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Ramakrishna Ananda

You Can Choose Your Future!

Tips for living a life of greater wisdom, love, and consciousness

Your future is your choice! Hopefully, by now you are open to the idea that higher consciousness is available to you. It already exists within you. All you need do is make the effort to discover it and unleash it into your life. Without knowing your faculty of higher consciousness, you are missing out on at least nine-tenths of your potential for happiness and fulfillment. While this quest takes work and sincerity, no pursuit is more worthwhile or so rewarding in every way

Spiritual Living, Higher Consciousness

Not only do each of us deeply need to awaken and become aware of our own faculties of higher consciousness, but it seems our world will be in deep trouble until more and more people go beyond the limitations of their present awareness and stand in the glorious presence of their true nature. Our world is so full of misunderstanding, there are so many wants and unfulfilled needs. Because of ignorance of our inner abilities, there is much suffering almost everywhere on our planet.

In your quest for higher consciousness, don’t be put off by old tendencies and conceptions. Be new, fresh, when you approach higher consciousness. Be willing to explore it. Be honest with yourself. Don’t pretend results that aren’t really there. Higher consciousness is not a fantasy realm. Higher consciousness has to be discovered as a reality and it must have distinct and definite impacts on your life before you can say you have even begun to know it. Of course your old tendencies and limited thoughts will try to stand in the way whenever you’re dealing with something new, something relatively unknown. Don’t worry. Push forward. You will succeed.

Of course, it’s very helpful if you can find the companionship of some fellow seekers and enlightened people nearby. They will be good friends and very helpful to you. Hopefully one day you will find a special teacher who will be qualified to help you in the development of your life in higher consciousness.

Start Now!

But, above all, if you have determined to seek your higher consciousness, start now! Then all you have to do is continue and you will make it. A journey of a thousand miles, it is often said, begins with one step. Enthusiastically and joyfully take that step now. But if circumstances, people, or events seem to prevent you, know that higher consciousness is waiting within you and is your very own essential nature. One day you can seek to realize it — hopefully soon. Most likely, however, you took that big step toward higher consciousness when you began studying this website. Likely you have come a long way already in getting to know your superconscious nature.

Remember what the ancient lovers of truth said: An unexamined life is not worth living. Can you imagine living in poverty when there is great wealth in a nearby room? And the room happens to be a part of your own home? How absurd! Yet people, all of whom are filled with higher consciousness, too often live in complete ignorance of its nearness and its benefits.

“Know thyself!” wise men said. How can you walk the earth without seeking to know your true nature? How much longer can you live without opening the gift of life? How often people accept the gift of life as a fact, a reality, but never think of opening the gift and discovering what it is! You already have your greatest wealth. Open it! Let it out of the box of self-limitation.

Study. Be sincere. Make the effort. Be a scientist. Practice observation and experiment. Be definite and sure in your development of higher consciousness.

Different Paths

Your search will reveal many wonderful faiths and disciplines which can help lead you to higher consciousness and inspire you along the way. Find the path best suited to your individuality and be true to it. You will succeed. Stay on the road and you will arrive at your destination. At the same time, value and appreciate those who travel other roads toward higher consciousness. Whatever terms they use, whatever different concepts may be involved, appreciate the reality of the higher consciousness in each true seeker and his path.

At the same time, as you make your journey, avoid being a fool. There are marvelous nuances of differences in each path. Do not stupidly disregard the nuances as unimportant. Each subtlety is valuable and contributes something. The differences of paths and seekers must be appreciated and valued. More than one seeker has tried to practice two or more great, true paths at the same time. Such enthusiasts not only became greatly confused, they failed miserably in realizing success in any of their quests.

