Spiritual Portal

Lesson 124 about Cosmic Delusions brings up an interesting point about matter. Instead of denying the existence of matter Yogananda says;
"We should develop our consciousness to that point wherein we can know that mind and matter both exist, but are not as we think they are."
He further defines the terms avidya and maya. Avidya, or illusion, is an error entertained by one person and maya, or delusion, is an error that deludes all mankind.

I find it fascinating that Paramahansaji talks of the future and past being truly inseparatable and both in reality existing simultaneously. Does this remind any of you of your ' deja vu' experiences?

Lesson number 123 gives us an in depth look at personality development; in it he describes various people reflecting various animal like personalities which is quite amusing.

" Souls being made after the pattern of God display many of his qualities. But since bodies are made after the pattern of animals each individual physical and mental trait suggest a specific animal. Man's anatomy bone for bone, muscle for muscle can be compared to that of a horse, ape or other animal. " P.Y.

This has been the subject of very interesting discussion by philosophers and physicists. Past, present and future being the same, what happens to free will in this context. I collected some opinions in the other forum. Pls remind me to paste them here, they are exceedingly interesting and the pysicists agree with the fact that past and future are immutable, written in stone but there are critical points in spacetime where we do critical decisions which alter the course of our history, so past and future are changeless but at the same time we have free will.

Lesson 120

"Man seldom reincarnates as animals. That would be devolution instead of evolution. In rare instances, however, It happens that a person who has lived a very animalistic existence is drawn into the body of an animal, to learn some lesson. This explains the "thinking dogs" and "thinking horses" which have puzzled scientists who have tested them."

"It is said that a great saint or teacher who is highly evolved can deliberately assume the form of an animal in one or more incarnations. To prove that God is omnipresent, some saints have worked not only through human vehicles but also through the vehicle of lower animals, even as electricity can work in the human body as well as in a mechanical machine. God operates the life force of humans, animals, and atoms."

(http://i930.photobucket.com/albums/ad142/stevehydonus777/Mobile%20Uploads/20160124_125510_zpsgs32ofbm.jpg?1453693369467&1453693370424&1453693374033)

This rings true.  You know, it may sound quirky but I have fixated on this idea of welcoming a dog into our lives since many months now.  It is a main topic of happy discussions between the kids and I.  When I cannot sleep at night, I fantasize about this dog or puppy, and it brings me a lot of comfort.  I surf the web staring at images of animals nearby who need a home - so often I feel I could name them all, and there are hundreds.  Part of this, I am sure, is an excess of love needing a place to go.  Not saying a dog can replace a human partner but there is something a dog can offer and receive that many humans cannot; deep loyalty and unconditional love.  What could be closer to God?  I don't imagine an actual saint is planning to enter my life as a furry friend, but do feel a sort of a hand of destiny pushing one towards me in the near future.  :-). Animals who need care also force us into new places - both actively with our bodies, but internally too - just as children do.  Animals can lead us to like-minded people.  For someone like me, who often looks to serving others for a sense of Self, an animal is a healthy way to do that and also get something nourishing back - or so I imagine.  Check in with me next summer - once we are moved and can actually have a dog - and we'll see how my fantasy pans out.  Lol.  :-)

Sometimes the smallest things take up the largest part of our hearts.

God is dreaming the dream of cosmic motion pictures on the screen of delusive human consciousness. When one unites his own consciousness with God's, he percieves this cosmos as God's dream going throigh his mind. But no one can experience
 this realization unyil he experiences his complete unity with God. Just as a dreaming person does not know that jis dream of a city containing buildings, streets, and lights is made up only of different vibrations of his imagination, frozen into thought forms, so one who is under the spell of the cosmic selusion does not sees thay it is only God's dream.

