Why Spirituality?

As a bird needs two wings to fly, so a human being needs the two wings of existence, the spiritual and the material, to lead a natural and harmonious life.

Spirituality teaches us to balance our aspirations in these two fields. However, in today’s world the demands of material living call out so loudly that they often capture the lion’s share of our attention. By contrast, the call of spirituality, sometimes referred to as ‘the still, small voice within’, is subtle and quiet. Considering the demands of daily living that compete for our attention, it takes a special determination to make room for our inner life.
Here we come to the wisdom of following a daily meditation practice. When we make time to nurture our spiritual development, the inner Self responds with a lightness of heart and a deeper feeling of peace and calmness. A new understanding of our inner Self reveals a longing to return to a condition of oneness with God, and with all life. As we invest ourselves in our spiritual growth our understanding develops, our capacity for growth expands, and we experience greater energy and enthusiasm for meditation. We begin to look forward to our spiritual practice and to anticipate its nourishing benefit. Eventually, it becomes a natural and indispensable part of our existence.

Spirituality says that God is within us, and that we can realize Him by the inward practice. Our communion with the Ultimate should be an inner communion with Him. Spirituality does not say that God does not exist outside us. What it says is, why should you take all the trouble and expense to go to the places of worship when He is right inside you

What is Spirituality?

It is the remembrance of our original home, from which we have come. We have become so focused on material life that we no longer remember that divine home. The soul is the traveller on its way back home. The journey is the life we adopt on the way home. It is life itself. The vehicle is the body in which the soul travels through life. Our spiritual goal is to achieve that original condition and the spiritual path is the way we travel to reach that goal.
According to Babuji Maharaj, “Spirituality really begins where religion ends.” Spirituality is easily identifiable with mysticism. The mystic or spiritual journey is an inner journey of the heart. One of the great tenets or principles of all religions has been that God resides in the heart of the human being. Spirituality focuses attention on the divine effulgence created by the presence of divinity in the heart. Spirituality is the need for an inner existence.

Spirituality invokes no names, confers no attributes, demands no subservience to any artificially created gods of the human mind, and focuses our attention on the infinite, ultimate source of all beings, which is nameless, formless and attribute-less. This approach to the Ultimate can bring together people of all cultures and all religions. If widely practiced, spirituality is perhaps the most potent force for bringing about human integration

Material life may be fulfilling to a certain extent, but it often leaves us with a feeling of emptiness, an indefinable lack of something, even if we do not know what. Most of us want joy, happiness and peace. Spirituality teaches us that real joy, happiness and peace come from within. Spirituality brings lasting and meaningful change to our lives through inner transformation. As we change, the universe changes around us. With this change, there is a nurturing of the inner qualities of the heart, such as courage, hope, faith, wonder, compassion, tolerance, and most of all, love.

OM/AUM

The syllable Om, also known as Pranava, can also be spelled as AUM. According to one interpretation,

"A" stands for creation,
"U" stands for preservation, and
"M" indicates destruction or dissolution.

According to another interpretation, the three letters forming AUM indicate the three lokas (planes of existence) of this universe-both gross and subtle-Svarga (heaven), Martya (earth) and Patala (netherworld).

The following brief passage is one of the clearest of the countless references to OM which can be found anywhere in the Hindu scripture.

The goal which all the Vedas declare, which all austerities aim at, and which men desire when they lead the life of continence, I will tell you briefly: it is OM. This syllable OM is indeed Brahman. This syllable is the Highest. Whosoever knows this syllable obtains all that he desires. This is the best support; this is the highest support. Whosoever knows this support is adored in the world of Brahma.

Katha Upanishad I, ii, 15-17

Om reveals all and contains all and, like the Vedas, Om is revelation that comes through shruti (hearing). According to the Mandukya Upanishad, Om is both atman and brahman: it is the past, the present and the future, as well as all that transcends time.

The chanting of OM is generally practiced by impersonalists and those engaged in the mystic yoga process. By chanting OM and controlling the breathing perfectly, which is mostly  a mechanical way of steadying the mind, one is eventually able to go into trance or samadhi. Through this system, one gradually changes the tendencies of the materially absorbed mind and makes it spiritualized. This process may take many years to perfect.

The Gayatri Mantra

The Gayatri Mantra, also known as the Savitri Mantra, is one of the most important mantras in the Hindu scriptures. It is found in the Rig-Veda (Rig- Veda III/62/10).It is perhaps the greatest Vedic mantric chant.

This mantra is chanted at sunrise, noon and sunset. At dawn it is called Gayatri, the youthful form of the Goddess, consort of Lord Brahma, the creator. It is called Savitri, the mature form, at noon, the consort of Lord Shiva. It is called Sarasvati, the elderly form, at sunset, the consort of Lord Vishnu.

The Gayatri Mantra was first cognized by the Rishi Vishwamitra. Rishi Vishwamitra is the embodiment of tapas or ascetic force and his mantra carries that power of light, energy and transformation. Through it one can be born again (dwija) or twice born in truth, in the heavenly stream of Divine wisdom.

