Value: Steadiness- July 2025

First Week: Stability - sthairyam

In all pursuits in life, lasting results only come when we are consistent in what we do. When drops of water repeatedly hit a granite rock, it can eventually create an opening. I asked a famous singer, who has been singing for over 40 years, about his daily routine. He said, 'I practice daily for 5-8 hours.' I was surprised. 'You are an expert, so why do you still need practice?' His answer was simple: "I am an expert only because I practice daily!' 

Practice daily sitting in one comfortable posture for some time

In today’s world, a hurried life filled with overwhelming commitments leaves us little time to relax and sit without any agenda. We often see this as a waste. The body is merely an external expression of the mind. If the mind is unsettled, the body will be restless. Conversely, if the mind is focused and steady, the body will stay still. They are deeply connected. To cultivate inner stillness, we need to practice sitting quietly. To begin, find a comfortable posture for yourself, स्थिरमासनं सुखम्. The Bhagavad Gita guides us on how to do this.

शुचौ देशे प्रतिष्ठाप्य स्थिरमासनमात्मनः।  Firmly sitting down on a seat in clean spot, समं कायशिरोग्रीवं धारयन्नचलं स्थिरः।संप्रेक्ष्य नासिकाग्रं स्वं दिशश्चानवलोकयन् Keeping the body, head and neck erect and still, staying steady, looking at the tip of the nose-without looking around,प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थितः।मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः One should remain steadily seated with a quiet mind, free from fear, staying firm in being free of sensuality, and with the mind controlled by concentration, fixed on Me (the Lord), the supreme Goal.

The benefit of doing this will be experienced only after many weeks or even months. Do not be in a hurry to change your practice. Continue your practice at the same time every day.

Watch your breath when you are alone

In the initial stages of staying still, the mind tends to wander habitually. To help keep the mind focused, begin by observing the most immediate activity occurring within you: your breath! Our bodies breathe automatically, even while we sleep. This involuntary process sustains us as we experience the consequences of our past actions.

When you consciously shift your attention to the rhythm of your breath—known as प्राणवीक्षणम् (Prāṇavīkṣaṇam)—you will find that your mind becomes less prone to wandering. However, this practice requires ongoing effort, as the mind often turns routine actions into mechanical responses. 

To simplify this practice, try to engage in it whenever you have free time, whether you are alone, watching TV, or driving. Just remember not to close your eyes during these activities, especially while driving! Additionally, the practice of upasana, or daily worship of a chosen deity, can help you achieve mental steadiness. Focusing your mind on something greater than itself can enhance your inner confidence and strength.

 Value: Cleanliness & Purity- June 2025

Fourth Week: Discovering divinity

Every soul is fundamentally divine, and forgetting this truth leads to sorrow and confusion. It's similar to an actor who becomes lost in the character they portray on stage. The character begins to feel like their reality, and all the other characters in the play seem just as real to them. Their emotions, actions, and reactions start to influence the actor emotionally. 

Caught in this whirlpool, the soul repeatedly experiences joys and sorrows, tragedies and comedies, day after day, year after year, birth after birth - endlessly. The eagerness to escape is known as mumukshutvam - the desire to be free!

Where to start?

Reflect on the purity of the soul.

You have different roles to play each day, depending on the people you meet. You assume the role of a wife, mother, daughter, friend, and so on, based on your relationships. But who are you when you are alone?

When you set aside your connections to the world, you are left as just a soul, accompanied by your mind and body. Vedanta teaches us that even the body is a gift from your parents. When you let go of identifying with your body, what remains is the soul, along with a flow of thoughts known as the mind.

By recognizing that the mind is often false or only appears temporarily real, you eventually realize the purity of your soul, which is peaceful, profound, and divine. Make it a daily practice to spend exclusive time with your soul in solitude—what I like to call "soulitude." 

In soulitude, let go of all your relationships in the world and focus only on one: your relationship with Brahman. The essential nature of every soul is only Brahman. A pure mind can easily transcend its entanglements in soulitude and re-establish its true nature.

Consciously hear and see all that invokes divinity

The famous Atharva mantra says:ॐ भद्रं कर्णेभिः श्रुणुयाम देवाः | भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः | - O Gods, may we hear what is auspicious with our ears. O Adorable, may we see what is auspicious with our eyes.

From early childhood until we were able to read independently, we gained knowledge primarily through listening. As a result, what we hear becomes integrated into our understanding and thought processes. To preserve the purity of our minds, it's important to choose to listen to those that are wise, worthy, and beneficial to our personal growth. This principle also applies to what we see.

Begin each day by chanting the name of the Lord and visualizing His form before interacting with anyone. By remembering His presence in your heart, you will invoke divinity within yourself and stay inspired to approach all your daily tasks as offerings to Him.