Souls, being made after the pattern of God display many of his qualities but since bodies are made after the pattern of animals each individual physical and mental tree suggest a specific animal man’s anatomy bone for bone muscle for muscle can be compared to that of a horse Apert other animal if once that is a personality characteristics of the different animals he will find the various treats we produced in different human beings they are a brave person to remind you of the lion the king of beasts never kills unless he is hungry lion hearted people would never knowingly destroy anyone’s happiness other people may remind you of the tiger which kills through vicious in stinks even when it’s stomach is in gorged some people are like the cobra which bites at site such persons will cheat you or harm you at first meeting without any provocation some men and women are like cats just as a cat me

Souls, being made after the pattern of God display many of his qualities but since bodies are made after the pattern of animals each individual physical and mental trait suggests a specific animal man’s anatomy bone for bone muscle for muscle can be compared to that of a horse Ape or other animal.

If one studies the personality characteristics of the different animals he will find the various traits reproduced in different human beings. There are brave persons to remind you of the lion. The king of beasts never kills unless he is hungry. Lionhearted people would never knowingly destroy anyone’s happiness. Other people may remind you of the tiger which kills through vicious instincts, even when it’s stomach is in gorged. Some people are like the cobra, which bites at site; such persons will cheat you or harm you at first meeting without any provocation. Some men and women are like cats. Just as a cat may eat a tame canary and then curl up peacefully, professing innocence so some men women do a great deal of wrong yet hide under a cloak of innocence. The cat is a very clean animal, but some are selfish and some people are immaculately clean in regard to the physical bodies but within their minds are unclean with selfishness.

Monkeys love to imitate whatever they see. are whatever they see and some persons are like that. They imitate the mannerisms of real aristocrats without being able to be real aristocrats. Monkeys are very restless too, always moving and frisking about. There are some people who cannot rest even for a few minutes. They have to keep going all the time. Monkey like personalities imitate others their customs fashions idiosyncrasies good and bad habits, and ideas without discrimination. Imitation without reason is productive little good (However even blind imitation of good, and imitation of evil habits is of course harmful. )

Some personalities or meek like a dove and a lamb they are humble and hurt no one. It is good to be humble and hurt no one. It is good to be humble but weakness of character should not be confused with meekness.  In fact it takes a very strong willed person to be meek and to forgive forgive insults through the superior but self-control strength of his or her for spirituality.

The donkey is famous for its stupidity and forgetfulness are the cause of its hurts. If it falls into a mud hole it is likely to repeat the error as soon as it gets out. The sex addict is an example of the human donkey personality. He makes the same errors again and again. As a donkey does not remember the cause of injuries or punishments so the human sex addict forgets  the evil affects of sex transgressions and does not desist from sex errors no matter how they weaken his health heart, heart, brain, vitality and mental and moral strength.

Some wealthy person’s are like the cow; they give the milk  of their riches to their families yet they themselves lead dull uninteresting, unprogressive, mechanical lives. Although they provide their children with material luxury they fail to improve their lives or the lives of others in any intellectual or spiritual way.

From what I've read we possess all of these qualities and soul is expressed in the lower kingdoms as well- Mineral, plant and animal. The explanation, if I remember right, was that the Light(Soul) shines through these vehicles, the vehicles are what limit the Lights capacity. Plants have a very unique way of communicating that seem foreign to us, until recently(thanks to our progress science is making some pretty wild discoveries)... Just because the tree's communicate differently does not mean God does not exist in them. Perhaps this realization will become common knowledge and bring a renewed sense of stewardship with this planet and each other.

“Life sleeps in the crude earth, dreams beauty in the flowers, wakes with power in the animals, and in man has consciousness of infinite possibilities.” P.Y.

If there were no death, countless millions of people would monopolize the cosmos.  :P

The planets and universes would trademark God with a seal of finitude. The infinite spaces would be exhausted. Without the contrast of death, life would lose its taste of charming mystery: everything would grow old and stale. But this is not the case. The Infinite is ever new, so by God’s magic wand of renewing death, He keeps everything ever expressing, ever remodeling itself into a more suitable vehicle for expression of the infinite.

Death gives soul actors above all else new robes in which to play new dramas on the stage of life. Death is a transition to a better land, a change of residence. The wise man who has opened his spiritual eye 👁 finds that the cessation of earthly life gives him a new beginning in another supernatural life.

~Paramahansa Yogananda

Steve, tears of joy and gratitude.
So much love,
Merry Christmas...
Happy turn of the decade, 2020!
Love you and our Home.

