Connecting "spiritual dots" from Faith to Bliss

[stvdv]

Connecting "spiritual dots" from Faith to Bliss

First develop faith in yourself. Where there is faith, there is love. Where there is love, there is peace. Where there is peace, there is truth. Where there is truth, there is God. Where there is God, there is bliss. True devotion lies in having faith and attaining bliss!

Note: This is a teaching my Guru gave (Sai Baba)

 

[SomeRandom]

Connecting "spiritual dots" from Faith to Bliss

First develop faith in yourself. Where there is faith, there is love. Where there is love, there is peace. Where there is peace, there is truth. Where there is truth, there is God. Where there is God, there is bliss. True devotion lies in having faith and attaining bliss!

What does having faith in oneself look like in this scenario, specifically?

 

[stvdv]

What does having faith in oneself look like in this scenario, specifically?

I think the first steps are to have self confidence, trusting your own conscience, common sense, discrimination (ability to choose the right way)

 

[SomeRandom]

I think the first steps are to have self confidence, trusting your own conscience, common sense, discrimination (ability to choose the right way)

Fair enough

 

[Vinayaka]

I think the first steps are to have self confidence, trusting your own conscience, common sense, discrimination (ability to choose the right way)

In other words, go with your gut.

 

[stvdv]

In other words, go with your gut.

I would say a Combination:

• Feeling (Gut)
• Common Sense (Experiences)
• Brains (Buddhi: Power of discrimination)
• Scriptures (Teachings)
• Guru (Wisdom)

 

[ameyAtmA]

Connecting "spiritual dots" from Faith to Bliss

First develop faith in yourself. Where there is faith, there is love. Where there is love, there is peace. Where there is peace, there is truth. Where there is truth, there is God. Where there is God, there is bliss. True devotion lies in having faith and attaining bliss!

Note: This is a teaching my Guru gave (Sai Baba)

Very nice. To add more scientific granularity to this, the KRshNa-bhakti saint Rupa Goswami has analyzed it as follows, in the specific context of devotion for Shri KRshNa, but I think it applies in other contexts as well --

Step1 = shraddhA (faith)
Step 2 = sAdhu-sanga (associate with Saints, devotees - who have their feet deep into the spiritual practices or experiences)
Step 3 = bhajan kriya - sAdhanA , practice
Step 4 = anartha-nivRutti (irradicating the anarthas - the vices, one by one, purification)
Step 5 = nishThA (resolve, firm faith)
Step 6 = ruchi (taste for bhajan, interest, liking, being drawn towards spirituality, and in this context, devotional service - bhajan kriya , seva)
Step 7 = Asakti (attachment to the Divine -- this word 'attachment' has a negative connotation in adhyAtma , we are supposed to leave attachments to the world, but here it is attachment to the Divine, Supreme, IshTa or spirituality as per context -- which magically has the side-effect of dettachment from the world)
Step 8 = bhAv (strong and pure reverence, respect and love for the Divine - shifting focus away from oneself)
Step 9 = prem (purest unconditional selfless one-pointed love of the Divine and all existence as a result - the hardest)


adau sraddha tatah sadhu-
sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat
tato nistha rucis tatah

athasaktis tato bhavas
tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah
pradurbhave bhavet kramah

-- Rupa Goswami in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu verses 1.4.15-16

 

[stvdv]

Step1 = shraddhA (faith)
Step 2 = sAdhu-sanga (associate with Saints, devotees - who have their feet deep into the spiritual practices or experiences)
Step 3 = bhajan kriya - sAdhanA , practice
Step 4 = anartha-nivRutti (irradicating the anarthas - the vices, one by one, purification)
Step 5 = nishThA (resolve, firm faith)
Step 6 = ruchi (taste for bhajan, interest, liking, being drawn towards spirituality, and in this context, devotional service - bhajan kriya , seva)
Step 7 = Asakti (attachment to the Divine -- this word 'attachment' has a negative connotation in adhyAtma , we are supposed to leave attachments to the world, but here it is attachment to the Divine, Supreme, IshTa or spirituality as per context -- which magically has the side-effect of dettachment from the world)
Step 8 = bhAv (strong and pure reverence, respect and love for the Divine - shifting focus away from oneself)
Step 9 = prem (purest unconditional selfless one-pointed love of the Divine and all existence as a result - the hardest)

I recognize quite a few you mention here.
Faith, Satsangh, Bhajan, Purification, Determination, Taste For Spiritual life, Attachment to God, Feeling Friendship with God, Unconditional Love

Some people think they are smart saying "I should not create attachment to God"
To which my Master responded "You can drop the God attachment last"
Makes perfect sense to me; no need to worry about God attachment
As long as there is still heaps of sensory attachments to work on

 

[Aupmanyav]

"Tunde-tunde matirbhinna"

 

[stvdv]

"Tunde-tunde matirbhinna"

Google Translate 'told me' this is Estonian

 

[Aupmanyav]

Google Translate 'told me' this is Estonian

Well, Tharapita could be the equivalent of Thor, Thraetona, and Twastr (Indira).

 

[Shantanu]

What does having faith in oneself look like in this scenario, specifically?

When you are able to fearlessly act nonchalantly, spontaneously and unpremeditately each moment of the waking time, you have truth as your guide. This is faith in oneself.

 

[Shantanu]

In other words, go with your gut.

Really, get away with from the body, just do would be my words.

 

[stvdv]

When you are able to fearlessly act nonchalantly, spontaneously and unpremeditately each moment of the waking time, you have truth as your guide. This is faith in oneself.

Wow, that's an interesting summary. I like it. Definitely feels like faith in oneself. Very practical.

 

[Shantanu]

Wow, that's an interesting summary. I like it. Definitely feels like faith in oneself. Very practical.

Practice makes perfect

 

[Aupmanyav]

Hi, Shantanu, a very nice line. Hope everything OK on your side.

 

[Shantanu]

Hi, Shantanu, a very nice line. Hope everything OK on your side.

Pranam/Namaskar Aumanyavji, Thank your for your compliment. I am fine now after a few turbulent years, which has taught me lessons. I still have my small family unit with me here in the United Kingdom. I love the British people for their patience and open-minded tolerance that gave me the time and resources to enable me to sort myself out from having been in the mental doldrums to hopefully becoming a normal person with a peaceful life in my retirement. I am pleased to be back at Religious Forums.

Hope everything is fine with you and your family.

 

[ajay0]

I recognize quite a few you mention here.
Faith, Satsangh, Bhajan, Purification, Determination, Taste For Spiritual life, Attachment to God, Feeling Friendship with God, Unconditional Love

Some people think they are smart saying "I should not create attachment to God"
To which my Master responded "You can drop the God attachment last"
Makes perfect sense to me; no need to worry about God attachment
As long as there is still heaps of sensory attachments to work on

Attachment to God or the Self is potent in itself to reduce attachments to sensory pleasures. This is because spiritual bliss is superior to sensory pleasures.

It is when this free reservoir of joy and bliss within ourselves is unaccessed, that people get too involved in lesser material pleasures which can also be expensive and laborious.

Pleasure is just a shadow of joy. When there is no joy in you, you become a pleasure seeker . ~ Sadhguru

 

[stvdv]

Attachment to God or the Self is potent in itself to reduce attachments to sensory pleasures. This is because spiritual bliss is superior to sensory pleasures.

Very true, and everyone is able to prove that this is true for himself

When you go after sensory "pleasure" you can not derive joy from divine "pleasure"
When you go after divine "pleasure" you can not derive joy from sensory "pleasure"