Shri Mataji
Sir CP Srivastava
Sir C.P. Srivastava, Shri Mataji’s husband, has been given the award of Padma vibhushan by the President of India for his extraordinary services rendered in India. He was awarded this honour along with the other top ten luminaries for 2009. The award was announced on the occasion of India’s Republic Day, 26th January 2009.
The Padma vibhushan is the second highest civilian award of India . It is awarded to recognise exceptional and distinguished service to the nation in any field, including government service.
For more information about Sir C.P .Srivastava, see Sir C.P.’s biography and other awards, click here.
(Photograph: www.sahajayoga.com.au)
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
It is an individual journey towards God. When you meditate and when you reach there, then you become collective. Before that it’s an absolute individual journey within. It’s absolutely individual journey!
You should be able to see this; that in this journey nobody is your relation. Nobody is your friend. You are absolutely alone. Absolutely alone. You have to move alone within yourself. Don’t hate anyone. Don’t be irresponsible, but in meditative mood you are alone. No one exists there. You alone.
And once you enter into that ocean then the whole world becomes your whole family. The whole world is your own manifestation. All the children become your children. And you treat all people with equal understanding. The whole expansion takes place when you enter inside your spirit and start seeing through eyes of the spirit.
There’s such calm, such peace, such bliss within you. You have to be ready for that journey. That journey is alone in your meditativeness.
Shri Mataji, 1983
Sahaja Yoga Workshop participants
On the weekend of 11-12 October 2008 a Sahaja Yoga seminar/workshop was held in Northern Tasmania at Golden Valley. “Mountainside Nature Retreat” was the venue, set on the side of an old volcano-shaped peak amongst blooming blackwoods, daffodils, and very happy birds.
The Goddess of Spring gave Her best show with warm clear sunshine, morning mist and many flowers. On the Friday night there was a welcome, and then the Theatre of Eternal Values’ production of “Friends” was played, followed by songs and meditation.
This was followed by a sumptuous dinner that set the standard for the weekend. The twenty people who came were very generous with food and marvelled at the quantity and quality.
Meditations and workshops happened on Saturday, using the elements: water for foot-soaking and sitting on the earth. The film, “Freedom and Liberation”, was played, before the usual scrumptious dinner.
Sunday morning’s meditation was very beautiful and strong. A talk given by Shri Mataji in Brisbane was played on video.
The barbeque lunch was very joyous and everyone enjoyed the open air, eating a local butcher’s chicken sausages and patties.
Here are some comments from the people who attended the workshop:
“When I go to meditation groups, after a while I need my own space. I couldn’t stay away from you all!”
“I didn’t know people could be so happy and beautiful. ‘Spirituality’ is usually serious.”
“Her photo fills this room with love and joy.”
One lady was monitoring her acid levels, and couldn’t believe they were neutral after all the food she ate at the weekend!
Phillip and Sarah Frankcombe
First of all our eyes are not steady. They go on hovering from here to there. God knows what we are looking for. The eyes become impure because we start thinking about things. As soon as we see something we start thinking and a barrier is created.
For example, there is a beautiful piece, something very beautiful, you see, and looking at it, if there’s a thought you cannot enjoy. But if there is no thought, there’s pure rapport, pure connection, between that beautiful art and yourself. Then you just see it and enjoy that joy of the artist which he has poured into it, without thinking about it.
Otherwise normally people will think, “How many pounds can I save?” or “What should I do? Should I purchase it or not?” All sorts of nonsensical, flippant, cheap ideas can come into your head. Or could be something higher also. “This colour is not matched with that and this.” But a person who is a realised soul will just see, just like children. They just look, in the same way, without thinking.
So the first thing that happens to your attention is that the thoughts subside. Thought is the first problem that has started with ego and now when the thoughts subside then you become peaceful.
Shri Mataji, 1984