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Do You Live in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, or Kansas?
Join Midwest Dharma!
The purpose of Midwest Dharma is to provide announcements about the
classes, seminars, pravachanas (spiritual talks), and satsang
schedules of Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya (Dr. Frank Morales, Ph.D.)
in the states of Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas.
Dr. Morales serves as the Resident Acharya (Spiritual Preceptor) of
the Hindu Temple of Nebraska, which represents the very first time in
American history that an Indian Hindu temple has appointed a
non-Indian to this extremely respected office.
Currently, Sri Acharya Ji conducts two weekly Satsangs in Omaha,
Nebraska (Every Wednesday, 7:30 - 8:30 PM at the Omaha Healing Arts
Center; and every Sunday at noon at the Hindu Temple of Nebraska). In
addition, Sri Acharya Ji conducts a full schedule of classes at the
Hindu Temple in Omaha.
Do not miss this rare opportunity to learn from an authentic and
highly recognized national Dharma Teacher.
Please Join Now: midwest_dharma/
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HINDU UNITY DAY (HINDU SANGATHAN DIWAS)
The Hindu community of the New York City Tristate area will be gathering to celebrate the thirteenth celebration of Hindu Sangathan Diwas (Hindu Unity Day).
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18TH
3:30 PM – 8:00 PM
GANESH TEMPLE AUDITORIUM
143-09 Holly Avenue
Flushing, NY 11355
(718) 460-2500
Chief Guest:
Dr. Subramanian Swamy, former Cabinet Minister, Govt. of India
Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Frank Morales, Ph.D. (Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya)
President/Acharya - International Sanatana Dharma Society
Acharya – Hindu Temple of Nebraska
Enjoy a full evening of entertainment, including music, dance, and traditional Hindu arts.
More than 800 members of the Hindu community and renowned dignitaries, along with our Sikh, Buddhist and Jaina brothers, are expected to join hands with us. 40 Hindu associations/organizations are cooperating in this endeavor. Our intention in organizing this celebration is to create a feeling of pride in our Hindu heritage in our second generation.
You are cordially invited with your family and friends to participate in this exceptional event. Your presence, advice and cooperation in this effort are of utmost significance. We request you to please mark August 18th on your calendar and ensure that you attend this important event.
If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned at any time.
NARAIN KATARIA
(718) 478-5735
ARISH K. SAHANI
(718) 271-0453
DR. ARUN INALA
(732) 494-3433
V.K. SABAPATHY
(516) 732-2194
SURINDER VERMA
(718) 479-0882
VENKAT SARMA
(718) 961-4596
NAND RAMSINGHANI
(718) 651-9635
R.P. SINGH
(516) 868-8247
PABITRA CHAUDHURY
(718) 853-3091
BIDYUT SARKAR
(212) 673-5628
P.R. MOHAN
(718) 279-0866
SHER B. SINGH
(718) 470-0345
RAVI KAUR
(718) 429-5781
SUBHASH ARORA
(718) 424-4204
RAMA SHANKAR SINGH
(732) 906-0099
RAM SAKHRANI
(718) 445-3135
DR. RAJ GUPTA
(718) 539-5053
MANESH DAVE
(516) 775-8066
LALIT SHOREY
(718) 343-0012
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The Difference Between Devotion and Emotion
Dr. Frank Morales, Ph.D.
(Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya)
"Of all Yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith,
worshiping Me in transcendental devotional service, is most
intimately united with Me in Yoga and is the highest Yogi of all."
Bhagavan Sri Krishna, Bhagavad Gita, 6:47
The central message of the Bhagavad Gita, the most important
scripture in all of Sanatana Dharma, is that bhakti, or devotion to
the Absolute, constitutes the most effective and highly recommended
path in all of the Yoga tradition. It is truly unfortunate, however,
that despite the almost universally held importance of bhakti in the
history of Yoga, there seems to have always been a good deal of
misunderstanding on the part of many about what the terms "bhakti"
and "Bhakti Yoga" actually mean. I've read even many supposedly
knowledgeable authors write that bhakti is the Yoga of "emotion", or
that it somehow precludes any involvement with jnana (knowledge, or
intellectualism), philosophy, or serious Yogic sadhana (practice).
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The word "bhakti" is derived from the Sanskrit verb root `bhaj',
meaning "to share in, resort to, experience, partake of, cultivate,
worship, go to", etc. The object of this "experiencing" or "partaking
in" is, of course, God. In this definition, we can begin to
recognize in seed form what the foundational basis of Bhakti Yoga
consists of.
Bhakti is a trans-emotional state of consciousness that we are meant
to cultivate and uncover as the natural essence of our soul, and
Bhakti Yoga is a complex and rigorous system of Yoga designed to
bring its adherent to a progressively deeper state of meditative
absorption (samadhi) in the Divine. Thus, the term "bhakti" denotes
both a state of trans-empirical perceptual awareness and
phenomenological experience, as well as a philosophical system and
praxis designed to bring about such a higher state of awareness of
the Divine.
Bhakti is meditation in its fullest and deepest manifestation.
Bhakti actually denotes devotional meditative absorption. Unlike any
other system of Yoga, bhakti stands apart from all other systems in
that it actually constitutes both a means (upaya) toward the goal of
God-realization (and thus it is a Yoga), as well as the end (artha)
of Yoga itself in the form of a spiritual state of pure egolessness
and God-consciousness. Bhakti is not only the most effective and
most highly recommended means of enlightenment, but bhakti IS
enlightenment.
"Devotion" in this correctly understood bhakti sense is radically
different from "emotion". Bhakti is a state of consciousness that is
transcendent in essence and which reflects the innermost, latent
nature of the atman (true self) as being functionally contingent and
ontologically sustained by the Absolute. Bhakti, or devotion in this
more phenomenological sense, represents the true functional nature of
our soul. There is nothing material, or emotional, or sentimental
about bhakti at all.
