Skip to main content

‘I’ Thali

Nine poem garland for Swamini Svatmavidyanandaji for Navratri.

6.   ‘I’ Thali


 

 A sumptuous feast is served as Thali 

In a big plate of Prarabdha after tally

With no option but to eat in this rally

A bowl of joy served as dessert

A bowl of sorrow served as hurt

A bowl of pain served as guilt

A bowl of bondage served as paste  

A bowl of relationships served for taste

A bowl of hard work served not to waste

Some like it hot; some like it cold

Some do not like no matter what 

However, there is no choice left 

You eat it with nothing left

That which is served is I 

That which is eating is I

That which is nourishing is I

That I cannot be negated 

That I cannot be objectified

That I is self-evident 

There is nothing other than this I


(Swamini Svatmavidyananda Satasloki 57 talk Aug 31 2021)  Satasloki v 57

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Tale of Two birds

  A   Tale of two birds Old Īśvara had a farm, And on this farm He had a tree, And on this tree there sat a bird, With a  coo coo  here, and a  coo coo  there, Here a  coo , there a  coo , Everywhere  coo coo ! This bird eats the berries, Some are bitter, some are sweet. Fluttering here, fluttering there, Restless in its endless search. Old Īśvara had a farm, And on this farm He had a tree, And on this tree there sat a jīva, With a  glub glub  here,  and a  glub glub  there , Here a  glub,  there a  glub   , Everywhere  glub glub   ! The jīva whines in sorrow, The jīva whines in fear. Forgetting its true nature,  It suffers birth after birth. Old Īśvara had a farm, And on this farm He had a tree, And on this tree the jīva met the Guru, And the jīva turned into a bhakta. She asks, “Give me this, give me that,” She prays in sorrow and distress. She makes her bargains and deals Slowly c...

Opening the Inner Temple of Knowledge

Opening the Inner Temple of Knowledge The rain falls at the Bay, yet no single drop claims authorship. Clouds gather -dense and dark, but none declares, “I give.” Oceans rise as vapor, trees breathe out their offering, sunlight fuels the cycle— and yet none stands apart as the doer Where does money truly flow from? From the labor of the body? From the power of thought? From the ego that claims ownership? Who is the giver? Who is the receiver? The body moves, the mind conceives, the ego asserts— while I simply witness. Everything resolves in Me- There is no separate giver, no separate receiver all arise as one, within one,  from one. When everything arises from one indivisible source, the giver and receiver dissolve; Action happens, without an actor Aim for Seva continues , the window of opportunity lights up from within, the door of the inner temple opens to the truth of knowledge.

Tiger’s Nest Monastery Hike — An Adventurous Awakening Journey Within

Tiger’s Nest Monastery Hike — An Adventurous Awakening Journey Within Paro Taktsang , famously known as the Tiger’s Nest Monastery , is one of Bhutan’s most sacred and breathtaking places — perched on a cliffside at an altitude of around 3,100 meters (10,200 feet) in Paro, Bhutan.  It’s not just a hike; it’s a pilgrimage.  We began our hike from the base around 7 AM. Wooden walking sticks rented from locals in hand, Strava app turned on, and spirits eager, we followed our guide, Kinzan, who kindly guided us along. We took a “before hike” photo — smiling, unaware of the lessons waiting ahead. The winding path stretched ahead, shaded by tall trees, strings of prayer flags, with hundreds of steps ascending through the forest.  Around us, travelers from all over the world climbing along—each group led by its own local guide. Step by step, one foot before the other, the hike began.  With every upward step, doubts crept in —  Will I make it?   The walking stick ...