There is a powerful story from the life of Paramhansa Yogananda about the importance of rising above our likes and dislikes. It took place at a special ceremony at which he gave a lady student a red rose to wear. “But I don’t want a red rose,” she protested. “I want a pink one.” The Master answered her strongly, “What I give, you take.”
Paraphrasing Master’s words, Swami Kriyananda wrote to us in 1976 just after the forest fire had destroyed all of our homes at Ananda Village. “I was so touched by everyone’s spirit. It is admirable, and certainly pleasing to God. I believe many blessings will flow from it, and from this trying experience. I was particularly sad for you, Devi, to be given such a test so soon after having your baby. [Our home was destroyed eleven days after our son was born.] But then, what God gives, we take. He has His own program for our spiritual growth.”
What God gives, we take. Living with full acceptance of this truth frees us from the downward spiral of ego-centered self-interest born of our likes and dislikes. The sage Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras, offers this classic definition of yoga, or union: “Yogas chitta vritti nirodha”—Yoga is the neutralization of the waves of feeling.
The limited ego is constantly telling us, “I want this, not that: this situation, not that; this outcome, not that; this person, not that.” Reacting to life according to our likes and dislikes keeps us forever bound to the delusion that things in the material world have the ability to make us happy or sad.
“Twenty-Nine Palms,” by Nayaswami Jyotish.
But when, through meditation, we begin to still these ego-born feelings, a new realization dawns on us: We are now, and have always been, part of a much greater reality: God’s unconditioned joy. Our awareness of this has been limited only by our infatuation with limitation.
Look at the suffering in the world around us now, and perhaps in your own life. Rather than pushing difficulties away, or angrily shaking your fist at an indifferent God, try to see everything as coming from a loving Divine Mother for your spiritual growth. Every test, if met with the right attitude, becomes a blessing to draw us closer to God.
Here are two suggestions that can help you overcome the tendency to act according to your likes and dislikes. First, when you are given a choice about a course of action, don’t ask yourself, “What do I want?” but rather, “What do You want, God?” If you have the courage and self-honesty to follow through from an expanded perspective, you’ll find yourself making very different choices that ultimately work out for the better.
Second, when difficult situations arise over which you have no control, don’t bemoan your fate, or try to avoid the problem. Inwardly accept that the test has come from God, and ask, “What should I learn from this? Where is the hidden blessing?”
After the forest fire at Ananda Village, I came to see the blessing in losing everything we had: the realization that my security didn’t come from outward things, but from God’s presence in my life. From that understanding came a strength and peace that have remained with me through many tests over the years.
To quote again from Swamiji’s letter: “If we place ourselves unreservedly in God’s hands, He proves to us abundantly how unfailing His love is for us.”
With joy in God and Guru,
Nayaswami Devi
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14 Comments
Loved the line…”that my security didn’t come from outward things, but from God’s presence in my life”….
so beautiful, inspiring & powerful indeed……Thank you….Jai Guru🙏🌷🌹
Thank you for guiding and sharing your personal experience, it’s reassuring, Jai Guru
Can never be reminded of this enough. Thank you, Devi!
I read fully read Yogananda Paramhamsa,” What GOD gives we take,” is reality of eternal bliss of eternity of Formless Supreme Almighty who prevails in all souls as One and guides us towards the path of spiritualism as enlightened Atamas.
From young my love is divinity infinite grace and young kid I visited Amman isolated temple in the estate and I talked to her in my own way and I was studying in India my love for Amman became power of my Atama after reading spiritual books of Ramakrishna Paramhamsa and Swamiji Vivekananda and during my meditation I went into partial samadhi and weep like kid when mother Kali never show her vision.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa said,” Knowledge leads unity but ignorance to diversity .”
I write more and more of my love for divine spiritualism and my own composition of messages,”Live in love as love is Formless Supreme Almighty. Life is blissfully merged with Oneness One Supreme Almighty prevails in all Atamas as one as Oneness of One love spiritually guides us towards eternal bliss of eternity of happiness and Spiritualism to be enlightened souls. Aum Tat Sat
Thankuhhh so veryy much🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻i really needed thiss..AUM GURU🙏🏻🙏🏻
Satyam Jananam Anantam are not separate attributes. They the very the very essence of Formless Supreme Nirguna Brahman.
Aum Tat Sat
Sat Chit Ananda
Thank you so much for your guidence for me.It is very valuable for me.
This is great knowledge and expressed so powerfully.
Thank you,
Vijay Kirpalani
Thanks, Devi. “Desire, my great enemy.” Love that chant.
And LOVE that picture by Jyotish! It’s revealing the mystical side of the Arizona boonies where I spent my high school years from 1955-59.
Thank You so much Dear Devi . Trough these words, you give me an important answer what to do in a very important period of my spiritual growth
This is one of, if not the best writing so far…thank you
Dear Nayaswami Devi Ji,
Thank you for this blog. Just at the right time. And we thank you and all the friends at Ananda for the Prayers and Blessings.
My take away are those two suggestions and how wonderful it would be to practice it
In Master’s Love
Prem
Dear Devi. Thank you so much for these words of wisdom. Could not stop the tears especially when you quoted Swamiji at the end.
Thank you Deviji. I will remember. Namaste