Kindest regards. <3

“It is extremely important to find out whether or not you can keep the continuity of your calmness throughout the day. Your muscles, your senses, your desires and the misunderstandings of others all come to destroy the quietude of your soul. A calm person reflects restfulness in his eyes, keen intelligence his face and proper receptively in his mind. He is a man of decisive and prompt action but he is not moved by impulses and desires that suddenly occur to him. A restless person is like a puppet that dances at the instigation of emotional desires arising in response to the temptation offered by others.” The wisdom of Paramahansa Yogananda

Beautiful quote my friend! I'm sorry I haven't made contact with you because you are in my prayers today.

Interesting discussion... Understanding personal reality vs. reality. I've witnessed someone so in their head, clouded by lustful desires, that they weren't aware of their behavior or how they've made others feel. I can only say, at this time, this is my karma as I am guilty of the same.

I don't think it's wrong to pursue desires, but to hold them carefully in a contemplative mind and with a developed discernment find healthy and creative solutions. Slowing the mind down, relaxing the senses and practicing concentration might aid the development of our discernment and provide us the insight to our own derangements.

I doubt that either of us expects perfection out of our friendships. But we both know the importance of supporting and helping one another in our highest aspirations. We both have a clear view of what is most important in this life. Even though we sometimes plod along and make mistakes in our behaviors we know now that we have the support of the Masters and the soul soldiers that they have drawn too us. Our confidence is now in the faith that as long as it takes we are on the right journey now.... till the end.

https://youtu.be/9xq5Nh2UqCc

 Death causes fear in spiritually ignorant human beings, but to the wise it is a transition to a higher state - - a promotion to higher grades of life. Those who learn in this life to live by the Spirit, and are unattached to the body, quickly gained after death their soul-freedom from the bondage of oxygen, food and water. Mortals should learn to live more my inner energy, and strive to be unattached to the body.

His words really inspire me to brave the elements - whether cold 🥶 or hot 🥵 and curb and re-direct some of my desires.

Souls in that region do not encase themselves in bundles of  bones with fleshly covers. They carry no frail frames that break when they collide with other crude solids.  There is no war in the astral land between solids, oceans, lightning, disease, and man’s body. There are no accidents, for all things live in peace and mutual helpfulness rather than antagonism. All forms of vibration are in harmony. All forces live in peace and conscious helpfulness.  The souls, the rays on which they tread, the orange rays they drink and eat - - are all living. Souls live in mutual cognizance and cooperation, breathing not oxygen, but the joy of the spirit. There they live as long as they want to live, playing like waves on the infinite ocean of light, and there they melt into one another by celestial love, as the ocean of light.


The mortal form,  enslaved by oxygen and sunlight, gorged with material food, would faint in a delicate airless atmosphere of the divine supernal region. Darkness and gross lights equally lose their relative dualities in the darkless dark - - the lightless but all - revealing soul light - - of that sphere. So yogis practice life - force control and the breathless state to be able to live in these airless regions of living light, even while in the body.

Hmmm some motivation there from Paramahansa Yogananda to keep up our practice.

i'd like to free myself from the shackles of a corrupted mind. yogananda is right to call us sense-slaves and, at times, it can feel like a curse.

Everything has its natural course Eric... the natural world has its pains and set backs and for this reason prods us on. I know... easy to say but not so easy to do. Both have to develop patience and appreciation for every little progress-by grace-that is given to us. You and I seem to have many simultaneous lessons... hmmm interesting...as though reflecting some of the same frustrations for some important recognition?

Perhaps what may be more helpful to you as it has been to myself is the idea that mistakes and setbacks maybe just the medication the guru doctor gives us to learn something else... compassion and understanding for the slow evolution of those around us. And... just what others have gone thru waiting patiently for us to ‘get it.’

Anyhow, just some ideas 💡 that your comment above solicited from the vaults of pea mind here…ha ha.

P.S. Dear God; be more tempting than temptation itself.

thanks steve, coincidentally this aligns with a dream i just had.

i also like your personal prayer there.

Yea a little friendly competition and or stimulation goes a long way sometimes.