience of being gracious.    A bird does not complain when its nest is destroyed by a wind fallen tree, but rather it naturally begins to assess a new location as it gathers the materials necessary to restructure and rebuild…

“Truth is rarely writ in ink; it lives in nature.”  ~Martin H. Fischer

Dear Friend,

I must write to share with you, to remind you, (and actually to remind myself) – that truth, my truth, the truth of all Truth, can only be found, seen, or understood in deep penetrating presence.   In presence, we confront our ability to accept, not what we want tomorrow or what we felt yesterday, but what is, as it is, right now.  Just as your heart is beating against your chest and your tongue is resting against the back of your teeth.  Only here, as your eyes are scanning these words, is your mind focused and present.  This moment alone holds the eternal knowing of all that is, has been, and is yet to be.

All other truths are explanations or descriptions of truth, mere perceptions, and none can be other than what is here and now.  As quoted by Ramana Maharshi, “There is no Truth.  There is only the truth within each moment.”   No story, no memoir, no prediction, no assessment can equate or determine the magnitude of the truth as it is.   It exists within each breath unfolding through time; dying and being born from breath to breath; one truth ending as another begins.

In this way, Truth is eternal and has no borders.  It cannot be contained.  No book cover, box, or bar can protect it.  These things can hold a sacred place for what was, but like an image of youth, there is no fountain to turn back in time.   Flesh is not eternal, nor is a bound book, but the words and thoughts contained therein are — and, only in presence do they become true.  There is nothing hidden in yesterday’s knowledge, nor is it growing in tomorrow’s surprise.  Truth is whole and complete only when we sink into this very moment.

The moment we surrender fully, letting go of the need to know,  to act,  to control…is the moment we rest (without holding or grasping) in the present truth.  As we accept the natural order of constant change, and as each breath is drawn in and each breath released, we move into the presence of Truth.  Breathe deeply with awareness and be ever-present Truth.

In devoted expression,
Swami Karikananda

willingness and awareness we become more and more accountable for what we put out and what we then receive back.  Judgment, blame, and irritation become battles we have with ourselves as we refrain from projecting outward.

Every pair of eyes we meet is an opportunity to gaze into the sacred mirror of our soul – our memory and our mind.  The more gentle we are to our neighbors, friends, families and lovers, the greater the gift toward expanding our awareness.

There is no enemy except unto thy self.  Befriend your nightmare and your dreams will transform.

“That is fundamentally the only courage which is demanded of us:  to be brave in the face of the strangest, most singular and most explicable things that can befall us.”

“For it is not only indolence which causes human relationships to repeat themselves with such unspeakable monotony, unrenewed from one occasion to another, it is the shyness of any new incalculable experience which we do not feel ourselves equal to facing.”

~Rilke

I am eternally grateful for your interest in past offerings and for your generous feedback which has supported and inspired this change.  As I expand monthly kriyas, quotes, and articles into active and more frequent teachings, reflections, and meditations, it is my hope that you will find the next phase equally, if not more, useful in serving your process of becoming more self-aware.

I look forward to sharing more inspiration, as we gather ourselves for the next round, the next phase, the next wonder, the next expression.  Like the fine and melodic instrument you are, stay tuned…more detailed instructions to come.

Today’s Reflection: Moments of Harmony

Much of our time is spent seeking to understand our purpose.  As we cycle through the process of achieving inner peace, we strive to meet, accommodate, capture, and revel in moments of balance.  The sun and the earth share a similar dynamic. The vernal equinox is a moment of harmony between the two planets and, since we are always in harmony with the forces of the universe, the equinox is also an opportunity to find balance within ourselves, at the center of our beings.  It is a moment for being still, a moment between light and dark. It is an entry point into greater understanding and greater awareness.  Creativity is born in this place.  The winter months are a time to cultivate new ideas and develop objectives.  Spring is a time to nurture their growth.  If we listen, our purpose is unveiled, as life, continues to reveal itself.

_________________________________________________________________________________
Through the many cycles and beyond, I offer myself in devoted expression.
With gratitude and in service,

elaina
swami karikananda

NAMASTE!

