To Know Your Self: The Essential Teachings of Swami Satchidananda

"Know when you eat that all food is God's body. Your eating should be a sacrifice. When you eat, you should think, 'I am eating to gather energy, to better serve others.' Whenever you eat, offer it to God and see God in it."

~ excerpt from the book To Know Your Self: The Essential Teachings of Swami Satchidananda

"A really healthy person takes everything in life as a game. Whether we win or lose, it's still a game. Often people forget that.

"In a way, I feel that losing is a better game. Why? If you lose, you allow the other person to win. When the other person wins, what do you see? A winning face. When you win and the other fellow loses, what do you see? A losing face. There is great joy in losing and making the other person win and have a happy face."

~ Swami Satchidananda

"No one insists that you stop smoking or drinking to be a Yogi. If you can, it's helpful to you. But you might say, 'I am used to that, I can't stop anymore. What can I do?'

"I never simply say, 'Stop. Don't do this or that.' If you feel you must continue, I say, 'Okay. Continue what you have been doing and at the same time do something different also. The other will go away.'"

"We must take care of our foods, our liquids, and the air we breathe. Watch all our intakes.

"I am not recommending against the high you may feel from some of these intoxicants. If they always let you be high, that would be fine. But unfortunately, they all leave aftereffects in your body and mind.

"Ni****ne, alcohol, ma*****na, caffeine, pills... they're all artificial. The effects are temporary and they leave aftereffects that throw you down even lower than before."

~ excerpt from To Know Your Self: The Essential Teachings of Swami Satchidananda

"If in our daily life, we can smile. If we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work."

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

"Sometimes we speak clumsily and create internal knots in others. Then we say, 'I was just telling the truth.'

"It may be the truth, but if our way of speaking causes unnecessary suffering, it is not Right Speech. The truth must be presented in ways that others can accept.

"Words that damage or destroy are not Right Speech.

"Before you speak, understand the person you are speaking to. Consider each word carefully before you say anything so that your speech is 'Right' in both form and content."

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

What is the sign of a healthy person?

"Such a person is happy anywhere. He or she is relaxed everywhere - always at ease and in peace, within and without. Even in a hellish situation, such a person will be at ease.

"A healthy person hates no one, dislikes nothing. Total love, universal love emanates from within. There is no tension anywhere, no stress or friction. These are the signs of real health.

"A person who is healthy doesn't hurt anyone. He or she is not afraid of anyone. Not only is he unafraid, but he sees that others are not afraid of him. The 'others' include animals, plants, everything. A healthy person emits always and only a loving and pure vibration.

"A really healthy person takes everything in life as a game. Whether we win or lose, it's still a game. Often people forget that. In a way, I feel that losing is a better game. Why? If you lose, you allow the other person to win. When the other person wins, what do you see? A winning face. When you win and the other fellow loses, what do you see? A losing face. There is great joy in losing and making the other person win and have a happy face.

"Who will be the happiest person? The one who brings happiness to others. That means our minds should be well balanced under all conditions.

"That is yoga."

~ Swami Satchidananda

"Who will be the happiest person? The one who brings happiness to others.
~ Swami Satchidananda

“The purpose of the world is to give us experiences so we can grow spiritually.

"There will always be calamities and turmoil in the world. Tell me one time when there was no turmoil at all in the world? This is the nature of the world and we can’t stop that.

"The world is like a big car factory, with everything in a different stage of development. If you can change your vantage point, you will have a better understanding of the purpose and the people in this world. Then, you will see a better world.”

~ Swami Satchidananda

“A true devotee sees God’s hand in everything. If things come, they will say, ‘God has given it to me, let me have it. If it goes, God has taken it back.’ Without God’s sanction, nobody can take anything. Without God’s approval, nothing happens. So, why should you worry or blame anyone? A true devotee knows no enemy and no enmity.”

~ Swami Satchidananda

Q: Sometimes I feel that telling the truth can bring more harm. Does Satya (truthfulness) mean telling the truth in every situation?

A: Swami Satchidananda: It’s true that telling a lie can sometimes bring benefit. For example, if you refuse to tell that lie and tell the truth, it may hurt people. So that’s important.

I often tell the story of a young woman running to a sadhu who was living in seclusion and wanting to hide in his hut because a bandit was trying to kill her and get all her jewels. So what should the sadhu say?

Even without his permission she went and hid in his hut. When the bandit ran past and asked, “Sadhu, did you see a girl coming here with a lot of jewels?” What should the sadhu say? “Oh yes, I am a yogi, I practice Satya, and I will never tell a lie. Yes, she came here, and here she is hiding in my hut.”

What will happen then? The robber could go in, kill her, take all the jewels, come out and say, “Hey, guy, I don’t want you to be a witness to my crime,” and dispose of the sadhu also. And then when the robber runs, the police dogs will chase him, and the police will catch him and hang him for double murder.

That means three people died because the sadhu told a truth. Right? The purpose behind what you say and do is important.

(pastel art by Monir Hossain)

"Love has no boundaries; it is the greatest force on earth."
~ Sri Swami Satchidananda

"Certainly you can call God 'She'. 'Thou Art That', say the sages. Probably because men began interpreting this, they thought of God as 'He.' But some think of God as 'She'. Why only think of God as 'Father"? God can be 'Brother', 'Sister', 'Friend' or 'Beloved'. Actually, God is all of these and more. Choose a particular relationship for personal worship of God.... approach God any way you like. [He/She] won't say no to you."

~ an excerpt from To Know Your Self: The Essential Teachings of Swami Satchidananda

Happy New Year!!!

"Beloved friends,

"Holy days should remind us of our inherent Divine nature, our inherent peace and joy, which is called in religious terms 'the image of God' within you.

"At least during these holy days, we should raise above differences and recognize the spiritual oneness we all share.

"Unfortunately, even in the name of religion, we have somehow injected too many differences. But, the real purpose of religion is to remind us of our spiritual oneness.

"All these celebrations and festivities are simply aids. They help us to remember these truths. This season may be a time in which you put up your tree, decorate your homes, light the menorah, exchange gifts, and so on. But, it should not just stop there. If, after the celebrations, you awaken a little different person, a little better person, with a more peaceful mind and loving heart, then you really have celebrated these holidays as holy days.

"May you recognize the Light in you. Look within, experience that joy, that peace, that holy day spirit. Let these holy days bring this awareness to you so that you can celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and all the holy days every day of your life. That is my sincere wish for each of you."

~Sri Swami Satchidananda

"People who pan for gold collect tons of crude rock. If they just saw the crudeness, they would throw it all away. Instead, their eye is on the few ounces of gold hidden within that rock. If you keep your eye on the gold, you won't get tired of cleaning the rock; and ultimately you will get the gold.

"Never lose sight of the gold in you. You might have accumulated a lot of dirt and dust. It doesn't matter. Take the time to clean it out. Keep your mind on the gold that you are looking for."

~ Sri Swami Satchidananda