“True strength is not in the force of our actions,
but in the patience of our responses.”ChatGTP4o OpenAi
Hinduism would not be eternal were it not constantly growing and spreading, and taking in new areas of experience. Precisely because it has this power of self-addition and re-adaptation, in greater degree than any other religion that the world has even seen, we believe it to be the one immortal faith. Sister Nivedita (1867-1911), disciple of Swami Vivekananda
Inhale, and God approaches you. Hold the inhalation, and God remains with you. Exhale, and you approach God. Hold the exhalation, and surrender to God. Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (1888-1989), Influential yoga instructor
Knowledge has a beginning but no end. Geeta Iyengar (1944-2018), yoga teacher
The task is not to see what has never been seen before, but to think what has never been thought before about what you see every day. Erwin Schrodinger (1887-1961), quantum physicist
The mind says there is nothing beyond the physical world; the Heart says there is, and I’ve been there many times. Rumi (1207-1273), Sufi mystic and poet
You have simply to shine as the Soul of All. Then energy, life activity, will naturally begin to radiate from you. The flower blooms and fragrance begins to emanate of itself. The way to gain anything is to lose it. Swami Rama Tirtha (1873-1906), Indian saint and philosopher
That knowledge which purifies the mind and heart alone is true Knowledge, all else is only a negation of Knowledge. Ramakrishna (1836-1886), Indian mystic
Just as when we touch a live wire the electric force infuses itself into our body, when we deeply meditate on God, the power of the whole universe seeks entry into our personality. Krishnananda Saraswati (1922-2001), general secretary of Divine Life Society
Spiritual awakening is the most essential thing in man’s life, and it is the sole purpose of being. Is not civilization, in all its tragic forms, a supreme motive for spiritual awakening? Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), Lebanese-American poet
The only difference between a rich man and a poor man is that the poor man suffers uncomfortably, while the rich man suffers comfortably. Swami Brahmananda (1863-1922), direct disciple of Ramakrishna
Conflict exists strictly as an opportunity to raise our consciousness. Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961), Swiss psychiatrist
The entire world is God. Sant Tukaram (1608-1649), Marathi saint and poet
All sorrow is due to the fact that many are seen where there is only one. Duality is pain. So long as man does not wake up to his identity with the One, the round of birth and death continues for him. Anandamayi Ma (1896-1982), Indian spiritual teacher
Especially in times of collective neurosis, the existence of mature people is of crucial importance. Marie-Louise von Franz (1915-1998), psychologist
Today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness. Kalidasa (c. 4th-5th century ce), classical Sanskrit writer
We are slowed-down sound and light waves, a walking bundle of frequencies tuned into the cosmos. We are souls dressed up in sacred biochemical garments and our bodies are the instruments through which our souls play their music. Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning. Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976), quantum physicist
It’s the challenges of life, when we face them through exercising self-control, that bring us a lot of spiritual progress. Not just sitting on the mountaintop in a quiet place. Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, publisher of Hinduism Today
The only real security comes from within. Gain security, and if your security comes from within you, you become unburdened. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), founder of Hinduism Today
Did you know?
Encapsulating Divinity
Akalasha is a metal pot, or kumbha, with a large base and small neck, made of brass, copper, silver or gold, its mouth large enough to cradle a coconut. Ritually adorned, filled with water, topped with a coronet of mango leaves and a coconut, it is used as a temporary vessel for Divinity. It holds the energy of the God or Goddess during puja, much as does a granite or marble statue in a temple. The kumbha can be used to represent any Deity.
The entire arrangement (see photo) is called purna-kalasha or purna-kumbha. The kalasha is filled with water and sometimes coins, grains, herbs, gems or even gold are included. The mango-leaf coronet, with 5, 7 or 11 leaves, touches the water inside. A sacred thread is tied around the metal pot and incantations are intoned.
Worship with purna-kumbha dates from the time of the Rigveda. Scriptures speak of how the kalasha temporarily contains amrita, the elixir of life, bringing abundance, wisdom and knowledge of our inherent immortality. Rich in mysticism and symbolism, the purna-kalasha is associated with the five elements in sacred scriptures; with elements of the human body, such as the head, hair, the nerve system and the chakras.
In addition to its use during puja, the kalasha plays a significant role in the consecration of new temples. During the prana pratishtha ceremony, the life force of the Deity is transferred from the kalasha to the murtis of the temple, imbuing them with divine presence. This sacred process involves the invocation and establishment of the Deity’s energy in the temple, making it a living, vibrant center of worship.
The kalasha is also used in the transfer of spiritual power to new shrines. When a shrine is being established, the energy from an existing consecrated shrine is ritually transferred to the kalasha. This pot, now charged with divine energy, is then used to consecrate and empower the new shrine. Its usage ensures that the sanctity and power of the Deity are preserved and extended to new spaces, fostering spiritual growth and continuity in worship.