“Music fills the infinite between two souls.” Tagore

Singing our heart’s song is being harmonious with life.

As we attune to the subtle, yet simple, call of duty we open to self-expression and enter harmony of being.  When we do what we do naturally, with ease, we innately expand.  The tendency to strive for more or less activates a desirous quality.  This potentiality triggers proclivities.  At that moment, we are given the opportunity to peer into the mind and gain insights into how it’s motivated.

Observe the tendency to nurture an idea that has a rhythm out of tune with your hearts song.   Return to your inner harmony and develop the intricacies for a more precise and vital melody.   In harmony, flow forward with vision and with wisdom honor where you’ve come from.

Sing into life and allow life to sing into you.

Namaste!

When one’s heart is in bloom, the world is set aglow in radiance. Within you is the vision, external to you is the mirror. From your heart — reflect beauty. It’s innately yours to share. ENJOY!

________________________________________________

Monthly Kriya:  Object of Beauty

In a meditative pose, attune yourself to a beautiful object or place. As the vision forms, hold your full attention and awareness to the image until you become completelyimmersed in it. Allow the feeling of beauty the object or place has evoked to fill you completely, penetrating your entire being. Stay attuned and absorbed in this energy as long as you’d like, sinking ever more deeply into the essence of beauty. Gently return to the outer world bringing forth this feeling with you.

_______________________________________________

Inspiring Quotes

“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”
Carl Jung

“What your heart thinks is great, is great. The soul’s emphasis is always right.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The heart has reasons that reason does not understand.”
Jacques Bénigne Bossuel

“Gratitude is the heart’s memory.”
French Proverb

________________________________________________

Heart of Being

The heart has been used as a symbol through time in many religious and mythological teachings to describe the center of being and to signify a state of illumination. It is no mistake that the heart symbol is often depicted in relation to both Christ and Buddha, two (of many) enlightened souls who have embodied and sustained a balanced state of heart-conscious awareness.

Being heart-centered is recognizing our dualist tendencies and being willing to overcome the proclivities that propel us toward a feeling of separation and disconnection. That which is divided, always returns home into the heart. In the Taoist tradition, there is a saying “You can only go so far into the forest before nature draws you back out again.” It is a law of nature. It is innate cyclical patterning. Karmic proclivities draw us away from our center (outward) causing a feeling of imbalance and disconnection. As we naturally work to balance this state, we move back to our center (inward). We move back to the heart of our being

Being heart-centered is honoring the radiance that is always with us, like the Sun itself. In this way, the Sun and the Heart are likened to one another. In yoga, the sun center is located at the ajna chakra, and within the sun center is a hidden center, so the mystics say. They refer to the second center as the moon.

The goal of hatha yoga is to join the sun (ha) and the moon (tha). The sun is symbolic of the sacred masculine and is active, while the moon is symbolic of the sacred feminine and is passive. Unifying these two opposing forces of nature brings about a state of illumination – balanced at the heart of being.

When our tendency is weighted — either too passive or too active — we move away from the heart. Taoism (meaning the way) dedicates its teachings to the art of being actively passive. And, as humans, we naturally seek a state of balance. Maintaining that state, however, is our practice.

Always remember, that from the heart of being beauty and abundance flows perpetually — without accumulating a thing.

Daily Reflections

Ask yourself. . .

What areas of my life am I being too active or too passive?

How can I bring more heart-centered awareness into my being?

What draws me away from my heart-centered being?

__________________________________________

May we all be centered in the heart of now. . .loving for love’s sake. . .

With BIG love,

elaina
swami karikananda

Om Shanti!

“Guard your thoughts and before imparting them to others, cover them will honey… You just never know when you might have to eat them. Understand that a word only has power if the mind-thought is behind it.”
Goswami Kriyananda

Always attempt to understand what motivates your outward projection. Try to see and understand the energy (force) behind the words you speak and come to know where your thoughts originate.