Emotion, on the other hand, is held universally by all the schools of
Yoga and Dharmic spirituality, to be a purely material-originated
phenomenon that arises from manas (mind), chitta (psyche), desire
(kama) and anger (krodha). Thus, materially-inspired emotions are
unreal, temporary and negative in the truest, spiritual sense.
Emotions that stem from materialistic likes and dislikes are akin to
phantasms that – while certainly experienced in a very real way when
we have them – are nonetheless not of lasting importance. This is
especially true of negative emotions that arise from our illusion of
being separate from God.
Material emotions, for the yogi, are to be transcended. Devotion, for
the yogi, is to be cultivated.
This being said, Sanatana Dharma does not teach that emotions are
inherently an evil or unwanted instrument. Emotions in and of
themselves are actually a neutral tool. They are a tool that can be
used for either good or for self-bondage. The emotive mechanism is
just as much a neutral tool as is our mind, body, intellect, etc.
Just as is true of our mind, body, and intellect, it isn't that any
of these tools are inherently either good or bad. Rather, they're
good if they are under our control, and bad if they're not under our
control.
When a person has an uncontrolled mind, they're considered to be
mentally disturbed. When a person has an uncontrollable body, then
they're experiencing some sort of physical illness. In the same way,
when a person has emotions that are uncontrolled, they tend to be
emotionally unstable and thus unpeaceful. And peace is the direct
manifest symptom of spiritual transcendence.
To have normal, reactive emotions toward things that happen in our
lives is natural. Emotions arise as a result of external things that
affect us, which we then perceive as either good or bad. Just like if
someone hits us, we feel physical pain, in the same way if someone
hurts us emotionally, we then feel emotional pain. Emotions are a
natural effect to external stimuli – or at least to our perceptions
of such stimuli.
But if we were to cry for the next week because we gently stubbed our
toe, then we would be overreacting to a very miniscule amount of
physical pain, and we wouldn't really be in control of our physical
reactions. In the same way, if we overreact and give in to a sea of
uncontrollable emotion with every incident that happens to us, big
and small, then we are not serving ourselves, but rather being slaves
of our uncontrolled emotions.
So the idea that is espoused in Yoga spirituality is not to
artificially repress, ignore, or stifle our emotions, mind,
intellect, ego, body, etc., but to see them in their proper place in
relation to spirit, our true self, and to then control and thus
transcend their power over us. It is a simple matter of having
control over our emotions, rather than allowing our emotions to have
control over us.
A prevalent misconception that many have is that God-realized, or
enlightened, people are necessarily emotionless people because they
have learned to transcend emotion. Nothing could be further from the
truth. God-realized people are certainly not emotionless. On the
contrary! They can be the most fun people to be with. God-realized
sages can laugh, can cry, and can even exhibit anger when
appropriate. God-realized people can be emotional; but such emotions
tend to be positive emotions that are used in God's service, as well
as spiritual bhava, or transcendent states of consciousness that the
unwise might mistakenly confuse with material emotions. God-realized
persons: 1) try not to be ruled by their emotions; 2) tend to focus
on more positive emotions (love, compassion, pity, joy, etc.); 3) and
ultimately the emotive states that they experience most deeply are
the transcendental mellows of love between themselves and God, and
not the lower, reactive emotions that arise from sense perception.
In the highest state of Self-realization and God-realization, our
material emotions are keenly surpassed and are subsequently replaced
by devotional ecstasy and states of rapturous spiritual elations the
likes of which nothing in our present perceptual state can
comprehend. To experience such bliss, we must practice Bhakti Yoga,
the Yoga of devotion. The greatest textbook on Bhakti Yoga is the
Bhagavad Gita. Beginning with devoted study of the Bhagavad Gita,
coupled with daily meditation upon the Absolute under the expert
guidance of an authentic spiritual teacher (guru), we can know the
bliss of love of God.
The Author:
Dr. Frank Morales, Ph.D. (Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya) is an
American who has been practicing Sanatana Dharma for over 30 years.
He has a Ph.D. in Religious Studies and is recognized by the global
Hindu community as one of the leading Hindu Acharyas (Spiritual
Preceptors) in the nation. With a large international following of
both Indian and Western students, Sri Acharya Ji is especially
renowned for his highly authentic approach to Dharmic spirituality,
his authoritative and scholarly approach to teaching, and his clear
emphasis on serious spiritual practice and direct experience of self-
realization and knowledge of God. He has lectured on Sanatana Dharma
at such prestigious institutions as Harvard University, Columbia,
Rutgers, Cornell, Northwestern, as well as for such companies as Ford
Motor Corporation and Lucent Technology. He is the Founder and
President of the International Sanatana Dharma Society.
His primary websites are:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=DharmaNation
Please help support Sanatana Dharma by forwarding this article to
everyone you know.
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Embracing the Meaning of Our Human Existence
By Dr. Frank Morales, Ph.D.
(Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya)
Who among us has never, at some contemplative point in our lives or
another, asked ourselves the truly big questions, questions about the
ultimate meaning of this world, and of our lives in it? Questioning
the reason for our human existence is a very natural pursuit on the
part of any human being. Indeed, unlike any other species of life,
human beings alone have been gifted by God with the unique cognitive
ability to engage in self-reflection upon our very own existence as
human beings. To be human means to question what it means to be
human.
It is especially when such existential questions arise in our minds
that we find ourselves understandably turning to the precise fields
of knowledge that deal most directly with such questions: the sister
fields of religion and philosophy. In the following, I will answer
this universal query from the perspective of the most ancient religio-
philosophical system on earth, Sanatana Dharma.
The nature of existence has been dealt with by many philosophers,
both Western and Asian, from the beginning of time. Whether we are
speaking of Thomas Aquinas and his metaphysical distinction of
existence and essence, Soren Kierkegaard and his attempts to come to
grips with the problem of existence from a Protestant perspective,
the Existentialists of the 20th Century, or the Samkhya and Vedanta
schools of Sanatana Dharma, the nature of our existence has been on
the minds of some of history's greatest thinkers.
