Achariya Fritz Kramer
Speaks on "Receiving Gratefully"
Sunday, November 22, 2015 at 11:00am
As we enter our beautiful season of holy days, our minds will raise to the ideal of thanks. We will find ourselves meditating on gratitude, considering the many gifts given to us, both human and divine. So this Sunday, let us gather in the Temple and take the time to contemplate what it truly means to receive. And correspondingly, why openness and receptivity play such a grand role on our spiritual paths.
—Acharya Fritz
From Gurus and Swamis:
The quicker you can empty the air out of this room, the quicker it will be filled up by the external air; and if you close all the doors and every aperture, that which is within will remain, but that which is outside will never come in.
—Swami Vivekananda
It is not a pumping-in from the outside that gives wisdom; it is the power and extent of your inner receptivity that determines how much you can attain of true knowledge, and how rapidly. The man who has the power of receptivity quickly grasps everything.
—Swami Yogananda Paramhansa
If I had to choose, I would prefer a heart that can feel to eyes that can see. Intellect cannot reveal God but with a loving and devoted heart, we become aware of his presence everywhere and thus all life is spiritualized.
—Swami Premananda
Noble Thoughts: ("Let Noble Thoughts come to us from all sides." —Rigveda)
"Gratefulness must continually flow into our thanksgiving to make it full. Remembering our moments of ultimate belonging determines to what extent we find ultimate meaning. Why do we so rarely step out through this door of remembrance into joyful aliveness? Could it be that the mystic gratefulness in the depth of every human heart sings with 'a still, small voice,' and is easily drowned out by the noise we endure and the noise we make? Maybe we need more silence. Maybe we simply need now and then to look up at the silent stars and lose ourselves to be set free."
—Brother David Steindl-Rast, "Heart of Gratefulness"
"Great Spirit, God, Creator of All
I welcome You into my heart, mind, body and soul
There is always room for You here.
Grant me the wisdom to heed my inner voice
And the strength to stay grounded when I sing
my sacred song.
Guide me down my chosen path and give me the
courage to pursue what is available to me.
I an thankful for the lessons and grateful for the struggles;
I have not forgotten what has brought me to where
I am today.
Open my heart to the healing wholeness of nature;
We are all related, and through this I will find serenity.
Great Spirit, God, Creator of All
Cleanse my spirit and wash my soul.
There is always room for You here."
—Laurel Singing Water Cat, Iroquois prayer (adapted)
"With inner care from your heart be pleased and thankful to Allah.
One with such faith, if he prays, he will see the light."
—Pir Nur-eddin Cerrahi, "Lesson in Perfection"