Brother Jitananda: Enjoying Life's Challenges

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

● When we say problems it is a bit of a contradiction. Because how do we enjoy problems?
Who enjoys aggravations and pain? Challenges are gifts from God and Guru so we can grow.

● Quite often we feel like God is taking away our freedom when in fact he is nudging us along.

● It easy to love God when things are going smooth. Can we still love him when things are being taken away?

● If it were not for challenges we may miss very important things that are problems in our character. Our weaknesses are revealed through our problems. They wake us from cosmic delusion.

To be continued... om

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

● Yogananda asked  God : Why do you punish  the Indian people; the majority who love you? God answered: "Those I Love the most I test the most. India will be free in your life time."

● We should pray: Lord i want you above all else. I pray that you do not take away your presence.
I pray you do not put me through obliviousnesd of you presence.

● The world does not have the capacity to give us ultimate joy. We are not meant to see it as our home. It is a school where we come to develop spirituality.

● Being relaxed does not mean being lazy. Being unattached does not mean being indifferent.

● Don't be afraid of making mistakes it's important process in which we learn and grow.

● If I wasn't making mistakes I wasn't  making decisions~a prominent business man

● Many people find problems a nuisance and annoyance. As soon they get in trouble they find someone to blame: their children, their parents or a friend. Or if there is no one to blame; they blame God. Where ever we find ourselves there our thoughts and actions, in this or another life, have brought us.

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

● When Paramahansa Yogananda first came to the U.S. he performed many miracles. Most people thought it was a unique form of entertainment. But few returned for further spiritual instruction. God could also oblige in this way but he knows they would not give love towards him. It would not turn their love towards him.

● We are given the yamas /niyamas and the 10 commandments so that we do not suffer. But as soon as we hear the word commandments we want to rebel. They should have been called guidelines to perfect happiness then we would be more interested.

● This is God's entertainment. He wants us to be entertained also so we shouldn't take it too seriously. A grand daughter asked how her grandmother felt. Her grandmother said 'I feel good'. Then she replied: 'Then why don't you change your face?'

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

● Think of a movie star working to play a roles. They know it has nothing to do with them or their reality.
 We also play are part well in the drama; knowing all the while we are the eternal soul.

● Sometimes challenges come up in the movies. Things do not make sense. There are seeming contradictions. Life is an intricate mystery. Yet God will reveal everything at the proper time. We will not know all about it till the end of the novel. We do have a choice though in how we react to situations and circumstances.

● When we have problems we worry because we cannot overcome them. Yet problems are a means to growth on the spiritual path.

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

 Dear ones remember this: If you are not confused, you do not know what's going on!

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

● When we overcome a problem we think that we will be happy but there will always be more. Outer conditions will never be perfect.

● Even if we have the  praise of thousands. Even if we gained all the material things we could and had all the power we could not be happy.  Outer conditions will never be perfect.

● A strong determination to be happy will help you. to be happy is to be in tune with God and to be in tune with God is to meditate.

● Meditation gives an experience of our soul nature.

● Most people do not have the concentration. It is helpful to start with interospection. Introspection is a very helpful and valuable tool. Many people are reluctant to use introspection. most people are afraid of what they will discover.

● Most people spend their time in useless idle activities.

● There is something practical about introspection.

● We need to stop crying about our situations and become heroes.

● The gurus can show us where we are on the spiritual path. That is: they can say you are here.

● Everything comes to us as a gift of God for our own good. God and Guru know our potential and how to carry it out.

● Some people  habitually complain about things. They become a grouch. they spread good cheer wherever they do not go.

● We need to stop crying about our situations and become heroes. We need to face our problems and work through them and grow from them. It does no good to bemoan our conditions. The reasons and the conditions are all different for each one of us. It is because they are custom made for us. We should not be an obstacle by being a grouch.

● We may have a new job or a new location to live in. Our problems chase after us. Wherever we go we bring our problems. They are the next steps to our growth.

● There was a fair going on and there were contests and tea served and all kinds of things going on. There was also a contest for dogs who were jumping up high and over a level which was raised higher. as they jumped it was a brown dog and a black dog. the black dog always seemed to be able to just jump up gracefully over the levels but the brown dog had to struggle and claw his way up the wall. He clawed his way up and eventually  he pulled himself up and over  to get over the level. This kept going on and the black dog always gracefully jumped up one more level however finally the black dog couldn't make one of the levels but instead the brown dog clawed and finally pulled himself over while the black dog sat there and refused to move.

● God truly helps those who help themselves.