The most basic of all philosophical questions that can be asked is:
Why do human beings exist? When I open my eyes in the morning, why
is it that there is something rather than nothing? In order to
sufficiently analyze this question, the question itself really needs
to be divided into two closely related questions: a) why do we exist
at all, b) why do we exist as human beings. I'll try to answer both
from the perspective of Yoga spirituality and Sanatana Dharma.
According to the ancient wisdom of Dharma, we exist to begin with
because it's our very innate nature to exist. The sacred scriptures
of both Yoga and Sanatana Dharma teach us that our true, innermost
nature is that we are atman, or eternal units of consciousness. We
have the Absolute (Brahman, or God) as both our causative and
substantial source, and as the ontological sustainer of our
existential being. Having God as our underlying source, it
necessarily follows that we naturally share in many of God's
essential attributive qualities. Because we participate in God's
innate attributes - and if not to a quantitatively equivalent degree,
then certainly to a qualitative one - we too share in many of God's
qualities. One of those attributes that both God and we have in
common is necessary existence. In other words, both God and we
ourselves (atmans, or souls) are eternal by our inherent nature. God
and individual atmans cannot but exist. To go out of existence is
simply not within the realm of our capability.
Never was there a time when we came into being, and never will there
be a time when we cease to exist. So, in a way, we exist because we
cannot but exist, being purely spiritual beings in essence. Such is
our nature, for it is the nature of God, the ultimate source of our
being.
A deeper question than the principle of necessary existence, however,
is: why is it the case that we were even gifted with necessary
existence to begin with? Sanatana Dharma answers this in the
following manner. Brahman (God) is One (ekam). But as a natural
result of the overflowing abundance of the Infinite, God decides to
become more than One. God thus becomes One-with-attributes
(vishishta-advaita). Consequently, in addition to Brahman, we also
have atman (individual selves) and jagat (materiality). As atman, we
have our own individual existence in attributive relationship with
Brahman (God) in order to know, and love, and serve Brahman.
The second part of our question on human existence – "why do we exist
as human beings?" – can then be understood from understanding the
first part. As beings who partake in God's necessary existence and
attributive nature, we are currently in a state of self-imposed
separation from God due to our self-destructive fascination with ego
and the objects of ego. It is ego, and the subsequent selfishness
and self-centeredness that result from ego, that produce the various
layers of illusory self that we mistakenly identify with our true,
spiritual identity.
The "human person" is in actuality a complex symbiosis comprised of
several distinct aggregates, including physical body (deha), mind
substance, (manas), intellect (buddhi), ego (ahamkara), the vital
force (prana), and ultimately atman as the source of consciousness
and animating source. While the "human person" is an artificial and
temporal construct comprised of these many elements, it is the atman
alone that is the true self, and that is eternal, true, beautiful,
indestructible, and blissful by its own inherent nature, having God
(Brahman) as its source of being.
We thus find ourselves in human form (and sometimes other forms!) in
an endlessly unsuccessful attempt to selfishly enjoy ourselves in the
illusion that we can have a meaningful existence without the benefit
of God's love. We are identifying with the temporal instead of the
eternal, with the shallow instead of the profound, with the material
instead of the spiritual, with the illusory instead of the real.
The meaning of life in human form is to thus reverse this negative
and self-defeating tendency to serve our ego, and to instead once
again serve God. We are here, as human beings, to transcend our
merely human nature, to re-embrace our true identity as eternal
spiritual beings, and to partake of the Divine nature that is our
birthright, that is our natural state of being, and that is our true
home. We are here to know, and to love, and to serve the Divine.
In Sanatana Dharma, God is presented as the source of all goodness,
acceptance, compassion, and non-judgmental love. God is embraced and
loved without restrictions, without fear, without force, and without
loss. This is a very different conception of the Absolute when
compared to the notion we find in the Western, Abrahamic religious
constructs of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Unlike in the
Abrahamic religions, in Sanatana Dharma we find a concept of God as
not only being a thoroughly transcendent source of reality, but also
as a lovingly imminent and intimate friend who provides us all with a
means for achieving immediate knowledge, and a direct and ecstatic
experience of Him.
The path of Sanatana Dharma offers us such profoundly philosophical
works as the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, and Vedas for the unfailing
guidance and knowledge necessary to comprehend life's meaning. It
also offers us a systematic path of spiritual practice that leads
directly to a personal experience of the Divine. This path includes
the ancient and highly effective processes of Yoga, meditation, puja,
and devotion to God.
To truly know the answer to the meaning of human life, however, it is
not enough ultimately to merely engage in an intellectual
understanding of Truth. Rather, we need to personally experience the
sweet taste of Truth as the immediate presence of God in our hearts
and in our lives. To experience the profound bliss of God's presence
in your life, and to truly know why we have the joy of existence,
please explore the profound depths of spiritual realization that
Sanatana Dharma has to offer you. To be human is to ask.
The Author:
Dr. Frank Morales, Ph.D. (Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya) is an
American who has been practicing Sanatana Dharma for over 30 years.
He has a Ph.D. in Religious Studies and is recognized by the global
Hindu community as one of the leading Hindu Acharyas (Spiritual
Preceptors) in the nation. With a large international following of
both Indian and Western students, Sri Acharya Ji is especially
renowned for his highly authentic approach to Dharmic spirituality,
his authoritative and scholarly approach to teaching, and his clear
emphasis on serious spiritual practice and direct experience of self-
realization and knowledge of God. He has lectured on Sanatana Dharma
at such prestigious institutions as Harvard University, Columbia,
Rutgers, Cornell, Northwestern, as well as for such companies as Ford
Motor Corporation and Lucent Technology. He is the Founder and
President of the International Sanatana Dharma Society.
