Our Spiritual Genetics

Tags

expressions, genetics, mutations, spirituality

In high-school biology class, I was enamored by genetics, particularly Mendel’s experiments. The idea that one could selectively introduce specific traits (genes) into living beings (peas, in Mendel’s case) so that they could find subsequent expression in future generations was utterly fascinating to me. The further notion that these traits, once introduced into a species, would remain intact between generations, while finding dominant or recessive expression, was even more fascinating. For me, genetics gave new perspective to the term, individual expression.

Genetics provides the framework, the foundation for what we are given. Our inherited genetic code is something that we (apparently) cannot change. On the surface, this could be interpreted as a restriction of our freedom to choose. However, biology class also taught me that heredity is only one side of the coin. Our full individual expression is a function of our genetics and the second side of the coin, our environment. This is good news indeed, because it means that even though we may have been given a weak foundation, we still have the power of choice.

That choice is expressed in the environment that we choose. We cannot necessarily change the map, but we can choose the path, the destination and how we choose to travel. We may been born into a particular set of beliefs, values, even a religion (or lack of religion), and that is our “map”. Yet, our spiritual expression, our involution [inn(er-re)volution], need not be constrained our genetics. The choices of our associations, our communities, our personal practices reflects the type of house we build on the foundation that we are given.

But there is more. As we dig a bit deeper, and learn more about our genetics, and particularly our alleles (variations of a particular gene in a chromosome), we can gain greater awareness. For instance, we can learn why our eyes are a slightly different hue of black (or brown or blue) than those our siblings. This increased awareness can be used to mitigate the expression of some of our negative traits. With the choice of a better environment, we can alleviate or alleliate away our flaws. This is called epigenetics – by changing our genetic expression… we get closer to complete freedom!

epigenetics – the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself…

Maybe the (spiritual) giants (and Shakespeare) knew something that science is discovering just recently. The fault is not in our stars, our genetics. And even if we believe that our genetics are faulty, we have the choice to change our beliefs through our environment, and control how those so-called faults find expression. So, the question is – what do we truly believe? What is the expression of those beliefs creating within us? And if those beliefs are not creating world-brightening, full-spectrum-of-color expression(s), are we willing to change them?

Kumud @AjmaniK

P.S. I invite you to join us on Sunday, March 4th at 9amET/7:30pmIndia for our weekly chat on twitter in #SpiritChat – we will discuss “Spiritual Genetics” and more, as we unwind the double helix. Namaste. Kumud.

The DNA Double Helix – Foundation of our Genetics

The Spirit of Inner Light

The Spirit of Inner Light

by Elisa Balabram

Happy Diwali! As the Festival of Lights is celebrated, let’s take a moment this Sunday to reflect on our Inner Light.

The light that makes us who we are.

The light we share with ourselves and others.

The light we, knowingly or unknowingly, choose to dim at times.

The light that lights our shadows.

The light that keeps us alive.

The light that may shine brighter when we feel joyful.

The light that may dim when we feel sad.

The light we see in each other.

The light we see or ignore within ourselves.

The light that represents our uniqueness.

The light that never blinds and always illuminates.

The light.

My light. Your light. Our light.

– Elisa Balabram (@womenandbiz)

Please join my good friend and community member, Elisa Balabram (@womenandbiz) as she steps up to host our weekly #spiritchat on twitter – Sunday, October 22nd at 9amET – share your light! Thank you! – Kumud @AjmaniK

Chat Summary: https://storify.com/ajmanik/the-spirit-of-inner-light

On Spiritual Nutrition

Tags

food, nutrition, purity, spirituality

We often hear the adage that “we are what we eat”. If we believe that there is any truth in this adage, it is perhaps useful to (occasionally) examine “what we eat”. If we can honestly examine our “eating habits”, we can correlate our observations to our moods, our energy levels and our general health. An examination may reveal answers to questions like “who are we”? What are we eating? What nutrition is our ‘food’ providing us? Are our ‘food’ habits sustainable for the health of the individual, for our communities, for planet Earth?

“I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

The relationship that we have with food is indeed complex. It is influenced by our upbringing and what we were fed as children. The eating habits formed during childhood can be difficult to change in adulthood. It is often a health crisis or the onset of a chronic illness, accompanied by chronic pain, that may pull us towards change. However, food and nutrition are often neglected in the healing cycle in favor of modern medical intervention. We often pay scarce attention to the nutritional profile of our food as a link to illness.