This great mantra consists of three parts. The first is the chants to the seven worlds. The second is the mantra proper of twenty-four syllables. The third is a summary of the mantra's energies. The following is a brief explanation of the mantra as presented in the Mahanarayana Upanishad.

The Head of the Gayatri

OM Bhuh!- the physical realm or earth, realm of being or food
OM Bhuvah! - the vital plane or atmosphere, realm of becoming or breath
OM Suvah! - the mental plane, space or heaven, realm of illumination
OM Mahah! - the sphere of cosmic mind, realm of Dharma
OM Janah! - the realm of creation or bliss
OM Tapah! - the realm of consciousness-force
OM Satyam! - the realm of absolute truth

The Body of the Mantra

OM
Tat - That
Savitur - Of Savitar, the solar Creator
Varenyam - Supreme
Bhargo - Effulgence
Devasya - Of the God
Dhimahi - We meditate
Dhiyo - Intelligences, minds
Yo - Who
Nah - Our
Prachodayat - May direct

"We meditate upon the supreme effulgence of the Divine Solar Creator that he may direct our minds."

The Tail of the Gayatri

OM
Apo - the Cosmic Waters
Jyoti - the Cosmic Light
Rasomritam - the Immortal Essence
Brahma - the Absolute
Bhur - the physical
Bhuvas - the atmospheric
Suvar - the realm of space
OM - the four higher realms

"OM, the waters, the light, the immortal essence, Brahman, earth, atmosphere, heaven, OM."

The Supreme Self, Paramatman, or Savitar, is the conscious being within the cosmic sun or Light of lights. The mantra is his creative force, the Divine Word. Savitar is the master of all transformations and the director of all higher evolution. He is the Self of Brahman, the pure being of the Absolute.

The Gayatri Mantra releases the supreme solar power, the power of the inner sun of Self-realization and cosmic creation. Those wishing to bring about a new creation or new dawn for humanity of this dark age, should chant this mantra. Those wishing to transcend this world of Samsara can also use the mantra as a stairway to the infinite. This mantra also grants intelligence, creative vision and healing powers.

Used with the chants to the seven worlds it unfolds all the secrets of the universe outwardly and inwardly.

The Gayatri mantra is central to Yoga, Vedanta, Ayurveda and Vedic astrology.
For Yoga it sets in motion the Divine will toward transformation, stimulating the Kundalini force.
For Vedanta it grants Self-knowledge, knowledge of the solar Self.
For Ayurveda it gives the power of the cosmic prana that is born of the sun.
For Jyotish (Vedic astrology) it gives knowledge of the movements of the heavenly bodies ruled by the cosmic sun.

Mantras And Sacred Symbols

A mantra is a thought manifest in, or encapsulated by, a sacred utterance that possesses profound spiritual significance. Sound holds a key place in Hindu thought. Some writers believe that it preceded the creation of the universe, and its vibrations are thought to bind the atoms of the world. Mantras are sacred syllables that encapsulate particular forms of cosmic power (shakti). 

In Hinduism, a mantra is sacred and spiritually beneficial. By chanting a mantra repeatedly with love and devotion a person can become spiritually illumined. He develops a pure mind which enables him to see God.

Each mantra has a presiding deity over it who is supposed to be giving the results of chanting of mantra (mantra phala) .Mantra means which has to be repeated and understood. Literally it means the verse which explains the prescribed meaning:

Man- to repeat (manana) and
tra - the power of trana. 

There are different forms of mantra, such as the "seed" (bija) mantra, which is thought to be an energy pervading both the human body and the universe. The deities are believed to be manifestations of bija mantras: Shiva, for example, is linked with the mantra "hrim" and Kali is associated with the syllable "krim".

There are mantras that accomplish many kinds of wondrous deeds simply by correctly chanting them. Other mantras help purify one's consciousness, give spiritual enlightenment, and put one in touch with the Supreme.

Hindus also believe that a mantra received from a saint or holy man is far more effective than mantras picked from a book.

A mantra that has already helped someone to have God-realization is believed to have great spiritual potency. Such a mantra is called a siddha mantra.

There are two mantras that are especially recommended in the Vedic literature. One is omkara or the om mantra, and the other is Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. Hindus believe that these two mantras can deliver one to the realm beyond material existence.

Why do we not touch papers, books and people with the feet?

To Indians, knowledge is sacred and divine. So it must be given respect at all times. Nowadays we separate subjects as sacred and secular. But in ancient India every subject - academic or spiritual - was considered divine and taught by the guru in the gurukula.
The custom of not stepping on educational tools is a frequent reminder of the high position accorded to knowledge in Indian culture. From an early age, this wisdom fosters in us a deep reverence for books and education. This is also the reason why we worship books, vehicles and instruments once a year on Saraswathi Pooja or Ayudha Pooja day, dedicated to the Goddess of Learning. In fact, each day before starting our studies, we pray:

Saraswati namasthubhyam 
Varade kaama roopini 
Vidyaarambham karishyaami
Sidhirbhavatu me sadaa


Meaning

O Goddess Saraswati, the giver of Boons and fulfiller of wishes, I prostrate to You before starting my studies. May you always fulfill me?