His primary websites are:
http://www.drfrankmorales.sulekha.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/supportstore
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Dharma Journal
Authentic Dharma for Today's World
_____
February 7th, 2007 - Founded in 1998
The Teachings of the Bhagavad Gita
[THE SPIRIT IS ETERNAL - THE BODY IS TRANSITORY ]
The invisible Spirit (Atma, Atman) is eternal, and the visible physical body, is transitory. The reality of these two is indeed certainly seen by the seers of truth. (2.16)
The Spirit by whom this entire universe is pervaded is indestructible. No one can destroy the imperishable Spirit. (2.17)
The physical bodies of the eternal, immutable, and incomprehensible Spirit are perishable. Therefore fight, O Arjuna. (2.18)
The one who thinks that the Spirit is a slayer, and the one who thinks the Spirit is slain, both are ignorant. Because the Spirit neither slays nor is slain. (2.19)
The Spirit is neither born nor does it die at any time. It does not come into being, or cease to exist. It is unborn, eternal, permanent, and primeval. The Spirit is not destroyed when the body is destroyed. (2.20)
O Arjuna, how can a person who knows that the Spirit is indestructible, eternal, unborn, and immutable, kill anyone or causes anyone to be killed? (2.21)
_____________
You Are Soul
"The soul can’t be seen, heard, smelled or tripped over. It can only be vividly experienced as the deepest meaning of who and what we are. Don’t look for your soul. Rather, simply know that you are soul. The truth of the matter is not that you have a soul, but that you are soul. Your soul is not a small part of you, like your spleen or your liver. It is you. And thus, it can never be lost. You can never be lost."
<X> </X><X> </X><X> </X><X> </X><X> </X>- Dr. Frank Morales
______________
Announcements:
1) Radio Interview
On Tuesday, January 30th, Dr. Morales was interviewed for 50 minutes for a Hindu radio program in Dallas, Texas. Some of the topics covered included Dr. Morales' personal journey to the Hindu path, practicing Dharma in America, and the nature of God in Sanatana Dharma. The show has an audience of approximately 10,000.
2) New York Teaching Tour
Dr. Morales will be on a teaching tour of the New York City area from February 22 - March 5th. Included on the itinerary are a lecture at Columbia University, a satsangh for the ISKCON temple as 26 Second Avenue (the first temple established by Srila Prabhupada, the founder of the Krishna Consciousness movement), an appearance on local T.V., as well as 3 - 4 talks at local Hindu temples. For further information on Dr. Morales' itinerary, please contact Ms. Nandarani Sahadeo at: (718) 835-2269.
3) Dharma Journal List:
The "Dr. Frank Morales List" , which includes Dharma Journal, is now one of the largest groups on Hinduism on all of ! Of almost 4200 different Hindu groups, Dr. Morales' list is ranked #76 in size.
4) New Myspace Yoga Spirituality Group
For our members who also have Myspace accounts (www.myspace.com), we have started a new Myspace Yoga Spirituality discussion group. Please feel free to join the group and engage in discussions on Yoga philosophy, practice and spirituality.
http://groups.myspace.com/yogaspirituality You must sign up as a member of Myspace to visit the group.
_____
Some Feedback:
"You are an Awakened Heart!"
<X> </X><X> </X>- Ann Tognetti
"Dr. Morales, I read your article "Does Hunduism Teach That all Religions are the Same." Great article! I really enjoyed reading it and learnt a great deal about myself as a Hindu. Wonderfully lucid. Please keep writing."
<X> </X><X> </X>- Arjun Rana
"Your website is divine, beautiful, informative and Excellent."
<X> </X>- M.P. Bhattathiri (Retired Chief Technical Examiner, Govt. of Kerala)
"I have just finished reading your scholarly piece on Radical Universalism. It is absolutely mind-blowing and completely demolishes Radical Universalism without leaving even a trace of it alive. I am amazed at your clarity of writing, the piece also helped me understand the soteriology of Buddhism and Jainism. I appreciate your work and request that you write more similar articles that common Hindus and non-Hindus such as me would be capable of reading and comprehending."
<X> </X>- Sooraj Ratnakumar
"I am so grateful, I find you as a true Yogi. I read and have forwarded your articles to the United Hindu Jain Society of Washington DC (I am one of the directors of it) for further dissemination. I recommend your analysis of Sanatana Dharma to be included to the U.S. schools to explain Hinduism."
<X> </X>- Hari Bindal (Director - United Hindu Jain Society of Washington, D.C.)
"I found the work of Dr. Frank Morales interesting, admirable and inspiring. It's good to see another person with a European background who has found value and sustenance in the Dharma. "
<X> </X>- Stephen Shotton
“Dr. Morales, I am astounded at your knowledge and realization of our Dharma. That an American would grasp the Divine teachings as deeply as you have is wondrous. You are truly a Maha Jagad Guru, the Great World Teacher.”
- Sri Swami Brahmananda Saraswati
______________
Questions & Answers
"This is an excellent part of the Divine Knowledge. I will be grateful if you can elaborate on child body, youth body and old body for the soul after rebirth. Do we have control of these? How is the wisdom and consciousness in earlier life carried forward in the body after rebirth?"
<X> </X>- Srikant Bhave
Dr. Frank Morales' Answer:
Dear Sri Bhave, thank you for your questions on the process of reincarnation. Lord Krishna explains in the Bhagavad Gita that "dehino'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara / tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati", "As the embodied self continually passes in this body from childhood to youth to old age, similarly the self passes into another body at death. The self-realized one is not bewildered by such a change." The body and the atman (true self), though connected to each other in this life due to the atman's temporary state of illusion (maya), are two completely distinct ontological realities. The body is made up of prakrti, or matter. Thus the body exhibits the qualities and limitations of materiality. The body is temporary, transitory, and composed of composite inessential attributes. The atman, on the other hand, reflects the perfect transcendental nature of Bhagavan (God). Thus, being made in God's image, and sharing in His divine attributes, the soul is eternal, beautiful, blissful, monadic, and ever the servant of the Absolute.