Growing up in India, a large part of my diet – almost 99% of it – was based on fruits, milk, vegetables and plant based products. As a resident of the USA, the balance of my food habits shifted. I often oscillated between ‘pure vegetarian’, ‘no red-meat’, ‘chicken and fish only’ and (currently) back to ‘100% vegetarian’. It has been a long journey, but I can say with reasonable certainty that I feel most at ‘home’ with my current ways of eating. My energy level and overall health, not to mention my emotional and mental well-being seem to be uplifted, ever since I returned home to my ‘eating roots’.

But what does ‘food and nutrition’ have to do with spirituality? It is no secret that if we eat well and feel physically well, it can have a remarkable impact on our spiritual practice. It is very tough to focus, to meditate, when the mind is being attacked by (physical and emotional) pain signals. In addition, the states of health of our immediate family members affect our ability to create time and space for spiritual practice(s). Our state of health affects all those we are connected to. Our personal ability to maintain a good state of health frees up community resources, and we lighten our ‘footprint’ on the planet.

Please indulge me as I ask some ‘nutrition’ questions. What is the state of the quality, the vitality, the purity of our food and nutrition intake? Are we mindful of the impact of our consumption habits on our own selves? How much awareness do we have of the sustainability of our (re)sources? What aspect(s) of our ‘nutrition’ could we change to make ourselves feel physically, mentally, emotionally (and spiritually) better TODAY?

As is often the case, asking one question leads to many. The ‘easy’ way out is to simply bury that one question. But you didn’t read this far to take the ‘easy way out’, did you? Your well being, the well being of your family, your community, of the planet depends on asking the question – what am I eating?

Ask the question. Keep a ‘log’ of the answers. Change one habit. Observe. Ask the question again. Compare with your previous answers. If you observe a positive change, change another habit. Repeat the observation. Who knows. In the short span of a few months, you could create a “circle of health excellence” around you.

Namaste,

Kumud @AjmaniK

P.S. I want to acknowledge and express gratitude to @VegyPower on twitter, who inspired me to return to the 100% vegetarian habit about two years ago. Thank you. Please follow them, if you aren’t already. If you are in the Chicago area, please visit the upcoming @VeggieFest (August 12th and 13th). And yes, do join the #SpiritChat community on twitter, Sunday August 7th as we ask some questions about Spirituality and Nutrition. Perhaps this topic will become the theme for the month of August. Namaste.

Planet Earth Blooms. Keep it blooming!

Let us walk lightly, gently…

Celebrating Guides and Guidance

Tags

celebration, guidance, guides, guru

We celebrate a lot of occasions in our lives. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, national holidays, international days, and much more. There is one annual celebration that is perhaps unique to Indian (vedic) tradition – it is the celebration of our spiritual guide(s) and the guidance that they provide to us. As it is with most Indian spiritual traditions, this celebration is also connected to the lunar calendar.

This year, the celebration of our guide(s), referred to as “Guru” in India, is marked for July 9th 2017. In modern times, the term “Guru” has expanded much beyond its original usage to refer to an ‘influential teacher’ or ‘subject matter expert’. The original use of the term referred to a highly revered ‘spiritual teacher’ who was trusted by royalty to provide advice, and to impart guidance to those who ‘qualified’ to be guided. And what made one ‘qualified’ to be taught or guided? Consider this:

“To him (or her) who has thus approached reverently, whose heart is tranquil, and whose senses are under control, let the wise Guru teach the real knowledge, by which the true and immortal Being is known” – Mundaka Upanishad

The Upanishad(s) are a series of wisdom “books” that distilled the essence of the ancient Vedas, which themselves contained the wisdom and traditions of ancient India. The word Upanishad literally means, “to sit near the sphere of influence of” (the radiance of the guide or Guru). There are many stories and parables about how the guide would test the student, before agreeing to accept them as a student. Think of it as an entrance examination or a college application – one had to be accepted in order to enter the “sphere of the guide”!

But, I digress a bit. Let me briefly return to the three qualifications of a student as referred to in the quote. First, “one who has approached reverently”. This implies a sense of humility, a willingness to learn, and an “emptying of the vessel” by the student. Second, “whose heart is tranquil”. This suggests a state of harmony within the student’s heart. We stand to learn and absorb much more (in any environment) if our heart is at peace – don’t you think? Third, “whose senses are under control”. To me, this refers to the state of our mind, our power of discernment, and how well we have control of the same.