Remember, the quest for higher consciousness is not the same in the different paths. Some teachings focus on vigorous acts of charity and service as the way to enlightenment. Some other schools of thought recommend withdrawal from society for continual periods of contemplation. Some paths focus on austerities. Some develop the mental nature, while others emphasize the will, obedience, or cultivation of the heart’s love. And different attributes of higher consciousness are yearned for, or cultivated, in the various excellent roads toward enlightenment. Some masters emphasize absolute, infinite awareness as the goal; other adepts focus on the personal relationship between the seeker and the Creator. Surely, enjoy the similarities and great harmony of constructive action expressed by seekers around the world. But, very importantly, also realize that many paths and goals are definitely not “all the same.”

Live In Higher Consciousness

As you progress in your development of higher consciousness, a special day will come when, through your experience and realization, your state of higher consciousness will become continuous. Higher consciousness will not be a place that you go to for encouragement, wisdom, or inner power. Instead, you will be so intimate with the higher consciousness that you will live in it. You will be aware of it night and day.

Your doubt and disbelief that higher consciousness exists, or that it is good, will be suspended. Higher consciousness will prove itself so thoroughly beneficial and helpful that you will enter a delightful state of being. You will feel that you were as if dead in those days prior to your life in higher consciousness. The numbness, the ignorance, the frustrations and agonies of unattuned life will fall away gradually as you discover your new life and serve to create a better world.

You will live in a natural, ongoing state of higher consciousness filled with ever-new joy and continually refreshing, helpful insights. You will sense, with great humility, that you consciously live in the presence of your Creator. You will no longer block or sabotage your own prospects for fulfillment.

Keep in mind that higher consciousness generally does not require a great outward change in your career or relationships — unless they are destructive. Basically, higher consciousness makes a huge change in you. It starts with you and your life as it is, here and now, radiating benefits into your entire life situation. You will discover life itself has been fulfilled within you — the primary goal of your life has been accomplished and the adventure of enlightenment begins.

The Glimpse

Your higher consciousness is so great that one glimpse, one brief experience of it, will change your life forever. In contacting your higher consciousness you will know that you are richer than any king who ever lived. In one sure glimpse of higher consciousness you will be struck with the insight that most of the suffering and want in the world is not necessary, it does not need to be. Suffering and deprivation are but the consequences of ignorance of our true natures. We have the consciousness, ability, and energy to establish the world we deeply pine for, the place where well being and good will between people is the way of life. After one glimpse of your higher consciousness you’ll wonder how long people will live like sleepy, lost vagabonds, struggling against others for brief moments of satisfaction. How absurd this confused life seems in the light of higher consciousness when true wealth, aptitude, and strength are so near at hand.

After one glimpse of your higher consciousness you become easily dedicated and ready to put forth any effort toward its fuller realization. In one glimpse the revelation of life’s potential will motivate you to make every constructive effort toward the day that you will reside in your true nature. In time you will truly awaken in your higher consciousness. The glimpse, the vision, becomes constant.

May you have that glimpse which makes everything clear and your quest easy. May you discover your true self, and that you shall never be impoverished again.

Reflection

What Do You Want From Life?
What Do You Really Want?

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#2 THE MYSTIC GAZE
A Classic Technique

This classic technique is one of the mystic’s greatest treasures.

It is designed to stimulate your mystical faculties and begin the process of spiritual awakening.

With the Mystic Gaze enjoy the developing sense of clarity, coordination and attunement with life in all you do.

  1. Sit calmly and relax your eyes
  2. Gaze slightly upwards 20-30 degrees
  3. Look into space 20 feet or more
  4. Gaze, don’t stare or strain your eyes
  5. Simply observe and appreciate your awareness of space
  6. Enjoy the dawning wholeness for several minutes
  7. Gear down and go about your day

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#7 EXPANSION THROUGH ATTITUDE AND GOOD WILL
Change Your Heart

Your practice of good will cultivates the heart’s truest, deepest feeling:  love.

These good will practices are a boon to mystical study.

The goal of good will practice is the change of the heart.

When your heart naturally and spontaneously radiates forth a palpable good will, then you are a changed person.

