Self Realization Articles

The world today is riddled with deceit and dishonesty. Be it at school, business, work or in our relationships with our family or friends, we have all encountered dishonesty and deceit and struggled in trying to be honest ourselves. What are the benefits of honesty? - Purity: The more honest you become, the greater the purity will arise within you. - Peace and happiness everywhere in your life: As the purity increases, you will find that your external life will improve and th

Right Understanding No one in this world has any control or power to do anything whatsoever; whatever we experience in life is the result of our own karmic account. This means, ‘I am suffering because of my own karmas.’ Then, where comes the question of seeing the other person at fault and blaming him?! So, right understanding will not only help us come out of our expectations, but it will also keep us away from grief, sadness, anxiety and stress that one generally may ex

The love that this world talks about is worldly, and that is why this world is so complex itself. This worldly love is infatuation and attraction. Where there are infatuation and attraction, there is desire. When desire does not get fulfilled, complaints and attacks arise from within. There is no such thing as love in this world. It is all infatuation and attraction. You will realize this right away when someone you love says something negative about you. Not for even a secon

Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, the Enlightened being, has said: “You should keep the account book of the pure Soul clear. For that, at night, you (as a Soul) should tell John (please insert your name here), ‘For whomever you saw faults during the course of the day, clear the karmic account with them.’ If the intentions of the mind spoil, then through pratikraman, they will all become purified. There is no other solution. At night, before going off to sleep, clear it off to s

Your current belief that ‘I am this body and name’ is not true. This is not your real Self. Your real Self is distinct, it is very different from who you believe to be! How do I understand myself? Have you ever questioned, ‘Who am I really?’ Because you do not know the answer to the question, 'Who am I?', you keep on going further away from your real Self. Whatever suffering you experience in life is all because of not knowing your real identity. Until you realise you

What does it mean to be in the now? To live in the present means to live in the now! Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, the Enlightened being, explains: “If you’ve lost 600 rupees four days ago and you remember it right now, then it becomes the past [you are in the past]. However, if you recall it into the present, it means that you are dragging the past into the present. And say you had some problems on your way here, and you started thinking ‘if I have that problem again, I wi

People these days have become a lot more aware about incorporating yoga in the daily routine. Reason being, there are numerous physical, mental and spiritual benefits we gain from yoga. Yoga is a spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which includes breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, widely practiced for good health and relaxation. From relieving stress to boosting brain power and right upto realizing the real Self; the benef

Yes, enlightenment and the resultant liberation are indeed our natural state of being! Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, the Enlightened being, states that Efforts are needed for the daily mundane life but not for attaining liberation, because liberation is the very nature (natural state) of the Self. Water, by its nature, is cool. One has to make an effort to heat it but is any effort required to cool it? No, no effort is required. It will cool on its own because that is its natural

To understand how to integrate spirituality into our everyday life easily, we must first precisely recognise what is spirituality. The spiritual science of Akram Vignan explains that the first and foremost step in spirituality is to discover one’s real Self. Any suffering is solely due to ignorance of the Self - this is the biggest cause of all problems, misunderstanding and confusion that we experience in our daily life. Self-realisation starts with removing the darkness w

Soul is one’s own real form. Soul is the Self, the real Self. Soul is what one really is! Soul is present in every living being and it is uniform in nature. Every Soul has same properties. The main properties of the Soul are infinite knowledge, infinite vision, infinite strength and infinite bliss. Personally, Soul means Aatma; Aatma means the Self. Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan explains: “The Atma means the Self. You may say, “I am John (please insert your name here)” But

No, ego and love cannot exist together.rn rnLoving someone in the presence of the ego will mean love that is forever changing, it becomes subjective, based on a selfish give and take, and there’s a constant fault-finding taking place which could result in a burst of the worst in you or even others, at times. Wherever the ego is present, it becomes impossible for true love to flow, as the ego will surely end up hurting the person you love. Only when you see others as faultle

According to Akram Vignan, the Soul is the essence of life energy, separate from the physical body or matter. It represents the purest form of the self, transcending the limitations of the physical realm. The ultimate goal of the Soul is to attain liberation, breaking free from the cycles of birth and rebirth. The Soul is eternal and has never been created or destroyed, existing throughout all time. It is neither born nor subject to death. Despite its existence in every livin

The journey of life, from birth to death, is simply predetermined with respect to one’s karmic account. Karmic accounts are generated through ignorance and accumulated karma through many births. Due to this Karmic account, a person feels secure with their loved ones (raag) and the same person feels insecure with someone else due to hatred (dwesh). Both raag (attachment) and dwesh (abhorrence) further cause a new karmic account. This is how, with every instance, karma contin

