Activity vs. Inner Communion
Mercy Entails Empathy
Reading and Affirmation for May
From the book The Beatitudes: Their Inner Meaning by Swami Kriyananda
Activity vs. Inner Communion
Truth is one and eternal. Realize oneness with it in your deathless Self, within.
The following commentary is based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda.
Last week we contemplated the well-known story of Martha and Mary. Traditionally, this story has been offered to show the two classic approaches to salvation: the first, through action, and the second, through prayer. The excuse of the Marthas of this world has always been, “The church needs its Marthas, too.” Treatises, moreover, have been written to justify the Martha approach to piety, praising her self-sacrifice as, perhaps, an even higher demonstration of devotion. (Thus do the unmeditative workers in religion try to justify themselves!) Yet the fact remains that Jesus rebuked Martha. Elsewhere, moreover, he spoke of the virtue of feeding the hungry, curing the sick, and housing those who were homeless. It wasn’t that he disapproved of serving people.
Wrong attitude was the object of his criticism. What he was criticizing was forgetfulness of the true goal of right, spiritual action. Good deeds, outwardly, without inner communion with God, will result in good karma but will not bring final freedom from all karma.
The Path to inner freedom was described by Paramhansa Yogananda in these words: “Be always calmly active, and actively calm.”
As it says in the Bhagavad Gita, the second Chapter:
He who is not shaken by anxiety during times of sorrow, nor elated during times of happiness; who is free from egoic desires and their attendant fear and anger: Such an one is of steady discrimination.
Do your duty in life – so counsels this great Scripture elsewhere – but never lose sight of Him to whom all action should be dedicated.
Thus, through holy Scripture, God has spoken to mankind.
Whispers From Eternity
120. Receive the orphans and the stricken; they have come to Thy door
The orphans and the stricken have heard of Thy healing power. They have come to Thy door. Wilt Thou turn them away empty-handed? Those whose hearts are breaking with sadness and despair: dry their scalding teardrops with Thy invisible hand. Those who are lost in delusion — to whom shall they turn, but to Thee? Lift Thine unseen veil of silence and appear in Thy overwhelming, divine compassion. Before the coming of the dawn of Thy presence, all their dark troubles will take wing.
Paramhansa Yogananda
Inspiration from the Rays of One Light
Do your duty in life – so counsels this great Scripture elsewhere – but never lose sight of Him to whom all action should be dedicated.
Swami Kriyananda
We will take these meaningful words into our meditation together for deep reflection and contemplation. But firstly, we will listen to the beautiful Psalm of David, sung by Mary Kretzmann.
Psalm of David
Listen to the Psalm of David
Reflect, Meditate and Listen to Instrumental Music
Reflection from the Rays of the One Light
Peace Sangha
This week, I was moved by Swami Kriyananda’s words
“Do your duty in life – so counsels this great Scripture elsewhere – but never lose sight of Him to whom all action should be dedicated”.
Inspired by these beautiful lines, I created a short poem called “Instruments of His Peace & Calm Light” hoping to capture the peace, stillness and devotion that was awakened in me.
Instruments of His Peace & Calm Light
When duty calls
A Divine offering from Karma Yoga
Call us to walk the path within
Without attachments or giving into ego’s claim
A silent, deeper presence moves us and guides us back to where he came
Within Him
Each task is a step
Each breath is His grace
The world may distract us and pull us back again and again
But in our hearts
He builds a home
In the still and calm place of His light
We remember who we are
Instruments of His Peace and Calm Light
Aum Peace Amen