  1. Consciously direct your thoughts and feelings toward an attitude of good will
  2. Bring a person to mind
  3. Or place your awareness on a person closest to you
  4. Direct good will toward this person
  5. Feel free to add specific well-wishes like health, love, courage, etc.
  6. Allow your heart to expand, to change

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#6 EXPANSION LEVEL ONE
Quality of Life

Mystics break out of body bondage through numerous expansions of the heart — of the sense of self.

Your feeling of self-awareness imprisons or frees you.

Happily, you can do something powerfully liberating about the state of your heart and the quality of your life.

  1. Sit comfortably for 15 minutes
  2. Choose a person you know
  3. Imagine you’re walking in his/her shoes
  4. Feel you’re inside this person
  5. Say “If I were (name), I’d feel and think…”
  6. Have fun with it and let your heart expand

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#5 THE HEART AND ITS LIBERATION
Your Sense of Self

Mystics break out of mind and body bondage through expansions, expansions of consciousness.

Your “Heart” is your sense of self, your feeling about who you are.

Who are you as a distinct person from everyone else? This is your core individuality, your mystical heart.

  1. Focus on your mystic heart
  2. It is located in the right-central chest or inside the spine behind the heart
  3. Practice The Radiance or The Mist:
  4. Feel that your mystic heart…
  5. Radiates love, light and energy, or
  6. Generates a white mist flowing outward

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#4 THE MYSTIC BREATH
Your Window

Your breath is the key to the mystery of your life. The Mystic Breath is conscious use of this key.

Our individual natures will require different windows — different energy centers — from which to view the life force.

Allow the mystic breath to reveal your personal window.

  1. Stretch and then sit comfortably
  2. Take 5 to 7 deep breaths
  3. Focus on the center of your upper lip
  4. Witness the breath come and go
  5. Let your mind move to a natural center
  6. Watch your breath and the life force from this “window”

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#3 THE ASCENT
The Essence of Your Life

We begin meditation on the Infinite by focusing our awareness on Spirit, the life essence within us.

How can we do something so seemingly abstract? It’s easy. Spirit empowers your breath night and day.

Let the life force reveal itself to you. Sense the higher power which flows through you.

You’ll feel more alive.

  1. Stretch and relax your body
  2. Sit comfortably
  3. Take 5 to 7 deep breaths
  4. Focus on your nostril rims
  5. Witness the breath come and go
  6. Enjoy for 10 to 12 minutes
  7. Inhale deeply and stretch

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#0 THE MYSTIC SELF
Our True Nature

In the view of mystics, the major problem in life for most of us is ignorance of our true natures.

The Mysteries reveal many ways that you can actually contact your mystic self — and the Infinite Consciousness.

Do you, can you, contact your Mystic Self? Yes, indeed!

  1. Practice this anytime you like
  2. Probably your mind wanders quite often
  3. At times during the day, look at your mind and notice when it’s wandering
  4. Then, turn your attention to that part of your consciousness which observes that your mind is wandering
  5. That special overseeing awareness is part of your marvelous mystic self

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#1 MYSTIC AWAKENING
Benefits

Stimulate your mystical awakening.

When you wake up from a dream you realize you were only dreaming.

Consider too that this normal state of awareness in which you live may be a kind of sleep also.

As you do this technique you’ll find the world becomes more beautiful and enjoyable.

  1. Try this many times a day
  2. Whisper to yourself, “Wake up!”
  3. Mentally say, “Wake up!”
  4. Increase your attention, appreciation and feeling of love
  5. Just cheerfully exhort yourself
  6. Wake up!

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How to Succeed

As you may know, we do not charge for our courses. All Yoga World content is free and available to you with our blessings. However, we do have a simple, but important request that’s key to the transformations necessary to succeed on the path.

We ask you to commit two hours a week to selfless service. This service can be anything you choose ranging from helping a family member or neighbor to volunteering at a nonprofit organization.

I Commit to Serve

This commitment is solely between you and your inner self.

Why the Commitment?

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