It may seem like all the qualities that ‘qualify’ us to be taught by a ‘spiritual guide’ are the very qualities that we are seeking help for from our guide in the first place! If we already had these three qualities developed within, why would we need the guide or Guru anyway? What more could the guide teach us? The answer is perhaps in the last part of the quote – “let the wise teach the real knowledge by which the true and immortal is known”.

We arrive with reverence, harmony and good discernment. We receive guidance towards truth and immortality. That is worthy of celebration, don’t you think?

Namaste,

Kumud @AjmaniK

P.S. Join us on twitter for our weekly #SpiritChat conversation on Sunday, July 9th 2017 at 9amET (USA) / 1pm UTC / 630pm (India). We will celebrate our guides and share guidance over tea, cookies, and a guided, online meditation to follow at 8pmET (contact me directly for details on this). Namaste.

Celebrating Guides and Guidance that arrives through many mediums, from many directions…

Update: Storify Summary of Chat – https://storify.com/ajmanik/on-guides-and-guidance

On Freedom and Reality

Tags

freedom, reality, spiritual practice

Just like that, it is the first of July and we step into the second half of the year. Time has an unerring way of bringing us face to face with reality – however we may define reality. In the USA, the onset of July brings us a celebration of “Independence Day”, and our kindred neighbors to the north in Canada celebrate “Victoria Day” (Happy 150th, Canada!). On these occasions, it is natural for many of us to reflect upon our personal freedoms, and the practical realities of said freedom(s) in our daily lives and actions.

As long as we do not live alone on a deserted island, the reality is that our friends, families and communities affect our daily freedoms, and their exercise of it. This effect manifests in the decisions that we make when we live in a civil society. In order to add value to their lives, and often for greater good, we often accept the reality that our personal freedom of external action may not be absolute. It is relatively easy to make declarations of our Independence, but we need energy and commitment to fight for “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. Commitment conveys our declarations from mere intellect to reality, frees us to take action.

It takes even greater energy and commitment to preserve our freedom. The freedoms gained also need a constitution – a governing agreement among people – for their preservation, in order to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity”. In order to anchor themselves to reality, and recalibrate their freedom(s), organizations, communities, families and even individuals, may establish constitutions. From these frameworks can emerge the governing principles of our live, the values that fuel our actions, and measures of our personal growth.

For most of us, the demands of living in the external world subject us to space and time. Even as I write this, there are small decisions that I need to make over the next few hours that will affect what I and my family will do this weekend. These small decisions aren’t made in a vaccuum, and a give and take of personal freedom(s) of all family members is necessary in order to maintain a dynamic family harmony. Does this reality sound familiar to you?

So, where does true freedom, if it exists, exist? For the most part, our external world seems to be devoid of it. We can intellectually read about and even talk about ‘freedom from fear’ and such related things, but how much of our daily decisions are informed by fear? And how about our internal world? Is it possible that unfettered freedom exists within us? If so, have you experienced the reality of inner freedom for yourself?

As I develop my daily practice of meditation, there are occasions where I find disconnection from the transient and (re)connection with the permanent. While the state of reconnection with the permanent is often fleeting in itself, it is the closest that I have perhaps ever felt to true freedom. Even though the reconnection is fleeting, it brings one great Joy to realize that true inner freedom is indeed an experiential reality. How about you? What have your experiences of ‘real freedom’ – external or internal – been like? How do ‘reality’ affect the exercise of your personal freedom(s)?

I invite you to visit with us in #SpiritChat on Sunday, July 2nd at 9amET/1pmUTC on twitter, as we share and celebrate freedom and reality. I will bring some real questions and virtual cookies and sparklers. You are free to bring whatever you wish to share.

