I am That

I am that. Signature statement of Nisargadatta Maharaj.

Explained by Papaji (Harivanvsh Lal Poonja) on how Ramana Maharshi put forth resulting in the liberation of Papaji.

What appears and dis-appears is not real.

You saw him (Krishna), he dis-appeared. You remained. The seer remained. Now find out who the seer is? The real seer is beyond all this. The seer is the abiding source and substance of all that exists. It is called the self. It has nothing to do with mind or the personality. It is the continuous presence that abides timelessly and formlessly as the real nature and heart of all beings. We live in the illusion that we exist overlooking the abiding presence. Directing the mind to the source. This is the enquiry to be pursued. Get the mind to face the source. What is mind? Thought. What is thought. I. Let the I face the source. Now this facing the source is called enquiry. Now the I is facing the source. Just like mirror, reflecting. When you look at a mirror, what do you see? Our reflection. When we keep aside the mirror, where does the reflection go? Back to the face. No this I was enquiring from its own source which was reflected to the mind mind to the senses, senses to the body and body to the objects. So this universe. So this is the method of Ramana Maharshi. Striking at the root of the mind. Other kinds of practices are with the mind. Result will be mental. Or with yoga, physical. By striking at the root of mind, mind is no more. So by getting the I to face its source. The I merges with the source. It becomes that. Thus the man will experience the ever abiding freedom.

For interview of which this is a transcript see this YouTube Video.

https://youtu.be/k-7Iip6lk8Q

Significance of Diwali Days

🎊⛩️🌹 Happy Diwali 🌹⛩️🎊

Diwali is festival of lights held over seven days from the 11th day of the lunar month of Kartik to the seventeenth day. 

People wish each other the best of health, wealth, prosperity and well being during the celebrities.

Names of the festival days are:

Rama Ekadashi

Vasu Baras

Dhana Tryodashi

Narak Chathurdashi

Laxmi Poojan

Bali Pratipada and

Bhaubeej Dwitiya

The significance of each of the days is now mentioned.

Rama Ekadashi : People keep fast on Rama Ekadashi to wash off sins of past acts.

Vasu Baras : Women keep fast on Vasu Baras and worship cows. They also perform puja for Lord Krishna and seek the blessings of the lord for the longevity and prosperity of their families.

Dhanatrayodashi : Dhantrayodashi is the first day of the five-day Diwali festivities. The popular belief is that on the day of Dhanteras, Dhanvantari and Goddess Lakshmi, who is worshipped for wealth and prosperity emerged during the churning of the celestial ocean.

Narak Chaturdashi : Narak chaturdashi is celebrated by lighting lights to welcome fore fathers to guide them and remove obstacles from their life.

Laxmi Poojan : Laxmi Poojan is held to honor Goddess Lakshmi to bring wealth and prosperity to the family in the future. People wear new traditional clothes and ornaments on this occasion.

Bali Pratipada : Bali Pratipada  commemorates the annual return of Mahabali to earth and the victory of Vamana – one of many creative incarnations of Vishnu to  mark the victory of Vishnu over Mahabali and all asuras.

Bhaubeej : Bhaubeej is celebrated when ladies invite their brothers to visit their place and prepare their beloved dishes for them. Sisters also pray to God for the well-being and longevity of their brothers against all the evils and bad fortune.

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Parents invite married ladies home so that they can participate in the Diwali festivities. It is also believed that they bring 'Laxmi - wealth, good fortune and prosperity' with them when they do so.

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There is also a tradition of Deep Daan during Kartik month, the lunar month in which Diwali is celebrated. Here is a short write up on significance of Deep Daan दीप दान.

Importance of lamp donation in Kartik

• It is said that the person who donates a Akhand lamp near Shrikeshav in the month of Kartik, becomes full of divine radiance.
• Those who light the lamps kept by others in the temple of Shri Hari in the month of Kartik, they do not have to suffer hell. It is said that a mouse had taken a rare human birth by lighting a lamp kept by others on Kartik Ekadashi.
• Donation of earth along with the ocean and donating millions of cows with calves is not even equal to a fraction of the sixteenth fraction of donating a shikhar lamp above the Vishnu temple. By donating a lamp in the Shikhar or Hari Mandir, the hundred-kul is saved. 
• Those who with devotion only visit the Jyoti-Deepti Vishnu temple in the month of Kartik, there is no hell in their family. 
• The gods also wish for the company of the person who donates lamps in the house of Vishnu. 
• In the month of Kartik, by lighting the temple of Vishnu with lamps, right in the game itself, he gains wealth, fame, fame and seven clans become holy. 
• Put ghee / sesame oil in an earthen lamp and light the lamp till Kartik Purnima, it will definitely benefit.

The life of postmen in the West

I have to be careful what I write here but I can't hold in my thoughts anymore.

I've been a postman now for 16 and a half years, serving the community I've worked in for over 10 of those years. 

In this moment in time, us posties are in the biggest fight of our lives. Our terms and conditions aswell as the "postle worker" you know today is under threat.

It's under threat because of the greed above. They say we need to change, they say we need to compete, they say people no longer send mail and they also say we need to be more like "amazon" or other parcel couriers. If this is true, the positive role I've pride myself on over these years will no longer exist !

Let me explain. I'm not just a guy who walks up and down the street delivering "junk mail" and parcels.

I'm that guy who know everyone of his customers, I'm that guy who knows when something ain't right in the community I work in, I'm that guy who spends time with customers when they have no-one else to talk to, to help when no-one is around to help. If there's bits they need I can and will get. If there's a pet that's got out, I know the home it belongs too. I kind of see myself more as a community warden lol than a postman. A guy that cares soo diligently about the job and role I deliver.