The signs of an enlightened being (Gnani) who has reached a high level of spiritual attainment are outstanding and distinct, and they are of such supreme quality that they stand out immediately: - Nothing in this world that we have experienced so far can come even close to what we experience whilst in such a person’s presence. Just imagine! - His speech touches our hearts. - A mere eye contact with Him instantly brings about an experience of inner bliss like no one else in

“Speech is the echo of inner intent.”rn - Param Pujya Dadashri Everyday conversation is essential to several aspects of life such as maintaining relationships (business and personal), building trust and credibility and creating a pleasurable experience for yourself and others. It comes as no surprise therefore that conversation skills are one of the most basic skills needed to function well in everyday society. One of the most important conversation skills for you to have

Yes, you are right! There is never a tomorrow. No one in the world has seen tomorrow. Whenever you look, it is always today. When there is no such thing as tomorrow, then what is the point? The present time is the now. The time gone by is yesterday which is the past, and tomorrow is in the hands of Nature. Therefore, we ought to remain only in the present; just in the present time which is now. Lord too has asked us to remain in the present only. It is according to the law. B

To be free from ego means to recognise ‘who am I’. It means to be free from wrong beliefs which are the cause of one’s suffering and misery. The ego can be understood as the false sense of self, characterised by identification with the mind and body complex. It creates a sense of separateness and a constant need for validation, control, and superiority. The ego is laden with negative emotions of anger, pride, deceit and greed (kashays). Where did the ego stem from? From

We are all aware of the ill effects of negativity in our lives. We become pessimistic in our thoughts, antagonistic and unenthusiastic in our speech and our actions invariably reinforce our bleak view of things. Whilst this can occur consciously, this negative state of mind may well be entrenched on a subconscious level. The impact of negativity upon ourselves directly include the following: - You suffer from ill health through adverse thinking. - You create obstacles for you

To move on, as you would know, means to leave the present state and move ahead to the next state. In the same connotation, when we say, ‘the Soul moves on’, it could mean the Soul proceeds further in its journey, externally from one life-form to another and internally from one state to another. Gnani Purush, the Enlightened One, explains how the Soul moves from the initial dormant stage into the world and finally moves on towards liberation from the world. Before the livi

Enlightened is One whose Soul is awakened and Spiritual means turned towards the Soul! The Soul is the real Self. However, due to ignorance, we are not aware of this real Self. And hence, in life after life, we believe the worldly self only to be the real Self. This belief of, ‘I am John (please insert your name here)’ is a false projection of one’s identity, and this false projection is what keeps creating new life after life. One continues to do this false projection

We all suffer from not having enough time in the day to do the tasks we need and the things we enjoy. One of the most important things we are forced to put aside for a later time is spending time with our family. Our lives are so consumed by chasing after temporary things, that we forget to nourish our long-lasting relationships with our family members. Before discussing ways to incorporate family time into our busy lives, we must first understand the importance and perspecti

We all suffer from not having enough time in the day to do the tasks we need and the things we enjoy. One of the most important things we are forced to put aside for a later time is spending time with our family. Our lives are so consumed by chasing after temporary things, that we forget to nourish our long-lasting relationships with our family members. Before discussing ways to incorporate family time into our busy lives, we must first understand the importance and perspecti

No, it’s not… Lord Krishna has himself said, “It is tough to find the path of liberation (Moksha), but if one were to meet a Gnani Purush, then it becomes even easier than making khichdee (a dish that is easy to prepare).” Moksha is in your hand if you meet a Gnani! The Ones who are instrumental in the salvation of the world are ‘Gnani’ (the enlightened people). Gnani means One who can show us how to achieve Moksha. Gnanis are embodiments of knowledge. They show u

Husband and wife are two unique individuals owning different personalities, who decide to unite for a lifetime and become one when tied in the knot of marriage! They become life partners and together share their pleasures and pains in life. The couple begins their new journey with a lot of aspirations, having ample consideration and appreciation for each other. They nurture their married life with love and care, and in no time get attached to each other, like with no one else

Only with spirituality, does living in the present moment become possible, and only when one is living in the present moment, can it be called spirituality. So, the two are synchronous; there’s a direct relationship between the two! Life is really lived only in the present moment What happened a second ago is past, it is gone forever. And what is going to happen in future, that we do not know; we shall know only when it happens. And when it happens, it is no longer future t

Some of the reasons why people travel long distances and go to religious places to pray or to do darshan are: - Those who go to religious places do not see it as a pain-staking exercise, rather they eagerly travel long and far in order to pay homage to their beloved God. They go there to express their devotion and love towards God and they feel as if it’s a commitment that they’ve voluntarily made to God. - When people go on long pilgrimages, they forget their worldly lif