Namaste,

Kumud @AjmaniK

A new experience of freedom this week, as I discovered a new reservation with unexplored trails and bridges…

On Spiritual Rescue and Rehab

Tags

action, rehabilitation, rescue, spirituality, yoga

We are like turtles on the path of life… we often develop hard shells to protect our soft cores from life’s many attacks – sometimes our shells get cracked – we may even lose half a face and an eye, get a cracked lower jaw, barely able to eat or drink, left for dead, paralyzed and bleeding in the middle of the road that we were simply trying to cross – and then, along comes One who has the heart of a rescuer, compassion in action, who takes that extra moment to pause and examine, who does not judge whether we are worth saving or not but simply acts – and before we know it, a sling is fashioned from a scarf, we are placed on a pillow in the back of the car, and brought to the warmth and relative safety of a garage to spend the night, hopefully to rest and receive a bit of healing…

We all have felt the intervention of those who have literally rescued us from a path of self-destruction, or after being ‘run over’ by the world around us… for some of us, this ‘rescue’ has happened more than once, perhaps because we needed to be rescued (again and again)… we weren’t strong enough to get out of rehab just yet, we hadn’t healed enough, our shell was still cracked from that first battle, and we decided to take on the world again…

Morning came, and I was almost reluctant to step into the garage to check on the patient. At first glance, she looked awfully still in the open box. I walked away, to return a few minutes later. A little nudge of t5ht he box, and she poked her head out a bit from under her shell. Relief. At least she had made it through the night. The rescue work of my wife (trained nurse), ably assisted by my daughter (nurse in training) and her visiting friend (aspiring veterinarian), had bore fruit in the very short term.

It often takes a potential tragedy to bring out our best rescue and rehab skills, for us to discover our hidden strengths, and to perform actions that are in harmony, excellence and alignment with the greatest good of the moment… that is true spirit of Union, of Yoga… the moment(s) where all of our spiritual practice(s) meet higher, selfless action.

At 9am, as soon as the local Nature Center opened, we received a call in response to the message we had left last night. “Bring her in. We would love to try and rehab her”. Off to the nature center we went, for the next step – a chance at rehabilitation by trained specialists who would do their best at healing and perhaps a full recovery. We are keeping our fingers crossed for a full recovery, with a release back into the wild in our neighborhood. We hope to meet “Sally Ride” once again.

The entire rescue and rehab effort brought a lot of folks together – we (re)connected with the local science and nature center, received very good advice from a turtle rescue center in North Carolina, connected with a reptile expert in Southern Ohio, and tapped into many online resources online and YouTube movies about shell repair and restoration… my daughter is even considering to a summer project about the life of turtles (and maybe even Ohio wildlife)…

I am sure you have been witness or beneficiary of such Yoga in Action too – what was the situation? Who was the rescuer/the rescued? What resources and energies came together to affect the rescue and rehab? How did the experience affect you, your (long and short term) spiritual outlook on life and nature? Share your stories with us in #SpiritChat on twitter – Sunday, June 25th 2017 at 9amET/1pmUTC. Let us celebrate International Yoga Week with Excellence in Action.

Kumud @AjmaniK

Our Life’s Rhythms

Tags

fathers, music, rhythm, spiritchat, spirituality

At a funeral service for one of my wife’s good friends this week, the priest spoke about the rhythm of our lives… and the importance of being aware of this rhythm and being in harmony with it, so that we may grow in inner peace…

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; – Ecclesiastes 3

This reminder made me reflect upon the rhythm of my own life, and my awareness (or lack) of it on a daily basis. So much of our daily actions seem to be done on auto-pilot. Many of our habits and routines serve us well as they lend structure and stability to our life, which are important for good health. However, certain life events can find us examining, questioning the habits that make up a large part of our life’s rhythms. In music, rhythm refers to a “systematic arrangement of muscial sounds according to duration and periodic stress”.

In life, rhythm refers to any repetitive pattern – the morning meditation, the lunch-time walk, the evening tea, and more. A lot of our rhythmic patterns are informed by our current goals in life, and that which we hold important in the forefront of our consciousness. If we are concerned about some aspect of our health, we may be in a a health-awareness rhythm. Education and career, relationships with family, friends and community – all have their own unique influence on our life’s rhythms. And when our rhythm is off, we know that it is time to seek out those who can help us get our groove back!

One person who was a master-tuner for me and my life’s rhythm was my Dad. A man of few words, he spoke loudly through his dedication to his family and his work. Now that I think about it, he was highly aware of the rhythm of his own life. He knew how to honor silence, to love music, to make time to simply relax with family, and not to ask too many questions. I believe I osmosized a lot his traits, but I am still working on the “don’t ask too may questions” part. I didn’t get the chance to ask him how he mastered that – maybe the secret of that rhythm is in one of the many letters he wrote to me. I need to read them again…

If we are fortunate, we have (had) warm, loving, positive associations with our fathers. And these influences have helped set (a large) part of the tone, the rhythm of our lives. But this isn’t always the case, is it? In fact, in many cases, our relationship with our fathers may be characterized by discord, discontent, disrepair and disharmony. What is one to do in such situations?

