2. Gunarchana An offering of our inner qualities at the Lotus Feet of our Dear Lord SathyamTruth Sarva bhoota dayaCompassion KshamaForgiveness TapahPenance ShantiPeace DhyaanaMeditation NonviolenceAhimsa Indriya nigrahamSense Control

3. Focus of the month Month 1 Ahimsa (Nonviolence) ***************** not causing any harm to any being either through thought, word or deed

4. Ponder on: Why we have been blessed with the sense organs? Using each sense organ only for its true purpose Focus of the month Month 2 Indriya Nigraham (Sense Control) *****************

5. Use discrimination And understand What is truly right and what is truly wrong Focus of the month Month 2 Indriya Nigraham (Sense Control) *****************

6. Focus of the month Month 3 Sarva Bhoota Daya (Compassion) ***************** It is a direct measure of: How connected we are with another individual or nature in general

7. It is the understanding of: The emotional state of another Focus of the month Month 3 Sarva Bhoota Daya (Compassion) *****************

8. Compassion happens when: Love to help becomes Mobile and Flowing Focus of the month Month 3 Sarva Bhoota Daya (Compassion) *****************

9. Focus of the month Month 3 Sarva Bhoota Daya (Compassion) ***************** Remind ourselves: Same spark of Divinity flows through all the objects of the Universe How can we develop Compassion?

10. Focus of the month Month 4 Kshama (forbearance) ***************** Kshama is Everything in the World The greatest power for a human being Helps to get along and work with others

11. Kshama (forbearance) ***************** Forgiveness Kindness TolerancePatience True & Selfless Love Know no Hatred Tranquility Equanimity Harmony Understanding Live Together Compassion Contentment Peace Sympathy Self Restraint

12. Focus of the month Month 5 Shanthi (Peace) ***************** An ornament It is a state of mind of calmness and awareness Everyone’s principal treasure

13. Where is Peace? Within Us It is our real nature How can we find this Peace within us? Control of Senses Seva/Service Shanthi (Peace) *************** We can move from the feeling of: Happiness bringing Peace, to, Peace bringing Happiness

14. Focus of the month Month 6 Tapas (Penance) ***************** The Heat that ends the activities of the sense Means, the Heat Heat that reduces our Karma Heat that burns our Sins

15. Focus of the month Month 6 Tapas (Penance) ***************** Is: a Sadhana; a Discipline; a Spiritual exercise For: the realization of the SELF

16. Tapas (Penance) *************** To achieve this goal: Do we need to: & Meditate in certain postures? Live in the forest, living on fruits and tubers No, No, No

17. Tapas (Penance) *************** To achieve this goal: Have Pure Thoughts, Have Pure Actions Have Pure Speech Yes, Yes, Yes

18. Tapas (Penance) *************** Thought, Speech and Action Need to be coordinated Do by compulsion? No, No, No,

19. Tapas (Penance) *************** Coordinate Thought, Speech and Action For the contentment of the Self For satisfying our Inner Yearnings Yes, Yes, Yes

20. Focus of the month Month 7 Dhyaana (Meditation) ***************** Real Meditation is …. Getting absorbed in God as the only thought, the only Goal

21. Dhyaana (Meditation) *************** - Directing love on to the name and form of the Lord, without interruption - constant thinking of the Lord in whatever we do. Even performing your duty can be Dhyaana - constant awareness that He is the indweller of all - Cultivating love for the Lord has great potentialities - to avoid lower desires and to develop higher values - When and where the mind desires, then and there is the time and place - No fixed time or place for meditation on God - A general, whole time effort of the mind WHAT IS REAL DHYAANA : WHEN & WHERE: WHY:

22. Dhyaana (Meditation) *************** HOW: Three methods of Dhyaana 2) Jyoti/light (felt and seen) Light denoting that Divinity never diminishes 1) Japa/Chant (felt, seen, heard) Chanting your favourite name of the Lord in front of the Image of the Lord 3) Natural breath (felt not seen) the inward path

23. Focus of the month Month 8 Sathyam (Truth) ***************** Swami has been guiding us to realize that Truth does not change with time And He has shown us various ways to realize What the Eternal Truth is

24. Sathyam (Truth) *************** We consider Truth to be of 3 kinds: Prathibhasika Sathya: the reality one experiences in a state of dreaming. Paramarthika Sathya: The absolute, Eternal reality that is present everywhere and at all times. The highest end of all. Vyavaharika Sathya: the empirical reality. Based on the fact that many have experienced it, and hence accepted as true. But, the reality check is….. There is one and only Truth. The Eternal, Absolute, Spiritual Truth. Something beyond what we perceive as Truth

25. Sathyam (Truth) *************** - The mind What prevents us from experiencing the Truth? How can we address the mind? How can we recognize the only Absolute Truth? - Swami says we need not make any special efforts. - Just 11 seconds of contemplation on Truth - Inquiry into one’s own Reality. - Just 11 seconds are enough to realize the Eternal Truth - Develop an Inner and Outer Discipline - Adhere to what is True in Thought, Word, and Deed. - Follow your conscience, the principle of Truth - Have a deep and persistent yearning to realize the inherent Divinity, the Truth