I have found great solace and healing through prayers that I learned from the teachings of Akram Vignan. The teachings and principles of Akram Vignan have deeply resonated with me, leading me to a better understanding of myself and how to navigate through difficult times. Here, through prayer, I have discovered comfort during times of hardship, clarity in moments of confusion, and a sense of inner peace that surpasses any physical or emotional turmoil. Different types of pray

Seeking the answer to which is better, being materialistic or spiritualistic, this all depends on what you are looking for in life and for yourself. Let us look at what both have to offer, and see if this helps you to make up your mind: rn rn● Spiritualism brings inner peace and materialism creates inner turmoil. Although, it may seem to some that material contentment is the secret to happiness and peace; the fact is that even with all the wealth of the world, one can never

We often believe that exacting revenge is a form of emotional release and that getting retribution will help us feel better. But in fact, revenge has the opposite effect. Even though the first few moments feel rewarding in the mind, psychological scientists have found that instead of quenching hostility, revenge prolongs the unpleasantness of the original offense. It is largely sorrow, pain, or an insult that invokes a fire of revenge in one’s mind, and if given credence, i

Yes, indeed, we should not be attached to things! When we say we should not be attached to things, it implies we should not be connected with material things such as the worldly things that our five senses enjoy; also material possessions, jobs, finances, etc. That gives us a sense of security; and the relationships too that provide meaning to our life. Then, why should we not be attached to things? What is wrong with that?? Let’s understand the spiritual basis of this and

I can neither be seen, sniffed, heard or touched, yet nothing will be “living” if I get flushed! ... Guess ... Who am I? Any guess?? Yes, it is the Soul or the Atma! As a human, we can perceive anything easily if our five senses- smell, touch, hearing, taste, and vision can recognize them. Any object beyond this sensory domain seems unfathomable to normal human beings. And among the plethora of unfathomable phenomena around us, the pinnacle is “Soul.” Can the Soul be

Yes, it is possible to prevent karma from affecting us through hearty repentance and doing good deeds that are devoid of selfish motivation. Every one of us is affected by our karma. These karmas were sown in the past life and in this life, they have their effects. Good deeds will give us happiness and similarly bad deeds will bring us unhappiness. Any bad deeds that we may have done through our mind, body, and speech will come back to be settled, this is how the law of karma

Tirthankaras, the Spiritual Scientists, are the highest, absolute, perfect Enlightened Beings. They have conquered all their inner enemies of anger, pride, deceit and greed and remain free from all the effects of attachments and abhorrence. The term Tirthankaras means ‘full moon’, having gained absolute ‘knowledge of the Soul’. These Arihants (another name for Tirthankaras) purify the very ground they walk on, and where they have wandered have become abodes of worship

Whenever we do something that makes others smile, it overwhelms us with happiness. For example, a very simple thing like throwing grains for birds to feed on, or offering our seat to someone elderly or looking tired in a bus or train, or serving our Guru and Parents with utmost gratitude, respect and complete submission – in each of these, we feel very happy when we see the other party happy. Seeing them happy gives us satisfaction and immense pleasure within. Also helping

It is a dream and the duty too of every parent to give their child the best possible start in life such that going ahead, he upholds good values and manners in life, maintains respect for all living beings and is able to deal with and manage his problems with confidence. rn rnFor this, it is essential that you raise the child with discipline and good manners. How? Let’s see... Nurture a healthy relationship with the child - Children model their parents’ behaviour - If you

The answer to this question depends on your spiritual intentions and aspirations. On a basic level, the answer to this question is simple: you should either make a lifelong commitment to one person and marry them or take a vow of never marrying and hence, of celibacy. The key point here is being committed to marriage or to celibacy and ensuring you maintain the purity in whichever path you choose. It is important to recognise that celibacy is the life force and essence of the

Through the spiritual science of Akram Vignan, it is very much possible that one can succeed in the corporate field and be spiritual at the same time. First, one’s false belief of ‘I am this body and name’ breaks as one acquires the real knowledge of ‘who am I’. This happens because of the demarcation line that the Enlightened One (Gnani Purush) puts between the real Self (the pure Soul) and the relative self (the body, the name, and everything else that we consider

“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction”. This is not only Newton’s Third Law of Motion, but it also reflects the fundamental truth regarding suffering. What is suffering? Simply put any stress or distress on our mental and physical well-being can be regarded as suffering. The suffering, if to be personified,rnmetamorphoses in a crude executioner, who is not partial to any age, race, or breed, it just executes its duty of punishing the accused without any bias.

