Sadhana

Dear Friends,
    What is sadhana? Practices that lead one to the realization of the True Nature of Spirit. One can focus either on the attractions of the material world or on the attractions of Spirit. I spent most of my life trying to chase after pleasures and run away from pain. The more I focused on physical pleasures, the more I started to believe, "I am the body and mind." The more I let go of the desires for physical pleasures, the more I started to feel less bound by body and mind. Without physical addictions, the mind does not race after so many thoughts and it can just relax into being. Of course, this is a long process. The mind has millions of desires. The last thing it wants to do is stop thinking. Yet when we stop thinking, the spiritual world opens up like a flower. So many beautiful qualities of love, peace, and joy spring forth from our spiritual garden. I found it a great challenge to let go of desires until I started to feel a spark of these qualities. Then it was easy to choose the beauty of the spiritual world over addictions to the earthly world.
    But at first, I needed to build faith. Some beings tap into a marvelous spirtual world so it is possible. Also I sought the connection to others who were in communion with Spirit. With their energetic support, I could more quickly start to resonate with spiritual qualities. Swami Purna has been the primary catalyst for this growth. Now sadhana has become a more natural way of life. Not so arduous. In fact, I welcome difficult times. They are doorways to further letting go of the mind's attachments of the way life should go. Challenges become the medicine I need for deepening realization of Spirit. For instance, I usually have nothing to say at a satsang so fear of the unknown arises. What if people don't like the satsang? As I let go into the unknown, the layers of fear dissolve, and words flow forth quite effortlessly. Where did they come from? Who is speaking them? This is a mystery. Everything becomes possible in this river of Grace. Let go of the sides of the river and go with the current. We are all taken care of.

Love,
Brian