Let us not forget. “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter…” – maybe it is time we can find a season of healing, of establishing a new rhythm in our heart. We may not be able to do it alone, but with the divine father’s (and mother’s) masterful tuning in our lives, all things are possible…

Namaste,

Kumud @AjmaniK

P.S. Join us as we gather for our weekly conversation in #SpiritChat on twitter – Sunday, June 18th 2017 at 9amET/1pmUTC. The USA observes the “Father’s Day” holiday on this day, and we will do our best to honor those who have played said role in our lives. I will be brewing some special Darjeeling tea and playing some of my Dad’s favorite music from the Punjab. I hope you can join in… Namaste.

Walking in the forest, among familiar terrain, looking at new growth with new eyes, often resets the rhythm of my life… what are some things that help you reset the rhythm of your life?

On Spiritual Transformation

Tags

change, spiritual practice, spirtuality, transformation

Transformation is a BIG word. It seems to create a vision of a big mountain that we may need to climb. And we may wonder if we have the energy to do so. Particularly when we are already exhausted by the various demands of life. In addition, we have a natural inner resistance to change, particularly if it requires work for which we do not seem to have time, space and energy.

And yet, in some ways, inner transformation can be easier than change. For the work of transformation need not be work in the traditional sense of the world. It may require us to simply be in the in the field of love of someone who is doing the transforming, in the space of those who are being transformed before our own very eyes.

If it is raining outside, and we see the flowers and the grasses and the leaves on the trees getting wet, dancing in the rain, we have a choice. We can shut the window, pull the curtains, and remain dry and safe within the home. Or, we can open the window, let the wind blow some rain in, and wet us a little bit as we cup our hands around a warm beverage. Or, we can decide to experience loving power of the rain for ourselves.

We fling open the patio door, and go stand in the middle of the field and let it rain love upon us. And as the rain and the tears intermingle, and we feel pure joy surge through us, we now know the reason for the silence of those who were being transformed before our very own eyes. Now, we too are transformed by experiencing some of the surrender to love that we were only witnesses to until that point where we ourselves decided to surrender.

We did not get changed. We got transformed by the power love. It is like the story about the seeker who is seeking the trasure in the dark forest with a small oil lamp under a cloudy sky. They are earnestly working, seeking and doing what they know is best, looking under one tree at a time. And then, a flash of lightning illuminates the entire forest, transforming the landscape so that they can see and experience the entire forest at once. Such is the power of transformation.

And I hope you have experienced it, or get to experience it in the company of one like Amma, in whose rain of love I was fortunate to stand for nine straight hours on Friday. The transformation that I saw in the people at the Unity Center, whom she individually blessed with her energy in all those hours – one by one, listening, hugging, responding, wiping their tears, and bidding adieu with hershey’s kisses – was an experience that my heart will rarely forget.

On one occasion, her words to me were, simple, direct and transformative: “I love you, Kumudson”.

Kumud @AjmaniK

P.S. Join us Sunday, June 11th at 9amET/1pmUTC and share some of your experiences of change, of transformation, of love, and of surrender. I will bring tea, cookies and some questions with love. You bring some answers. Namaste 🙂

Love Bridging Life and Death by @mscator

Tags

death, life, love, pets, spirituality

On January 6, I found out that my dog Kolo has terminal bone cancer. Dr. Young gave her two, maybe three months to live.

We rescued Kolo– “Kolohe” which is Hawaiian for “rascal” –11 years ago and those of you who follow my Twitter timeline know that since early 2009 I have been sharing photos of her and our adventures hiking and enjoying life together in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. She is my dearest companion and my empathetic, steadfast protector.

An insulin-dependent diabetic with thyroid dysfunction, Kolo went blind in both eyes and underwent cataract surgery in 2012. If you’re interested, my blog, Kolo’s Blindness, provides more photos and a timeline of our remarkable experience together. I have so many photos of her that I have not yet posted, but there are some good ones there to share with you.

Kolo has exceeded her prognosis by over two months. I have been inspired by her strength while struggling with the impending certainty of letting her go. Grief at times shakes me to the core, but at the same time, I have had the gift of these past five months to watch her closely and pamper her. She takes delight in every meal and continues to watch the deer and the wild bunnies from my office window.