It is normal to experience feelings of self-doubt when we are faced with new or challenging situations in life. Self-doubt is when one feels uncertain regarding one or more aspects of the self. It often stems from some previous negative experiences that one has had. Self-doubt is something that we all may have experienced at some point or the other in our life. It is what we do with it and how we cope with it that makes a massive difference between struggling with self-doubt

Agreed! There’s seldom someone, besides the Enlightened beings, who does not sin in his mind. And why mind alone, we do wrong to others through our words and actions too. But one who leads a spiritual life is able to quickly spot the wrong done and wash the mistake off before it gets ready to render severe punishment at the hands of Nature. To Sin Is Something that One Learns Automatically There is no effort required to learn the art of sinning, isn’t it? To hurt someone,

The reason why we feel sad when we may have hurt someone is because we have inflicted pain on them. The direct consequence of our wrong-doing is that we feel its effect. This is how the law of Nature works. “The slightest pain that we have, is the reaction of the pain that we had given. So do what you find comfortable.” - Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan So, every action has a reaction. If you give happiness to others, you will receive happiness; and if you hurt others, you too f

Gnani, the Enlightened One, explains: There are two kinds of depression: One which is since birth. That which is bound in the past life, and is frozen now when brought forward into this life.rnAnother which is on account of self-negativity. Here, one is normal, but has come into the effect of depression. For instance, if one is insulted 2 – 5 times. Suppose, when the work is not done right and his superior yells at him, “Don’t you know how to do this? You spoiled it all

A person is said to have been awakened when he attains Self-Realization. What happens when a person becomes awakened? When you attain Gnan (Self-Realization) from the Gnani Purush, ignorance (of the Self) is lifted. On the path of Akram Vignan, which is a stepless path to Self-Realization, through the scientific experiment of separation of ‘I’ and ‘My’, Gnani Purush breaks those layers of ignorance and the direct light of the Soul starts. And through that direct light

Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan, an Enlightened being, says, “Faith does not come by force; it arises spontaneously. Faith develops automatically when you have experienced some result, you have benefited in some way or you have experienced some change within yourself. You do not need to keep faith, it should come automatically, and once it comes, it never leaves under any circumstance. Without faith, everything you do is mechanical.” Without faith, everything you do is mechanica

You mean to ask, if you stay patient and trust Shiva, then will He fulfill your desire? No! It’s not so. Yes, if you stay patient and trust Him, you will fulfill Shiva’s desire for sure ☺ What is Shiva’s desire?... that we Be like Him! Shiva is detached and desireless. He doesn’t need anything, nor does he have any condition that you worship me, you trust me, and only then I will fulfill your desire. He just wants us all, like Him, to become detached and desireless,

While wealth and riches are a result of good Karma, it is also true that good karma leads us to spiritual advancement. Good deeds like:- Donating large amounts of money, doing religious practices, helping the poor, help one bind good karma. And while doing these deeds, in case one’s inner intent is equally pious and pure, it results in one’s spiritual development too. The Enlightened One explains: For example, when we worship God with pure love and devotion, we are sowing

What is the relationship between spirituality and success? To know the Soul which is completely free from karma, and walk towards it is Spirituality. And worldly success is the fruit of karma and failure too is a fruit of karma. Our merit karmas yield positive results like success, satisfying relationships, good health, comfort, peace and happiness in life. And on the other side, demerit karmas yield negative results like failures, negativity or worldly obstacles faced in lif

Optimism means to see a half-filled glass as being half full whereas pessimism is to see the same glass as half empty. rnOptimism has a whole load of benefits accruing from such a psyche: - We all are happy when the life is on the up side. But the problem begins when the down phase comes. This leaves a deep impact on our psyche. In the period when there is nothing good happening, optimism is what can pull one through. The positivity that optimism brings keeps one going with t

Today, we will try and understand this through the teachings of the Enlightened One. Do we create our destiny through our choices and actions? Yes, we do! Whatever happens in this world is a result of Nature’s law – the law of cause and effect! We have made the cause and we are getting its effect, which we term as destiny. Our inner intent is the cause, the effect of which gets reflected in our actions, thoughts, and speech. For instance, suppose in the past life, you int

To maintain spiritual mindfulness and awareness of the present moment, while being faced with daily struggles and challenges, first of all, we shall attain Self-Realization. Currently, you believe yourself to be the mind and body complex, isn’t it? Therefore, you experience everything that the body and mind does and feel? But when the Enlightened One puts in a line of demarcation between the Self (Soul, Aatma) and the non-Self (the body-complex, Anaatma) and helps you attai