We are all very sensitive beings and we tend to become entangled in our emotions, often losing sight that others may have done the same. Be kind and gentle to yourself and your neighbor – remain always neutral. Do not get easily upset by the words of others and do not upset yourself when others are offended by yours.

I was the witness…

As it made its way around the corner it came into my view.  I could see the elaborate form, an aura it could hardly hide.   In reactionary fear I closed my eyes hoping it would dissipate.   I wanted to chalk it up to an illusive tendency, but it could not be denied.

I swallowed hard and breathed in slowly, releasing a calming sigh. Continuing my pace forward I met it eye to eye.

When I was a child my thoughts were so unfamiliar (like dreams from another realm) that even today I question my sight. Alas, in my adult life I have surrendered to the internal movement and mystery of unknown and the great Divine. I’m puzzled though; wondering how a spirit of such beauty can move beside such horrific splendor? I suppose it is the vice of a perpetual demise, appearing to be such a simple mindless ideology, but surely that is the risk.

The day was slow, not prolonged, but calm in a surreal sort of way. When she spoke it was as if only silence could be heard. Each interaction she had was raw and without disguise. Some onlookers would approach her with ease as if drawn to her extraordinary light, while others could barely lift an eye trying to avoid at all costs her distant energy. The day went on like this, like the passing landscape viewed from a train.

She always felt a little different sometimes even odd, but lately there seemed to be a new found connectedness to everything around her. For instance, while sensing anger approaching her, she would experience the sensation of union and understanding as if it were her own.   And, maybe it was. . .but, she did not attach to it, it simply glided over her like oil over water.

It all made sense to her, a puzzle complete.  Although she seemed very emotionally involved in life and relationships she carried a certain sense of freedom and detachment, while remaining very much involved – resembling static electricity.

When evening dawned and the light of day was coming to a rest and as the singing leaves hanging from the trees praised the heats abandon, she set out on a walk. The same walk she took every night. Her steps on this particular evening were fluid and graceful, as if the airy breeze would lift the gravity from her being. In the midst of such a dreamy state a voice plagued her peaceful mind. It did not speak her language, but repeated a mantra sent from another place and time. Although the words were not comprehendible they seemed crystal clear.  Similar to a mountain lake at sunrise, the mist seizes light fills the air as fog rises from the water. The perfect mirror appears, not a ripple in the sky.

At exactly this moment confusion and chaos set in as she turned to the side. Distracted by a seeker of a conscious mind, singing a lullaby that was left behind, her attention had been redirected. She thought it may be magic created by a spell, but whom could she look to as the creator. What godly creature would devise such a plan? Awww, to behold the bitter sweet taste of mystery. To experience a profound vibration and truly accept its nature, one must set all mental ideas aside.

At the time she hadn’t thought of what she now knows. Instead, she inquired unto her mind, seeking solace in the understanding of her own creation. Suppressing the craving to be guided by fear, she realigned herself, assessed her source, evaluated her desires, and decided to dive into those confronting eyes.

Hoping that she made a wise choice she faced the exotic beast and met it eye to eye. . .

An image she often would encounter in dreams was now present before her. Just as the horizon warmed her with the soft light of the moon it appeared to materialize with its rising, quenching her thirst to end a dreadful longing, to be jolted with a lightning bolt, something to pull her from an old life and into the new, a mentor to guide her through.

All in an instant, a profound stroke of a moment, the blessing fell upon her. It was hard for her to feel this way, beneath her chest a stabbing and a resurrection simultaneously. She so wanted to cry out from the bleeding, to seize the suffering of the pain, but her feet were already lifting from the ground. She did not grasp or try to collapse; instead, she swayed in joy, as if swinging from a tree limb, while the delicate breeze moved the leaves into song.

Just then, the image vanished as quickly as it appeared into the realm of wounded shadows.

I was the witness, a witness to the darkness behind my own eyes.

The end and the beginning . . .

Still nothing can be explained, as a witness of this strange act. However, the truth may hide or scare us away, when we embody our depths we welcome the challenge of surprise and the riddle becomes our muse.

She sets out on yet another walk with trust in the beckoning of what cannot be lost…