As a result of the dynamic interplay of the pure, eternal atman being temporarily housed in the transitory, ever-changing body, we see that the body is always changing. We go from having a youthful body, to that of a mature adult, to finally that of an old person. Even while the body is undergoing such change, however, we are always aware that there is a inner essence, an experiencer (drishti) who does not change. Though my body constantly changes, "I" remain an unchanging constant. That experiencer is the atman (spirit soul), who then leaves the body at death to pursue its destiny in a future body in accordance with its karma and desires.
Consciousness is carried over into the next birth simply because the atman is pure consciousness itself. The atman is synonymous with individuated consciousness. True spiritual wisdom (prajnana), too, is carried onto the next life because all spiritual advancement that is made in one life is never lost in the next. Spiritual wisdom, being transcendent and thus thoroughly non-material in nature, is eternally a part of us.
In order to experience the pure atman, to have a taste of the ecstatic bliss of self-realization, the Dharmic scriptures advise us to pursue self-realization and God consciousness by meditating daily on the divine names of God, by the spiritual practice of Yoga, by studying God's sacred instructions, such as the Bhagavad Gita, and by cultivating such qualities as humility, devotion, compassion, and sincerity in our hearts.
Thank you again for your questions.
Om Shanti,
Dr. Frank Morales
(Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya)
_______________
For further information on the philosophy and path of Dharma, please visit us on the web:
http://www.dharmacentral.com/Store/Shakti_Principle.htm
Thank you to all our member and readers for your wonderful support and encouragement of Dharma Journal and the teaching efforts of Dr. Frank Morales. Please feel free to forward this Dharma Journal newsletter to friends, family and discussion lists interested in Sanatana Dharma, meditation, and Yoga spirituality.
© 2007, Dharma Journal. <X> </X>Volume 9, issue 3
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Dharma Journal
Authentic Dharma for Today's World
_____
January 22nd, 2007 - Founded in 1998
The Teachings of the Bhagavad Gita
On Body & Spirit
Lord Krishna said: You grieve for those who are not worthy of grief, and
yet speak words of wisdom. The wise grieves neither for the living nor for
the dead. (2.11)
There was never a time when these monarchs, you, or I did not exist; nor
shall we ever cease to exist in the future. (2.12)
Just as the soul acquires a childhood body, a youth body, and an old age
body during this life; similarly, the soul acquires another body after
death. This should not delude the wise. (See also 15.08) (2.13)
The contacts of the senses with the sense objects give rise to the
feelings of heat and cold, and pain and pleasure. They are transitory and
impermanent. Therefore, one should learn to endure them. (2.14)
Because a calm person who is not afflicted by these sense objects, and is
steady in pain and pleasure becomes fit for salvation. (2.15)
_____________
True Equality
"The true basis of equality lies in the recognition that we are not merely
these diverse physical bodies composed of dead matter, but are in
actuality the pure, eternal soul lying hidden within. Every material body
is different from every other material body; some are stronger, some are
more beautiful, some are bigger or more healthy. Thus materiality can
never be the basis of equality. There is no equality between material
bodies, but only on the higher level of pure spirit."
- Dr. Frank Morales
______________
Announcements:
1) New Dharma Store Service:
Dharma Central now has a new on-line Dharma store available for all your
Yoga needs. With beautiful Om tee-shirts, Yoga pants and clothing, mugs,
bumper stickers and many other great items, please support Dharma Central
by purchasing something fun for yourself or a loved one today! To see our
many beautiful products, please visit us at:
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All purchase donations go directly to supporting the important work of
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2) Living Dharma Lecture Tour:
Between January and June, 2007, Dr. Morales will be conducting an
extensive lecture tour of the U.S. and Caribbean. The focus of the talks
will be Living Dharma in the Twenty-First Century. Among the places Dr.
Morales will be visiting are: New York, New Jersey, Dallas, Kansas City,
Minneapolis, Omaha, and Guyana. Exact dates and locations will be given
in the next issue of Dharma Journal.
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Some Feed Back:
"Wow. Wow. Thank you so much for your website. What a beacon of light."
- Valentina Brandon, RN
"I found Dr. Morales to be genuine." - Leela Bruner (founder/spiritual
guide - Power of Love Temple)
"When I read over your words, I was excited to see that the true gems of
Hinduism had been understood and expressed with such clarity. I found
your article, "Does Hinduism Have a Future in America?" to address the
pertinent issues with insightful solutions, which if achieved, would
alleviate the danger Hinduism faces today." - Swarup Swaminathan
(Publicity Director - Hindu Students Organization)
"Someone of your spiritual eminence is a treasure for all and so whatever
is in your best interest will benefit every seeker and devotee. In your
freedom and spiritual journey is hope for us all. The light of spiritual
knowledge is to be shared and not restricted. May the Parabrahman bless
you with all you desire." - Dr. Sanjay Singh (Chairman of the Hindu
Temple of Omaha)
"Stay cool! You're cool and should stay that way!" - Steven Rosen
(author of two dozen books on Hinduism, and editor of the Journal of
Vaisnava Studies)
______________
"There are two distinct and irreconcilable paths on the spiritual journey.
The first is the way of ego and power. The second is the way of devotion
and surrender. One leads to further bondage. The other takes us to true
freedom. We can only choose one of these paths."
- Dr. Frank Morales
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For further information on the philosophy and path of Dharma, please visit
us on the web:
http://www.dharmacentral.com/Store/Shakti_Principle.htm
Please forward this Dharma Journal newsletter to friends who are
interested in Sanatana Dharma, meditation, and Yoga spirituality.
© 2007, Dharma Journal. Volume 9, issue 2
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Dharma Journal
Authentic Dharma for Today's World
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January 8th, 2007 Founded 1998
On one occasion Narada went to the Lord. In the course of their
conversation, Narayana asked Narada, "You are moving around all the three
worlds, what news have you brought for Me from your wanderings? Have you seen anything new in creation?"
"What is greater than yourself in creation", replied Narada.
" I am asking about My creation and not about Myself", said Narayana.
