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Sex and the Self
Aham Sphurana
A Glimpse of Self Realisation
New Book about Sri Ramana Maharshi
Available Worldwide
On www.openskypress.com and Amazon:
“In my opinion, Aham Sphurana, a Glimpse of Self Realisation, will become a Treasure Trove of Wisdom to the Seekers of Truth in general, and particularly to the devotees of Bhagavan.”
Swami Hamsananda – Athithi Ashram, Tiruvannamalai
Sex and the Self
Q: It cannot be denied that it is sexual desire that causes man to engage in coitus, even when reproduction is not the motive.
B: You ask about the biological sexual urge. That is impregnated in the ego mind body complex to facilitate reproduction, according to nature’s design. If the act did not involve pleasure, man would likely ask ‘Why should I give birth to children?’
What is the highest joy man can know? It is the state of no-mind. Daily he experiences it in sleep. Only the yogi has experience of it in waking; for the Jnani there can be no question of experiencing anything. So, nature has seen fit to introduce this bliss of no-mind in the coital act.
A moment before the commencement of the spasms that bring about emission of the seminal fluid, for precisely 1/128th of a second, the mind is removed. It is like a plate being exposed with a very quick shutter speed. The impression of the bliss tasted, leaves behind a strong craving for more such bliss in the mind. This is how men end up addicted to the act.
Edited by John David Nov 2024
Complete Cessation of Mental Activity
Aham Sphurana
A Glimpse of Self Realisation
New Book about Sri Ramana Maharshi
Available Worldwide
On www.openskypress.com and Amazon:
“In my opinion, Aham Sphurana, a Glimpse of Self Realisation, will become a Treasure Trove of Wisdom to the Seekers of Truth in general, and particularly to the devotees of Bhagavan.”
Swami Hamsananda – Athithi Ashram, Tiruvannamalai
Complete Cessation of Mental Activity
Bhagavan: People are so obsessed with and enamoured by mental activity that they imagine that by some special kind of mental activity, such as meditation, for instance, the Self can be duped into revealing Itself. It is not so. Only complete cessation of mental activity can reveal the Self. Giving up the personal self or the idea of the seekers existence, should, again, be volitionless and unconditional; it should not be driven by any motive.
If you feel tempted to ask for a formula for this also, know that there is none. You abandon the personal self not because you expect or anticipate or want Self-Realisation in return [in which case you never really abandon it at all – you only absurdly think that you do], but because in that very act of such abandonment, you discover for yourself, practically, as a DIRECT INSIGHT, that no such thing as the personal self ever existed and that no such thing could ever exist.
Edited by John David Nov 2024
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Mixed Blogs
Vishwanatha Aiyyer and the Monkey
Bhagavan recounts how the monkey Shabarigirisan miraculously inspired a boy to return home, illustrating the mysterious grace of Arunachala.
Letters to Bhagavan
Letters to Bhagavan, answered by a Brahmin scribe, carried the Master’s imprimatur, preserving his teaching and direct spiritual essence.
A Glimpse is Enough
There are a couple of things that Papaji says: ‘Having the longing for enlightenment is enlightenment.’ I think that is a very beautiful statement; it’s both profound and compelling at the same time. One other thing: ‘A little bit is enough. There is no more, a glimpse is enough.’
Ripe Souls Attain Jnana
The Jnani’s silent presence works like a magnetic force, effortlessly turning ripe minds inward, leading to natural, thought-free peace.
Mrs. Piggot Introduces the Ashram And Bhagavan’s Meetings in 1934
Mrs. Piggot recounts her serene visit with Sri Ramana Maharshi, describing the Sage’s profound silence, grace, and life-changing presence.
Celibacy and Relationship
It’s quite clear that for almost everybody this issue of intimacy with another human being is a strong structure, a strong issue. In the eastern traditions of Buddhism and Hinduism there is a deep understanding that if you seriously want to become a spiritual seeker you become celibate and stay alone.
My Job is to Destroy You
Then one day, this was the big change, I’ll never forget it, never to this day.
He sat up cross-legged on His bed and I was sitting on the floor in the hospital.
He drew a line and He said, “Look.” He said it like, “Look (gruffly), this is a line. On this side of the line is everything you’ve ever known, everything…
Hiding in Non-Duality
JD: It’s very easy to say, “I don’t need to look at anything, ‘I am nothing.’”
Q: I did therapy where I ended up in very nice love space with an open heart. Then I met you and Advaita and discovered this “Oh, I’m nothing,” and again I don’t need to look to anything.
JD: But this is just a nice idea. It is one of the popular mistakes made by people during the last years in Satsang, about non duality.
A Song by Leela
We are the ocean, love and devotion, let’s just surrender, always remember nobody ever was, life is but a dream.
Am I doing Vichara Correctly?
Correct vichara is confirmed when Aham Sphurana shines forth spontaneously, unmistakably felt as direct experience of the Self.
Stabilising in Truth
Andrew Cohen in his “Meeting with Remarkable People,” interview talked about the issue of stablising or embodying the new reality once a strong energetic opening has occurred. How easily the ego structures can close things down and therefore the need for work on strong inner mind patterns.
A Typical Western Visitor’s In-Depth Dialogue with Bhagavan
Through patient dialogue, Sri Ramana guides a seeker towards Self‑Realization, emphasizing grace, inquiry, inner silence, and simple vegetarianism.
An Individual Connection to the Master
“Wow, this silence and bliss is so beautiful.” He gets up and says, “I’m going downstairs to make some yoghurt.” So, I follow Him down, and I said, “Why did you do that?” He said, “Where’s your silence now?” I said, “Well, it’s still here.” He said, “This is why I did it.”
Suppressing Our Mechanisms
I would say that that seeing of our nature is like the first step in an ongoing process that reveals everything that’s been suppressed or been jumped over, and in that process it’s really a fire, but ultimately the fire is not for any person, it’s actually for the benefit of all beings.