My Kolo has been an example of courage and adaptability in coping with her plight. I think she is wiser than me these days as I continue to struggle with and ponder grief and letting go.

In his novel, The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Thornton Wilder wrote, “There is a land of the living and a land of the dead and the bridge is love.” We know that death is a part of life. How do we find the courage to face life’s challenges, adapt and let go with love? And even more, can we transform a major sorrow into something extraordinary? What links suffering, survival, and transcendence? And how do we help each other get there?

Q1 If life is a celebration of passionate colors, what is death?

Q2 How do we continue to truly live, in the face of the impending death of a loved one?

Q3 Coping with loss is a part of life. How do we find the courage to accept loss?

Q4 How do we embrace change when we don’t want to?

Q5 Should grief remain personal or is it better shared?

Q6 We know that we all are going to die. So why do we often behave as if we will live forever?

Q7 What would be the positive (or negative) consequence(s) of living ‘forever’?

Q8 What role does the spirit play in resilience?

Q9 How are we transformed by a deep personal loss? How do we “fully” recover?

Q10 How can a community help someone who is going through a hard time?

Aloha,

Leia

“Not till we are lost, in other words, not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves, and realize where we are and the infinite extent of our relations.” Thoreau

http://www.dailycelebrations.com

Life is a celebration of passionate colors

What a wonderful post amid heartfelt reflections by Leia! Please join our long-time friend in #SpiritChat, Leia Cator (@mscator) as she steps up to host this very important topic for us ~ Sunday, June 4th at 9amET on twitter. Thank you, Leia! – Kumud @AjmaniK

On Remembrance – Do You Remember?

Tags

remembrance, spiritual practice, spirituality

The topic of the first of two lectures that our local team hosted with our invited speaker on Mother’s Day weekend a few weeks agao was – “Do you Remember?” Swami Tyagananda posed this question in a spiritual context, and led us on a conversational journey that explored “what do we rememeber”, “what do we forget”, “why do we forget” and “how do we strengthen our memory” so that we may remember That which is most important to us. On this “Memorial Day” weekend in the USA, it is perhaps appropriate to share some notes from that lecture – “Do You Remember?”

Many of us our aware of the functioning of our mind, and we often use the phrase “peace of mind” to denote or long for a state that our spiritual practice(s) may lead us towards. However, many of us may not be aware that the mind is the entry point where forgetfulness begins. If we adults try and remember our earliest memories, we can perhaps recall very few from our first five, seven or even ten years of life. The older we became, the more ‘engaged’ we became with the world around us, the more susceptible we became to the influence and the ‘dust of the world’. As we moved in and out of different physical surroundings (schools, localities, jobs and more), the content and complexity of the dust we accumulated kept changing, and often increased.

So here we are today, trying to “remember”, trying to “seek”, who we truly are – beyond what our mind is trying to inform us about us. We are trying to peel back the layers of our “personality”, get beneath our own “skin”, and hope to wash away some of the accumulated dust of forgetfulness. And when we do take the time to pause, to remember who we truly are, we have an opportunity to rediscover purpose. Remembrance of our truth can happen in a flash of insight, but it often may takes years of practice, of retraining our minds, to get to that point.

What may this practice be? The Swami suggested that it may be as simple as taking a few minutes at the beginning and the end of every day to sit, reflect, introspect. Silence helps us strengthen our spiritual memory. So does “food” that is healthy, nutritious and pure. We pay so much attention these days to our physical “food” intake, but do we pause to consider what we are feeding our minds? How much of our “inner peace” are we trading to be “better informed”? And is all that mental clutter not going to weaken our power of remembrance as we overload our capacity to remember so many diverse, transient pieces of information?

In summary, the big question is – how do we keep strengthen our memory muscles so that we can move from instances of momentary remembrance to a state of constant remembrance of truth? And what is this truth anyway? For me, it is the remembrance that I am a being made of love, from love, as evidenced by the eternal flame that glows steadily in my heart. How about you? What “Do YOU Remember”?

Kumud @AjmaniK

I invite you to join our weekly chat on Sunday May 28th, 2017 with the #SpiritChat community on twitter. We will exchange some good memories, and share memory-strengthening practices. I will remember to bring some questions. Remember to bring some answers! Namaste.

Flowers and Rain Strengthen Remembrance…