Vedic Community Forum

Jai Maa!

I arrived here recently and have been unsure how to introduce myself. I'll try to keep it simple. I'm in my 60s and have experienced throughout my samsara-consumed life many spiritual breadcrumbs. I've always had wide-ranging curiousity about spiritual and worldly things and have found it impossible to join any one community, even when I've been aware of my need for it. I would ask myself whether it was just my ego blocking me, but it seemed that it was a combination of that along with the time/place/people not being right. So I've coasted along on my own, seeking and learning where my attention is drawn. I first came across Acharya Shunya last spring. I wanted to learn more about rishikas and wondered whether there were any female gurus I could benefit from, so I Googled that and found her. I bought Sovereign Self and watched short bits of…

At the beginning of the Companion study Bhaja Govindam with Sadhvi Aparna, I contemplated my Sankalpa for this journey. But my mind was restless, playing with old habits as if I wanted to ‘taste, feel, hear, touch and smell’ them one very last time, before the hammer strikes again.

I realise that many of my vasanas are hiding in the folds of time.

I realise I need this second round of hammering on hidden patterns.

My sankalpa for this study: smoothing out the folds of time by shedding old patterns and conditionings in such a way that the Light of Wisdom and Knowledge can reflect in the mirror of that One Truth.

Jai Guru Dev !

Jai Maa!

I have been contemplating the 5th word of the Gayatri Mantra, Devasya, which I drew during Navodaya (and is the perfect word for me). I was listening to Acharya Shunyaji's teaching on verse 30 of Bhaja Govindam, and when she spoke on Pratyahara, particulary our lineage teachings of this paractice to see all aspects of life as Atma, I thought of Devasya, seeing the Divine alive in every aspect of life. These two seem very similar with the exception of Pratyahara having the aspect of pulling the senses into the self. Would it be correct to use Pratyahara as a way of connecting with Devasya? I would appreciate any insight from other Sadasyas.

Navodaya was such a wonderful experience. Thank you to everyone who was there adding to the collective energy of the event. 💛

Thank you Aparnaji for leading the contemplation class for us and everyone for your beautiful shares.  It seemed too close to the end of the class for me to chime in when ‘remembering’ came up but I wanted to share something I’ve noticed and am wondering if others have too, that ‘forgetting’ is becoming more and more uncomfortable, painful even-it becomes barren so quickly, and I’m wondering if it’s like a built in  mechanism of sorts, a natural motivation to be more diligent about NOT forgetting.  It seems I can’t stray far or for long now without feeling the angst of separation and wanting, yearning to be back.  It reminds me of the expression to be ‘on the straight and narrow’ and it seems to be getting straighter and narrower.  I always feel such relief and gratitude when I have ‘strayed’ or forgotten, inevitably because my ego or mind has…

We are the light. I found this beautiful quote today and wanted to share it. We are indeed stars, self-luminous, wrapped in matter stumbling in the darkness of Samsara. Grateful for our teacher's light that has been pointing us in the direction of our own inner light. Jai Maa !

Love and Hate

“Sovereign love arises from inner fullness. It doesn't covet, possess, or enslave. Instead, it's rooted in self-rule, self-sufficiency, and self-love.” —Acharya Shunya

In yesterday’s teaching on Bhaja Govindam, Acharya Shunya reminded us that “body consciousness is the source of hate.”

When we deeply understand that we and “others” are not bodies or even minds, but the one Self, there can be no hate.

Our human minds have been conditioned to be drawn to certain bodies and reject other bodies, (or even love/hate certain aspects of our own body/mind), perpetuating the seemingly endless cycle of joy and sorrow through karma. When we learn about the Self and this cosmic set up, we begin to disrupt this cycle of samsara.

I’m at the beach this weekend and sitting quietly, watching the waves is bringing home some of Acharya Shunya’s words from the Bhaja Govindam Satasnga this week. 

From Verse 12, Acharya Shunya expounded on Adi Shankaracharya’s observation that the relentless cycles of nature reflect the relentless, seemingly inescapable cycle of samsara we find ourselves in. We are buffeted by desires and yet won’t let go of them, despite the fact that they are the very things that keep us trapped in samsara. 

I look at the frothing crests of waves, relentless, powerful, ready to overwhelm. Yet they are intoxicating, seductive, magnets of attention. They come and go, the tide here rises and falls.

Can I visualize each wave as a desire? Frothing and foaming, seemingly unique and deserving of attention, yet ultimately just more of the same simple seawater. Each cycle of the tide, drawing close and pulling away, revealing…

Yay, I was finally able to access this forum! I seemed to have missed a step when I first joined the VSC, but after a few trials & errors, was able to complete the steps and join the forum.

I’ve been a student of Acharya Shunya for several years and consider her to be my Guru. I can’t imagine my life without daily sadhana and being in this supportive community. Continuing to learn and more deeply integrate the teachings I’ve received so far has fueled my growth and blessed my life.

It occurred to me in a recent session that the “hammer” of Bhaja Govindam is a particularly helpful teaching when it comes to preparing for the path of Karma Yoga, because when all attachments are hammered away, all delusions broken through, all that remains for us to do with this human life is to turn inward to Ishwara…