Enriching Without Expectations🔗

Authored by

THE SPH NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

Sacrifice without expectation of results, as stipulated in the scriptures, with a firm belief and conviction that it is a duty, is in the mode of goodness

When the great Ṛṣis, the Masters, performed rituals, they had nothing to seek. They performed these in line with the truth of their experiences, which were the scriptural understandings. They expected nothing

An enriching sacrifice is not measured by how much we give. It is measured by how much we give that we cannot afford to give.

Sacrifice that is performed without following the scripture, in which no food is distributed, which is devoid of mantra, authenticity, and gift, is said to be in the mode of ignorance

The Universe operates on the principle of abundance.

Every ritualistic offering had a major element of gifting the deserving poor. Whoever came to such a ritual never went away empty-handed. When the great Ṛṣis, the Masters, performed rituals, they had nothing to seek. They performed these in line with the truth of their experiences, which were the scriptural understandings. They expected nothing. They performed rituals as a day-to-day living expression. These rituals were conducted so that the celestial beings and nature were pleased and humanity benefited. These were selfless offerings of satva guṇa (good nature).

Great kings also practiced these rituals. Kings performed fire rituals to display power and to show that they controlled other kings. These were a display of ego. Kings such as Yudhiṣṭra performed the horse sacrifice, Aṣvamedha Yāga, and the Rājasūya Yāga to announce their supremacy over other kings. However, these were required of kings and were also occasions to give their wealth away generously. These were performed in the mode of aggression, rajas. Other extreme sacrifices were also performed by demonic creatures with no concern except to show their brute strength. These did not involve any enriching, any charity or generosity. These did not follow the scriptural guidelines. These were carried out purely for selfish reasons

An enriching sacrifice is not measured by how much we give. It is measured by how much we give that we cannot afford to give. It is measured by how much we give when it hurts us to give and that too without any expectation in return. Such an enriching sacrifice straightaway leads to liberation.

An enriching sacrifice must hurt to be genuine. It must cause you discomfort and yet be given with total completion, pleasure and without expectations. That is the spirit of genuine surrender. That is the spirit of doing things without expectation of the fruits of action.

The Universe operates on the principle of abundance. There is no shortage of anything in the Universe. What we need, we get. The trouble is that we are dissatisfied with what we need. Our wants are immeasurable. Great Masters have said that it is possible for the Universe to fulfill the needs of all the people on planet Earth, but not the wants of one single person. Our greed has no limits.

May your desire to enrich others and give away be limitless. May your desire to acquire become zero. You will be amazed at how wealth seeks you.

-Inspire the students to make enriching their lifestyle.

COSMOS

MATERIALS NEEDED:

COSMOS

PROCEDURE:

https://www.kidspot.com.au/things-to-do/activity-articles/create-a-blow-painting/news-story/294b318632c0de4fb2df3e611dfba582

COSMOS

INFERENCE:

• The Universe operates on the principle of abundance. There is no shortage of anything in the Universe. What we need, we get.

YES!

MATERIALS NEEDED

Have a set of questions ready (you can make up or add your own to the following list):

PROCEDURE:

1. Read each question out loud and tell the children to answer with a strong "NO"

2. At the end, ask the children to write down how they are feeling physically, mentally, emotionally, etc.

3. For the second round, read each question out loud and tell the children to answer "ok but ...(they can complete the sentence with something they want in return).

PROCEDURE:

INFERENCE:

An enriching sacrifice must hurt to be genuine. It must cause you discomfort and yet be given with total completion, pleasure and without expectations. That is the spirit of genuine surrender. That is the spirit ofdoing things without expectation of the fruits of action.

VAAKYARTHA SADHAS

At the end of the discussion, ask the students to write a short essay sharing about their understanding of the principle of abundance; how there is no shortage of anything in the Universe.

VAAKYARTHA SADHAS

May your desire to enrich others and give away be limitless. May your desire to acquire become zero. You will be amazed at how wealth seeks you.

Authored by

THE SPH NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM

We must bring integrity in the words we utter to ourselves and to others, and bring completion to our speech.

Speech that is non-offensive, truthful, pleasant, beneficial, and is used for the regular study of scriptures is called austerity of word

Creating a healing effect through our words is basic for a spiritual practitioner who is established in integrity.

Serenity of mind, gentleness, equanimity, self-control, and purity of thought are called austerity of thought

Truth is a reflection of compassion. Truth is an expression of compassion. Truth and compassion always go together. For that reason, truth can never hurt.

Here, Kṛṣṇa uses the word Saumyatvaṁ beautifully. We have no exact English translation for this word Saumyatva; manaḥ prasādaḥ saumyatvaṁ (17.16). Saumyatvaṁ refers to satisfaction and a feeling that is so comfortable. It refers to one whose presence makes you feel totally relaxed, complete and induces thoughts that calm and center the mind. Please understand saumyatva and pleasing words are basic qualities to be practiced by a spiritual person.

Bhāgavatam says that people who explain or enrich others by sharing the Truth, such as Śrī Kṛṣṇa, are Incarnations. Incarnations still landing on planet Earth to make all of you enlightened is nothing but the Universe practicing responsibility. Even after so much torture and abuse by human beings, enlightened beings and Incarnations are continuing to enrich planet Earth; this is nothing but the cosmos deciding to do whatever it takes to enrich all of you.

Listen, only my integrity and authenticity makes me an Enlightened being. Only my commitment to taking responsibility and enriching all of you, makes me an Incarnation!

