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Facets of Spirituality
by Swami Krishnananda
Compiled by S. Bhagyalakshmi


June 22, 1977

On this day, 22 June 1977, revered Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj complied with the request by this humble disciple to give a message for starting a daily recording of the informal conversations in the mornings usually between 9 and 11 a.m. with all those that came for his holy darshan. This was the time when Swamiji also received visitors, sadhaks from outside the Sivananda Ashram, seekers from all over the East and the West, the Netherlands and Australia, the African continent, besides the ashramites themselves, the ashram Brahmacharis.

Simultaneously, he carried on the office work of the Sivananda Ashram. There is thus a constant demand on his attention from different directions and also from different angles, especially when over a dozen departments, all managed by the Ashram or by the Board of Management of the Board of Trustees, seek Swamiji's guidance and decisions for their respective departments. Swamiji has been the Secretary from the very inception of the Ashram and is currently its General Secretary. In fact, he has not only been the one constant factor amid all the phases of change and growth of the establishment, but also the indwelling spirit of the Ashram for Swamiji is one of the first group of disciples of Gurudev Swami Sivananda Maharaj, close to the heart of his great and beloved Master-Guru. Though he is the youngest of the monks, he is the oldest of them all in Sannyashood. To Swamiji, these diverse demands and constant interruptions in the midst of profound expositions of truth are hardly, if ever, capable of interrupting the thread of his thoughts. And he expressed his thoughts in a manner that did not let the listeners feel that they had been interrupted. These interruptions were often minutes long, entirely unrelated to the question put or the exposition given, but even as one was giving up the hope of the continuity being kept up, Swamiji would pick up from the very last word of the sentence that had been interrupted by the messenger or the problem.

It was for a diary of the picture that presented itself in these morning darshan hours that I had requested for a message of blessings from Swami Krishnananda Maharaj. The message given in his own beautiful hand is this:

"The aim of life is God-realisation, and every other duty is only contributory to this supreme duty."

Thus began the Diary on 22nd June '77.

In the summer we gathered inside the verandah of Guru-kripa Kutir on the ground floor, where a few visitors, disciples and other ashramites sat around at revered Swamiji's feet to have his darshan as also to learn what he taught and chat informally. It was about 9:30 a.m. People walked in and out now and then with varied problems—personal, official or spiritual.

A visitor: When adopting psychic therapy by the projection of thought-force, what distance can thought-force cover?

Swamiji: The distance depends on the intensity of the thought projected; in addition, the object of thought should have been known to and seen by the one who wishes to send the thought-force.

Another visitor: What is the relation between a dream and the body of a dreamer?

Swamiji: The simultaneous consciousness of being in this body and being just here as also the consciousness of being up and above in a much subtler form is experienced by the dreamer. And if an outline of the relatedness can be geometrically given, it would take the form of a triangle.

An ashramite: Swamiji, why is it that we should go alone for walks? This is particularly emphasised to the sadhakas. They do not go out for walks with anyone else usually. Why?

Swamiji: The egos of those you walk with restrict your ego when you go out together for a walk. Each one's ego is cautious and guards itself. The trees and other objects in nature do not exert their ego upon you. They have no ego. And so you are not affected by their presence. No limitations are brought to bear upon your ego. So there is no tension due to caution which has to be maintained when walking with other persons, and you get relaxed and free. The walk is meant for relaxation of the mind from tensions, as also exercise for the muscles.