Around the world - Shivaratri at Jadan Ashram
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The Four Aspects of Grace and the Path to Self-Love
The four aspects of grace culminate in self-love, which is essential for spiritual growth. Grace has four aspects: divine grace for human incarnation, scriptural grace from sacred texts, guru's grace from the teacher, and self-grace, which is giving mercy to oneself. Guru's grace is a response to the disciple's devotion and service. Applying this to oneself means loving yourself and giving that grace to yourself. Self-love is not ego, which takes, but a high vibration that gives. A key teaching is to love others at least as much as you love yourself, yet many struggle with self-love. A practical example is sending loving energy to your own body, which can have healing effects. The path to self-love involves three steps: first, accept yourself as you are. Second, seek to understand how you became who you are through self-inquiry. Third, from understanding comes the desire to give, including forgiving yourself. This process of accept, understand, and give is the essence of the teaching.
"Love each and every living being, if not more, then at least as much as yourself."
"We cannot really love others if we don't love ourselves."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Master should have equal vision
A master's teaching adapts to the student's background but arises from a place of non-discrimination. Teaching varies based on a student's inherent culture, like learning to cook at home versus from scratch. Language also shapes the delivery, as perfect translation of meaning is difficult. However, the true master holds no distinction in heart, like a sun shining on all. The story of Eklavya illustrates this: though formally rejected, his devotion to his guru as a statue made him a great archer. The master teaches from within, beyond speech, through divine love. Disciples who perceive favoritism are mistaken. The master knows each student's needs and administers many tests. True service is to see oneself not as a successor, but as eternally serving the guru.
"Love does not require any words. Love does not need any explanation."
"The master is like a sun, and the disciples are like all of us who benefit from the sunlight."
Filming location: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Protect the animals
A prayer for protection and balance in response to suffering.
An earthquake has caused loss and hardship. Prayers and ceremonies have positive effects. We are in Kali Yuga, a distracting age. Shiva will now balance all negatives to bring a better time. Messages suggest more challenges will come. We must act. First, protect all life: in water, on land, and in the air. Do not destroy creatures; love and feed them. From your own food, give a portion to animals. This protection of others is protection for ourselves. Spiritual progress is like drawing water from a deep well; negative actions can break the rope, causing a fall. We should also practice yoga: postures like Sarvahitāsan and prāṇāyāma. These bring health. Breathing is life itself.
"Shiva will balance all. He will bring that kind of energy so that all the negatives or distracting things will slowly, slowly be brought into a good position."
"If we cannot give them something good, then at least we should not destroy them or make problems for them."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Practice makes perfect and healthy
Evening satsang with Vishwaguruji from Summer Yoga Camp in Vep, Hungary. Practice makes perfect. Yoga means and begins with discipline. There are many people suffering from illnesses. Focusing on the target is the main point in archery. Vishwaguruji explains the strory of the Eklavya and Arjuna to illustrate what it means to practice.
