A Question from a devotee: HOW DOES ONE LIGHT A FIRE WITHIN THE HEART?

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Here is a further posting from Swamiji following a comment I made to him.--- On Thu, 25/6/09, Swami Sadasivananda <sadasivananda wrote:

Swami Sadasivananda <sadasivanandaRe: A Question from a devotee: "HOW DOES ONE LIGHT A FIRE WITHIN THE HEART?""Alan Jacobs" <alanadamsjacobsThursday, 25 June, 2009, 10:07 AM

Dear AlanHere is another, and I am most sorry to say that I have changed the last paragraph of the recent posting. I took a break and could not get out of my mind that more needed to be said.Here it is:

 

 

 

The fire within the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary blazes forth to illumine the path all human souls must progress through. This became possible only through Her willingness to, like Her Son, take upon Herself the image of our likeness and endure patiently the suffering that instills spiritual perfection, signified by the sword piercing Her most pure heart. Sri Ramana Maharshi echoed this truth when asked by Paramahansa Yogananda if God could not have ordained it differently, so we would not suffer so? Bhagavan replied: "Suffering is the way to self realization." (Talks #107)

On Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 1:20 PM, Alan Jacobs <alanadamsjacobs wrote:

Dear Swamiji,Many thanks for a most helpful reply.All blessings to you,Love,

Alan--- On Thu, 25/6/09, Swami Sadasivananda <sadasivananda wrote:> Swami Sadasivananda <sadasivananda> Re: A Question from a devotee: "HOW DOES ONE LIGHT A FIRE WITHIN THE HEART?"> alanadamsjacobs Thursday, 25 June, 2009, 8:24 AM

 

 

> Om Sri Alan,>> I will tell you a secret. I have had the great blessing> to know many of the direct devotees of Bhagavan, as well as> those who attended them. They all say, after a lot of prying> on my part, that after all the sadhana and vichara are said> and done, what remains is a burning Love for Bhagavan. This> bonfire of love attracts the Grace which burns done the mind> and all of its tentacles (ego included)!>>> So, as you rightly say, the fire is already there, our part> is to offer pure unselfish love (the firewood of devotion)> to God and His Creation, rather than to the ego and its> creation.>> OM TAT SAT>> Sadasivananda>>> On Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 12:25 PM,> <alanadamsjacobs> wrote:>>>> Dear Swamiji,>> >> Thanks for the posting. This is a question which really> interests me. My feeling is that the fire is already there,> and as you rightly say the obstacles to its obscuration, a> fire screen so to speak, have to be removed. Then the great> fire (Agni) can incinerate the vasanas which are left.. What> a glorious prospect. Throw the obdurate mind as a sacrifice> on the funeral pyre of the fire in the Heart!>>>>> All love,>>>> Yours in Bhagavan,>>>> Alan>>>> --- On Thu, 25/6/09, Swami Sadasivananda <sadasivananda> wrote:>>>>>> Swami Sadasivananda <sadasivananda>> A Question from a devotee: "HOW DOES ONE> LIGHT A FIRE WITHIN THE HEART?">> "Alan Jacobs" <alanadamsjacobs>> Thursday, 25 June, 2009, 7:20 AM>>>>>>>> HOW DOES ONE LIGHT A FIRE WITHIN THE HEART?>> >>>> Prior to lighting the

fire on Arunachala (said to be> the heart of the universe), the arduous effort of ascending> the sacred hill with all of the implements required was> needful. This fact is symbolic of the effort required by us> to light a fire within the heart. The Sanskrit word> "sadhana", coming from the root "sadhan -> implements or tools", actually means the way we use the> tools that the masters and the scriptures have shown us by> example. Without the needful preparation (sadhana), no fire> will appear.>>> Such a question of, "How to light a fire> within the heart?" will only arise to one who is> seeking spiritual growth. But a common error also> simultaneously arises. In essence, this error is a trick of> the ego, whose very life depends on being as far away from> the heart as possible. So the ego says to us, “Go my>

dearest, visit the playground of the heart, I will help you,> for I know a short-cut.†This short cut is in truth a> bypass, right around the mind.>>>>> We cannot even collect the firewood; much less light> a fire in a place where we have not yet found the path. We> need to make the mind a guiding light, which will illumine> our vision and our way towards the heart. But there are> obstacles.>>>>>>> Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi stressed practice that> produces purification (removal of that fog of ignorance, the> obstacles and habits of the mercurial mind which diminish> our pure vision) as well as the grace of the knowledge of> the Self as the eternal companions of those who would be>