Narada replied, "I do not understand the question.There are five
elements, the Pancha Bhutas. Which is the greatest among them? ", Narayana asked. Narada said, "The earth is the biggest." Narayana said, "In the earth three fourths are occupied by water." Narada agreed that water is greater than the earth. But Narayana observed, "All oceans were drunk by the sage Agasthya in one gulp. Therefore who is greater, water or Agasthya? " Narada agreed that Agasthya was greater. But Narayana again observed that "Agasthya is remaining as a star in the sky. In the vast firmament, Agasthya is merely twinkling like a small star; is not the firmament greater than the star?" Narada agreed that firmament is greater than Agasthya. Again Narayana said, "In My Avatar as Vamana I covered the entire earth and sky with one foot of Mine. So is the firmament greater or My foot? Then Narada said, "Your foot". "If My foot itself is so great, am I not greater than My foot? ", Narayana asked. Narada agreed.
Then Narayana said, "Although I am great, I am confined in the heart of My
devotees. So the devotees are greater than Myself. Therefore, wherever My devotees sing My name, I am there."
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Announcements:
1) Dr. Morales Interviewed for Book
On June 5th, Dr. Morales was interviewed by Mr. Gary Stern (A New York
journalist with "The Journal News") for an upcoming book on the religious
community's response to such natural disasters as the Tsunami that struck South Asia in 2004. Dr. Morales answered questions on: the nature of suffering in Yoga and Hinduism; the meaning of karma; the importance of compassion in Dharma; the Hindu response to disasters, among other questions.
2) Lecture at Omaha Hindu Temple
On Sunday, January 14th, 2:30 PM, Dr. Morales will be conducting a lecture at the Hindu Temple of Omaha. The talk is called: "Living the Path of Dharma in the Twenty-First Century." For further information, please contact Mr. Sudhir Kalra (402) 639-2658.
3) "Does Hinduism Have a Future in America?":
Dr. Morales' very latest article is now available at:
http://www.sulekha.com/blogs/blogdisplay.aspx?cid=38445 In this
ground-breaking work, Dr. Morales discusses the history and current state of Dharma in America, and what practical efforts need to be done to ensure the survival of authentic Dharma spirituality. This history-making document has been read by over 4000 people in its first week of release alone.
4) "The Shakti Principle" Website:
Dr. Morales' newest book, "The Shakti Principle: Encountering the Feminine Power of God", is now available on-line. This is a must read for anyone interested in personal spiritual growth, having deeper meaning in their lives, or creating positive social change. Please visit us on the web, and order your copy of this deeply thought-provoking work today!
http://www.dharmacentral.com/Store/Shakti_Principle.htm
____
Some Feedback:
"I seek your blessings to hear on Yoga Spirituality." - G.S. Vidyashankar
"I chanced upon your blog through "Tribute to Hinduism" website and
greatly admired your writing." - Deepa Singh
"I come from Indonesia. This morning, I found very good articles about Dr.
Morales that allowed me to explore more deeply about possibility to exchange some experiences, especially to find "GOD" through His creation. I believe in Dr. Morales' ability and capability; he can see with his 'heart's eyes'."
- Dharma Fitriyanto
"Namaste. I really appreciate your insights and ideas. And I've been
thinking along the same lines as you, although I have not let it out so much." - Steven Knapp (author of ten books on Hinduism)
"Dr. Morales comes across to me as a very sincere and honest practitioner and teacher of Hindu Dharma. Dr. Morales is a very devoted, practicing Hindu and at the same time, he is very well versed in the academic jargon that is so necessary to communicate with his peers in US Universities. He preaches a spiritually oriented, non-sectarian brand of Hindu Dharma, bringing out the deepest truths of our traditions in a very lucid language." - Vishal Agarwal (Hindu author/researcher)
"Your ideas and actions have the potential to be revolutionary." - Niraj Mohanka (Hindu activist/researcher)
________
"Always do everything intentionally. If you can live each and every
moment of your life in consciousness and awareness of yourself, your
environment, and others, you will then live life to its fullness."
- Dr. Frank Gaetano Morales
_______________
For further information on the philosophy and path of Dharma, please visit us on the web:
http://www.dharmacentral.com/Store/Shakti_Principle.htm
Please forward this Dharma Wisdom newsletter to friends who are interested in Sanatana Dharma, meditation, and Yoga spirituality.
© 2007, Dharma Journal. Volume 9, issue 1
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<!--StartFragment -->"How I Became a Hindu":
Dharma Sun Media has created and placed a new Video by Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya on YouTube. "How I Became a Hindu" explores Acharya Ji's personal journey from the streets of Brooklyn to the feet of God, and how he became a follower of Sanatana Dharma.
How I Became a Hindu
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I would agree competely. Please refrain from speculating about matters concerning a different sampradaya.
Sorry but that's not what Narayana means. You must be an Advitin. I'd rather a representative of a srivaishna sadacharya speak.Thanks nevertheless
Mohn-krsna
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Great news! It's about time. Thanks for sharing.
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Great idea! Good luck with the petition.
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I'm so sorry to hear about your situation. Stress is truly a horrible thing. I would certainly try to do some sincere bhakti-oriented meditation. For example, first listening to your breath for a few minutes to calm the body and mind, and then chanting the sacred mantra:
Om Namo Narayanaya
for about 15 minutes or so, in a mood of surrender and devotion to the Lord. That always works for me. Hope this helps. Take care!
i am currently under very presuuried situation, regarding everything career, family life and education my dob is 30jul1980,pithapuram,eastgodavari district, can any one suggest remedies for my suffering please:deal:
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Do Hare Krsnas say that their's is the only true religion?
I am looking for a couple of simple and clear reasons for why anyone would consider the Hare Krishna movement to be the most truthful understanding of what God wants from us. Why would I commit my life to the Hare Krishna movement as opposed to any other Religion? -
Welcome to the group. Thanks for sharing.