We're not just another courier company, we're far more than that and we'll fight to save that vital 

role we provide.

#standbyyourpost

A liberating and empowering story

At a 2019 conference, Author, Elizabeth Gilbert shared this story, The great mythologist, Joseph Campbell, who spent his entire life studying the religions of the world, was asked, “What is the definition of sacred?” and “How do human beings make something sacred?” He responded, “It’s the simplest thing in the entire world, and you do not need a priest for it, anybody can do it. Here’s how humans make something sacred: You draw a circle around it and you say everything inside this circle is holy. It’s sacred because you said so. That is called a boundary, and a boundary is not a wall. A boundary is not something that you hide behind. A boundary is a golden circle that you draw around the things that matter to you, and you say everything inside this circle is sacred. If you treat it with respect, you are allowed to come in, but take your shoes off and bow because you are coming into the center of holiness here. And if it’s not, and it’s outside, then what do we say? We say, “I do not care.”

"You get to decide what is sacred. The sacred thing inside the circle can be your time, your creativity, your loved ones, your privacy, your recovery, your values, your mental health, your activism, your joy, your very heart and soul. You yourself can stand at the center of a scared circle that you drew around YOUR VERY OWN BEING, and say,”Everything inside this circle is holy.” Not because you think you’re better than anyone else, but because you have humbly accepted stewardship over the divine and mysterious gift of the universe that is YOU."

Via Courtney Carver : Be More With Less

The Empirical Self

For James, the spiritual self was who we are at our core. It is more concrete or permanent than the other two selves. The spiritual self is our subjective and most intimate self. Aspects of a spiritual self include things like personality, core values, and conscience that do not typically change throughout an individual's lifetime. The spiritual self involves introspection, or looking inward to deeper spiritual, moral, or intellectual questions without the influence of objective thoughts.^[81] For James, achieving a high level of understanding of who we are at our core, or understanding our spiritual selves is more rewarding than satisfying the needs of the social and material selves.

Pure egoEdit

What James refers to as the "I" self. For James, the pure ego is what provides the thread of continuity between our past, present, and future selves. The pure ego's perception of consistent individual identity arises from a continuous stream of consciousness.^[82] James believed that the pure ego was similar to what we think of as the soul, or the mind. The pure ego was not a substance and therefore could not be examined by science.^[38]

TA Basic Course Feedbacks

I found the session to be life changing. 

I thank you for touching upon the very core of my personality and helping me grow as a person.

The session was superb in terms of content, delivery, pace and the simplicity of explaining the most difficult nity gritties of the entire TA.

I was amazed to learn a lot about my past relationships issues. 

I got to know simplistic understanding of TA concepts and definitions. 

I was impressed to find that you can discuss any topic and have in-depth knowledge of every topic of TA. 

You have the knack of explaining definitions with life experiences. Thereby you make it easy to understand. 

TA is such a large field. You covered its most important aspects in the limited time at your disposal. 

It is difficult to express in words but the way you explain theory using practical approach is truly unbelievable🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

There are very few trainings that go beyond the realm of learning. They empower a new sense of belief in you and the Basic TA course with Ajit has been that for Me. 

There are very few facilitators whose knowledge and humility integrate to serve the learners and Ajit has been that for Me. 

Thank you Ajit for not an experience or a training, but a memory that will outlive Me.

The session helped me clarify my thoughts and be more precise in thinking.

It also helped me to break some myths, particularly the concept of scripts which was new for me.

Thank you so much Ajit. Iwould like to  participate in more such sessions. Gratitude 🙏🙏

The Basic Course training was excellent. I got an overall knowledge and pen picture of TA theory. I have decided to learn the theory. it is an excellent theory for personality change. As a first I will apply it in my life. I can grow and make changes in my life and I can help others as well. Your pedagogical style is excellent.  It was a blessing for me to get the chance to attend the class. It will be beneficial for me in my professional life too. I will apply it in my In my relationships as well. 

I have the don't be close injunction. I will work to come out of it. It will help me to generate cordiality, love and affection in my relationships. In depth study of TA will be helpful for my health and well being and in enjoying good mental, psychological, emotional and physical health.

Ajit, you as a 'Guru', you have immense knowledge in TA and other philosophies. I appreciate your willingness to impart the knowledge with full heart, mind and spirit to the trainees.

Learning points listed by Participant 2

Here are some very significant insights for me:

1. Script And Personality, are two sides of the same coin. 

2. The power to sublimate, not discard. 

3. Duty of the therapist is not to only treat to the patient but to help align systems and build capacity to deal with realities. 

4. Giving permission to the mind to allow itself to take the time it needs to retrieve information. 

5. OK-ness the capacity to enjoy dignity, worth, value, esteem and respect. 

6. Script goals become our destiny goals. 

7. Importance of a contract in teaching, training and clinical work 

8. The criteria of spontaneous options sane, safe, effective, appropriate and win win generating. 

9. The Moving Self Concept. 

10. Reach back and Afterburn in the context of psychological time. 

11. How expletives generate noise in communication. 

12. Ego is the organ of waiting. 

13. Awareness of the role psyche plays in distorting mind's perception. 

14. In giving there is receiving. 

15. How the strict dad and loving mom of the triplets creates three different personalities based on the choices they make in childhood.. 

16. Script free and script prone. 

17. Climb up the staircase and jump down the window. 

18. Hospitalism. 

19. Importance of Intimacy and Activity. 

20. Where is my mind when my body is here. 

21. Contributors to script. 

22. Advantages of Games. 

23. Personality rules all. People are missing. 

24. Contribution of process scripts in stoking the fire of script. 

25. People in the drama triangle are only playing drama roles.