led: >>>>>>>>> From the unreal to the Real,>> From darkness to Light>> From death to Immortality!>>>> This place of the Real, the Light and Immortality is> a firm stance within the heart. But first the obstacles must> be removed. So Bhagavan tells us outright what is needful.> The mind must first become free of restlessness. If fact it> must first be transcended:>>>>>>> “How to transcend the mind?†The Master answers:> “Mind is by nature restless. Begin liberating it from> restlessness: give it peace; make it free from distractions;>

train it to look inward; make this a habit. This is done by> ignoring the external world and removing all obstacles to> peace of mind.†(Reflections on Talks with Sri Ramana> Maharshi, Talk 26 p.. 129.)>>>>> “The obstacles that hinder realization are habits of the> mind (vasanas), and the aids to realization are the> teachings of the scriptures and of realized souls.†(Talks> with Sri Ramana Maharshi, Talk 13, p. 5.)>>>> The teachings of the scriptures and of realized> souls tell us that meditation, daily meditation, without> interruption is the way.>> Through meditation an awareness and recognition of> the intoxicating addiction to heedlessness is brought to> light together with a resolve to strive for true spiritual> growth. Thus the all-knowing God

begins by infusing into us> the will to change and seek a pure life..>>> Far before we even get close to the heart, we> must begin to change our habits and train our mind to look> inwards. This means that we must bring about change through> a determined and protracted effort to purify, and thus> literally dismantle our vasanas. Yes, this not only can be> done, but this must be done.>>>>> Grace is our essential source of guidance that> illumines our path to true ‘spirit life’. We attract the> Grace of God mainly through prayer and meditation!>>>>>> “The quality of soul that makes it possible for man to> rise to spirit life is purity…that which one wills to do,> he has the power to do. Knowledge of that power is

faith;> and when faith moves, the soul begins its flight.†(The> Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ, by Levi)>>>>>>> The Path of Ascent through the Sky of the Heart (the> mind!)>>>>>> We have begun; we have made a start. In the truest> sense we have now set our hands to the plough. In the entire> Srimad Bhagavatam Sri Krishna reveals the quintessence of> His teaching in one statement:>>>>>> “Shake free of sloth, and merge your mind within Me.â€> (Srimad Bhagavata, Book Eleven, Uddhava Gita.) > Though we might believe that only a simple start has been> made, the shaking free of slothful heedlessness is declared> by God to be half the battle.>>>>>

We have recognized that there is a fog that clouds> our vision, and obstacles (restlessness and slothfulness),> that literally obscure the manifestation of the light of the> Self in abode of our true consciousness; within our> spiritual heart!>>>>> Regardless of whatever label we choose to call> this effort, whether it be deemed purification, removal of> defilement, awakening, being in oneness or even becoming> still, it should be known that Bhagavan said it is “effort> that instills purity†and>>> stressed that without it the goal of lighting a fire> within the heart will not be reached.>> Prior to lighting a fire in the heart, we must light a> fire within the mind to burn down sloth, anger, and> ultimately all fear. This being done, we

will have the doors> of the heart flung open to reveal that God has already> created a bonfire, the flames of which will be our love of> Him.>>>>>>>>> The Immaculate fire within the heart of the Blessed Virgin> Mary blazes forth to illumine the souls of all humanity.> This became possible only through Her willingness to endure> patiently the ardeous effort of spiritual endurance,> signified by the sword piercing Her most pure heart.>>>>> -->> Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi web site: http://www.ramanateaching.org>>>> Ask your question in relation to Bhagavan's teachings,> meditation and spirituality at: http://www.ramanateaching.org/faq>>>> To contact Swami Sadasivananda:>> http://www.ramanateaching.org/contact.html>>>>>>>>> --> Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi web site: http://www.ramanateaching.org>> Ask your question in relation to Bhagavan's teachings,> meditation and spirituality at: http://www.ramanateaching.org/faq>>> To contact Swami Sadasivananda:> http://www.ramanateaching.org/contact.html>>-- Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi web site: http://www.ramanateaching.orgAsk your question in relation to Bhagavan's teachings, meditation and spirituality at: http://www.ramanateaching.org/faqTo contact Swami Sadasivananda:http://www.ramanateaching.org/contact.html