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Beautiful! May I ask where this tradition is found? Thank you.
Before having food, the following mantras need to be chanted..1) OM BHUR BHUVAH SUVAH
TAT SAVITURVARENYAM
BHARGO DEVASYA DHIMAHI
DHIYO YO NAH PRACHODAYAAT
This is called Gaayatri mantra - gaayantam trayate iti gayatri - ie, that which protects it's chanter is gayatri.
2) take some water in hand, and spill it over the place, enrircling the food in the anticlockwise direction.
while doing so, chant the Gaayatri.
3) then take small bits of food each and put it in your mouth.
Each time, chant the below mantras.
OM Pranaaya Swaaha
OM Apanaaya Swaaha
OM Vyanaaya Swaaha
OM Udanaaya Swaaha
OM Samanaaya Swaaha
Finally, OM Brahmane Swaaha
and then Brahmana AAthma Amritathvaaya.
4) Start taking full morsels of food. While eating food, it is desirable that you keep in mind God and His Vibhutis. (what I do is, ponder over the meaning of the holy names in Vishnu Sahasranaam)
5) At the end, sip a bit of water, enough to wet your throat, and chant the below mantra.
Amrithaapidhaanamasi. (let this food confer immortality to me)
If you require further clarifications, let me know.
Sahasraarchi
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Good saying. I would only state it somewhat differently. "I'll see it when it is revealed to me."
The skeptic says,"I'll believe it when I see it.":eek2:
The mystic says,
"I'll see it when I believe it.":pray:
Skeptic, cynics, empericists, reductionists, etc... have no way of 'seeing' KRSNA due to their faulty method of approach.
Hare Krsna!
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Thank you for the book recommendation.
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I have studied the principals of hinduism. I understand Moshka, and Karma.I rember a teacher saying something about a form of Hinduism, that believes in a heaven and hell, instead of the reincarnation. is this true?
thanks
Sanatana Dharma teaches both concepts simultaneously. We reincarnate through both the hellish and heavenly realms, as well as through the earthly plane.
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Overcoming Depression with Meditation
Dr. Frank Morales, Ph.D.
(Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya)
Modern <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region><st1:place>America</st1:place></st1:country-region> is a land of many interesting, and often painfully ironic, contradictions. On the one hand, we supposedly enjoy more prosperity, longevity, comforts, and conveniences in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> than any other civilization has even dreamed of in previous history. Supposedly.
On the other hand, however, <st1:country-region><st1:place>America</st1:place></st1:country-region> is currently going through one of the biggest mental health crises that any nation in history has ever experienced. Various forms of depression, anxiety disorders and neuroses are affecting millions of Americans. Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million American adults, or about 9.5% of the <st1:country-region><st1:place>U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> population age 18 and older in any given year. For those cases of depression that are reported, many more remain unreported, and thus unknown. This current mental health crisis includes such ailments as major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder.
What is especially disturbing is that depression is increasingly a common occurrence among the nation's young, a demographic that should be enjoying the fun and carefree life usually associated with childhood. Pre-schoolers are the fastest-growing market for antidepressants. At least four percent of preschoolers -- over a million! -- are considered clinically depressed. CNN recently reported on a study that revealed that as many as 3 million teenagers contemplated suicide in 2006. The rate of increase of depression among children is an astounding 23%.
30% of women are depressed. Men's figures were previously thought to be half that of women, but new estimates show that the actual figures are higher than at first suspected.
Depression will be the second largest killer after heart disease by 2020 -- and medical studies have shown that depression is a contributory factor to fatal coronary disease.
Depression results in more absenteeism and loss of employment than almost any other physical disorder, and costs employers more than US$51 billion per year in absenteeism and lost productivity, not including high medical and pharmaceutical bills.
The treatment modalities often used in the attempt to combat depression are diverse and have varied results. Some of these treatments include talk therapy and anti-depression medications. Currently, several million Americans are on various anti-depressants, including Prozac, Lexapro, and Amitriptyline. Many of these anti-depression medications have had only mixed results.
Antidepressants work for 35% to 45% of the depressed population, while more recent figures suggest as low as 30%. Standard antidepressants, SSRIs such as Prozac, Paxil (Aropax) and Zoloft, have recently been revealed to have serious risks, and are linked to suicide, violence, psychosis, abnormal bleeding, and brain tumors.
Though most doctors advise a combination of therapy and antidepressants, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has an 80% relapse rate in the long term.
While medication and therapy can often take the edge off of the experience of depression, they are far from successful in all instances. The only truly effective cure lies in going to the root of depression. That root is ultimately spiritual in nature.
Depression is itself only a direct symptomatic manifestation of the radical secularization of human society. Previous to secular modernity, depression was a much less prevalent phenomenon. And when it was experienced, the reasons were more clearly environmental and causal than they are now. In the past, depression was directly associated with a specific event or occurrence in the person's life that directly caused the depression. Today, however, an increasing number of depressed persons are experiencing more generalized depression, a type of general existential angst, the exact cause of which it is difficult for them to pinpoint. Some of the leading causes of depression today include a sense of meaninglessness; consuming and generalized fear; spiritual crises, and the high degrees of stress and anxiety that has become accepted as normal in modern, radically secularized, everyday life.
For younger people, especially, when asked why they are experiencing deep depression, many youth will point to a complete sense of meaninglessness in their lives. The don't know why they are here, what their purpose in life is, why they are bothering to learn and work hard, and why our present-day, materialistic society is geared in such a way as to provide them with no real answers to their quest for meaning. While pop culture, technology, and the youth scene serves as a temporary outlet for many teens, more often than not it only serves to tremendously exacerbate the problem of depression.
Secular modernity presents us with a social-philosophical construct that is artificial, anti-natural, and ultimately destructive and unhealthy in nature. In our society, we have been deprived of the age-tested, fundamental vehicles through which we can excel spiritually, intellectually, and culturally. Spirituality and Dharma, which form the basis of all meaningful human growth and progress, has been systematically and viciously erased from modern secular societies to such a radical extent that hundreds of millions of persons worldwide are vividly feeling the ill effects of a life devoid of meaning, value, nobility, goodness, heroism, and the quest for Truth.
