Swami Kamalananda
Speaks on “Right Remembrance”
Sunday, June 29, 2014 at 11:00am
From the Noble Eightfold Path, the subject is Buddha’s “Samma Sati” (in translation).
In his explanation of the importance of right remembrance Swami Premananda points out that “Spirituality is not an acquirement but an unfoldment,” and that Self-forgetfulness and Self-remembrance are the constant expressions of consciousness that determine the strengths of our love, our contentment and our peace.”
Remembrance is much, much more than a thought process, a retrieval of an impression or idea from within the mind, however. What practices serve right remembrance? There are many, and they emerge through the lives and teachings of great masters and life savants to guide and bless our lives.
From the Gurus and Swamis:
AUM
O Supreme!
Whatever I put into words, may that be the saying of a prayer to thee.
May all my efforts and works be gestures of worship of thee;
May every step be taken to thee, around thee, with thee.
May whatever I eat or drink be offered as oblation to you.
May all my enjoyments be in the spirit of offering myself to you.
May whatever I do be synonymous with worship of thee.
—Swami Shankaracharya
Every sound that I make, let it have the vibration of Thy Voice.
Every thought that I think -- let it be saturated with the consciousness of Thy Presence.
Let every feeling that I have glow with Thy Love,
Let every will that I will be impregnated with Thy Divine Vitality.
Let every thought, every expression, every ambition, be ornamented by Thee.
O Divine Sculptor, chisel Thou my life according to Thy Design!
—Swami Yogananda Paramahansa
"Whispers From Eternity"
Give me courage,
That I may live by thy truth.
Give me wisdom,
That I may manifest thy perfection.
Give me love,
That I may recognize my oneness with all.
Give me spiritual strength,
That I may overcome all limitations and live
in the purity of my Soul.
—Swami Premananda
"Prayers of Self-Realization"
Noble Thoughts
He, alone, whose wisdom is firmly established on the inherent and eternal divinity of the Self, can guide his senses to attain spiritual unfoldment through obedience to the law of their normal manifestation. He is thus protected by the law of the soul as well as by the law of the senses, and should be considered to be a man of intelligent obedience to all the laws of righteousness.
—Gautama Buddha, "The Path of the Eternal Law: Dhammapada" translated by Swami Premananda
We must have friendship for all; we must be merciful toward those that are in misery; when people are happy, we ought to be happy; and to the wicked we must be indifferent.These attitudes will make the mind peaceful.
—Swami Vivekananda
When you have learned to control your mind in the face of disturbances, then your mind has acquired one-pointedness.
—Patanjali