Here, Kṛṣṇa says the same thing. Saumyatva... Please understand, even for Incarnations, Soundaryatva and Saumyatva are necessary qualities. Now surely we should imbibe these qualities in our lives. The penance that is supposed to be done by words, is speaking the truth and speaking pleasing words—satyaṁ priyahitaṁ ca yat (17.15).

Please understand, creating a healing effect through words is important. Creating a healing effect through our words is basic for a spiritual practitioner who is established in integrity. We should not utter words that hurt others— anuvega karaṁ vākyaṁ. Our presence should be healing and enriching others. Based on the words we utter, people can find out what kind of a space we are carrying.

Always use pleasing words. Never use sharp or disturbing words. One more thing, sometimes we don't understand how our words disturb others. We do not know how our words disrespect or emotionally disturb other beings. We must bring integrity in the words we utter to ourselves and to others, and bring completion to our speech. Kṛṣṇa calls this austerity of words, vān-mayaṁ tapa ucyate (17.15).

Please be very clear, the words you utter are you. If you constantly utter the words, 'I am this, I am this', you will become that! Constantly utter right words about you, inside you and outside you. Please listen about the power of words. Unfortunately, we don't harness the power of words. And as per the law, when we don't use any power properly and play with it without the knowledge about it, it destroys us! It is like electricity, we can use electricity for the best things in our lives. But, if we don't want to use it properly and misbehave with it, it destroys us. It kills us straightaway! That is why I am saying that learn to harness every power available to you.

Please understand, aligning yourself more and more, deeper and deeper into your completion, aligning your words, internal and external, towards the space of completion is Integrity. When you start practicing integrity, you will harness the power of words. The words you utter will have so much power that just through the words you will be able to change your life and others' life, for the better!

We should create that healing feeling in the other person. People should wait for us rather than run away from us. Usually we create a negative effect. We create an uncomfortable feeling. People just run away from us. A simple, single word if used improperly, can destroy a whole relationship.

Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa says a spiritual person should use pleasing words and not agitate others. When we do not agitate others, we will not be arrogant. See, this is not even a social morality. This is a spiritual practice.

The same words that we use to hurt others will hurt us as well. We will use these same words towards ourselves as well. This truth is embedded in the science of energy and vibration. So, we must be in integrity to harness the power of words. The ability to speak, the ability to utter words towards yourself, and the ability to utter words towards others—each one of us has this powerful ability. We can use it either to make our life or break our life. Right words that we utter in right time will make our life. Wrong words uttered in the wrong moment can break our life. Especially, the words we are uttering towards ourselves and towards others.

Kṛṣṇa talks about austerity in action, śārīraṁ tapa as well. He speaks about the five conditions that are also in Patañjali's Aṣṭāṅga Yoga as the five disciplines of yama: satya, ahiṁsā, asteya, aparigṛha and brahmacarya. These mean truth in thoughts, words and deeds embodying nonviolence, non-covetousness, simplicity and living in reality with the focus on the Supreme as the ultimate in any kind of penance. Many feel that the truth must be told even if it hurts. Please understand that if it hurts someone, it cannot be the truth. It is only our perception of the truth. It is only a reflection of our ego presented by our minds as the truth. We are not in the truth if we perceive something with our senses and we draw conclusions with our limited knowledge based upon those perceptions, and then express these as our truth and hurt someone. If we do this, be very clear, we are in aggression and ignorance. We are not in the truth. We are not in goodness.

Kṛṣṇa says to study spiritual literature regularly. By regularly studying scriptural literature, these ideas go again and again into our brain. Consequently, we acquire the courage to experiment and live the truth. Take up any truth and practice it at least a few times. For example, dont continuously function based on the idea ‘me, me, me.’ Instead try the idea ‘you, you, you.’ Try that at least ten times and see the effect in your life. If it does not work out, you throw can it away, it’s up to you, but at least try it out ten times. You will get a glimpse of the truth expressed by Kṛṣṇa.

Intellectuals have two weapons: words and logic. They can be helpful teaching tools if properly used or they can be frightening weapons. It is up to us to choose how to use them: whether in the mode of ignorance, aggression or goodness. Truth is a reflection of compassion. Truth is an expression of compassion. Truth and compassion always go together. For that reason, truth can never hurt.

-Helping the students understand how to practice austerity in action in their day-to-day life. -Helping students understand the power of words.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

PROCEDURE:

PROCEDURE:

BLENDING COLOURS!

INFERENCE:

The quality of Saumyatva brings out the pure beauty from within.

MATERIALS NEEDED

PROCEDURE: Ask the students to create their own vision board representing satya, ahiṁsā, asteya, aparigṛha and brahmacarya. -At the end, ask them to share how they can practice austerity in action in their day-to-day life.

AUSTERITY IN ACTION

INFERENCE:

Kṛṣṇa talks about austerity in action, śarīraṁ tapa as well. He speaks about the five conditions that are also in Patañjali's Aṣṭāṅga Yoga as the five disciplines of yama: satya, ahiṁsā, asteya, aparigṛha and brahmacarya. These mean truth in thoughts, words and deeds embodying nonviolence, non-covetousness, simplicity and living in reality with the focus on the Supreme as the ultimate in any kind of penance.

VAAKYARTHA SADHAS

TOPIC OF DISCUSSION:

Truth is a reflection of compassion. Truth is an expression of compassion. Truth and compassion always go together. For that reason, truth can never hurt"

YOU CAN ASK STUDENTS QUESTIONS SUCH AS:

When you start practicing integrity, you will harness the power of words. The words you utter will have so much power that just through the words you will be able to change your life and others' life, for the better!