The search for truth has been replaced in the lives of billions with the search for entertainment.
Rather than encouraging such spiritual values as courage, nobility, and heroism, the modern world today encourages the coldly unsatisfying propaganda of radical egalitarianism. Rather than encouraging the nurturing of the inner life of the spirit, and the natural joy, peace and fulfillment that results from a healthy spiritually-centered life, today it is only selfish economic advancement and the value of purchasing power that is advocated. Rather than a lifestyle of mental, physical and spiritual health, today lifestyles of selfish hedonism, consumerism, greed, fame, and lust are upheld as the ideal course of behavior, and the values toward which all should aspire.
Dharma, the principle of living one's life in accordance with Natural Law and God's will in a manner that is healthy, fulfilling, nurturing, and truly progressive, has now been replaced with an artificial and life-denying lifestyle that only produces a profound sense of meaninglessness and anxiety.
The ultimate cure for society's present crisis of depression and meaninglessness is to re-embrace a life of meaning, a life of Dharma. Dharma, by its very definition, denotes the sustaining foundation of all reality. Dharma is the concept that all that we experience in this world is based upon a higher, spiritual reality that provides the ordering principles necessary for the proper function of the world. To understand Dharma is to understand the world, and the natural laws behind all things that make life a meaningful and beautiful expression of the Divine in spacial-temporal reality. To know Dharma is to know life's ultimate meaning. And the way to fully know Dharma is through the process of meditation.
For millennia, a spiritually based practice of meditation has been shown to be very effective in combating such problems as stress, anxiety, fear, and feelings of meaninglessness. Because meditation addresses the root causes of depression and anxiety, the time honored techniques of meditation can be a much more effective cure for depression than either talk-therapy or medication.
Meditation is a natural, easy and proven method that has been shown in hundreds of clinical studies to bring about deep states of peace, calm and mental clarity. In addition, a specifically spiritual regimen of daily meditation can help to foster a deep sense of meaning and spiritual comfort.
Meditation has been shown to work on two distinct levels: a) the cognitive level, and b) the spiritual level. On the cognitive level, meditation helps to bring about a deep equipoise and a calming relief to one's overactive mind. Today, especially, the mind is constantly bombarded with an unending stream of diverse information - some valuable, most useless. As a direct result of such information bombardment, the mind is in an almost constant state of agitation and confusion. Meditation serves to calm the mind, allowing our attention to shift from the storm of external stimuli to the deep inner peace that is the natural state of the soul. As a consequence of having a calm mind, we then find that we can think and make important decisions with much more clarity, insight, and power. We are now able to process information in a way that serves us, rather than merely being the victims of myriad sensory impressions and information overload.
On the more spiritual level, meditation has the ability to provide us with deep levels of self-realization and God-realization that, up till now, may have seemed to be impossible attainments to many of us. By meditating with the expressed goal of making spiritual progress, and knowing God and self, we then traverse beyond the merely cognitive and mental, and begin to penetrate the inner realms of eternal spirit. When we have self-realization, we now experience the transcendent peace and calm that is the natural result of living in spirit. When we have God-realization, we are now in communion with the very source of our being, the eternal, loving Absolute who is our very best of friends, and greatest of well-wishers. In such a transcendent state of spiritual attainment, no anxiety, stress, depression, or fear can ever burden our minds or hearts again. For we have now, through the process of spiritual meditation, realized the infinite well of spiritual peace that lies naturally within.
The root cause of most depression today, then, is the pervasive sense of meaninglessness that naturally accompanies life in a radically secularized, materialistic society. The cure to such existential meaninglessness is to partake profoundly in the spiritual nature of our true selves and the spiritual foundations underlying our everyday concerns. The artificial construct of materialism needs to be replaced with Dharma, and the natural lifestyle and spiritual way of being that Dharma teaches us to embrace. The most effective way of accessing the spiritual reality that is our true self, and thus to over-come the unnatural state of depression, is God-centered meditation as taught in the ancient tradition of Sanatana Dharma.
For further information about overcoming depressing and learning to embrace happiness again through meditation, please contact the International Sanatana Dharma Society.
The Author:
Dr. Frank Morales, Ph.D. (Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya) is an American who has been practicing Sanatana Dharma for over 30 years. He has a Ph.D. in Religious Studies and is recognized by the global Hindu community as one of the leading Hindu Acharyas (Spiritual Preceptors) in the nation. With a large international following of both Indian and Western students, Sri Acharya Ji is especially renowned for his highly authentic approach to Dharmic spirituality, his authoritative and scholarly approach to teaching, and his clear emphasis on serious spiritual practice and direct experience of self-realization and knowledge of God. He has lectured on Sanatana Dharma at such prestigious institutions as <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Harvard</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>University</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, <st1:City><st1:place>Columbia</st1:place></st1:City>, <st1:place>Rutgers</st1:place>, Cornell, Northwestern, as well as for such companies as Ford Motor Corporation and Lucent Technology. He is the Founder and President of the International Sanatana Dharma Society.
What Does it Mean to Know God?
in Spiritual Discussions
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Revolutionary New Dharma Video
"What Does it Mean to Know God?"
........ width="425" height="344">
In this beautifully produced, revolutionary new video presentation,
Sri Dharma Pravartaka Acharya (Dr. Frank Morales, Ph.D.) explains to
us what it truly means to know God in our lives. Delivered before an
audience of 200 people, this brief yet profound talk goes to the very
heart of what it means to understand Dharma, and to experience the
Divine in a vivid and meaningful way.
Watch this powerful new video, and be prepared to have your life
transformed.
Please forward this important information to any discussion groups,
web sites, email lists, and media that you can. Please link to this
important video. Please help us to serve you, and to serve Dharma.
Thank you.
Aum Hari Aum
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