SELF REALIZATION IN PRACTICE by Nityamuktananda Atman If we want to experience real happiness, freedom, peace and love we have to eliminate

totally the ego which like a virus has occupy our psych with all its desires, passions, negative emotions, likes, dislikes etc. and realize our self as pure consciousness and identical with the universal consciousness (That we call as God, spirit, rahman etc.!. Fiery aspiration, sincerity, steady determination, faith, se f!confidence, strong "i , perse#erance, patience, se f!contro , p$rity of heart and mind, one!pointed mind, dispassion and discernment are important %$a ifications to rea i&e o$r tr$e se f' In order to de#e op these %$a ities "e ha#e to fo o" a spirit$a oriented ife (ased on Spiritual sadhana and Sattvic living I will classify the main practices of spiritual life in three parts. These three directions of spiritual practices aim to specific aspects of spiritual development. In our daily program there are certain practices that enable us to become conscious of all egoic patterns in us. There are other practices by which we eliminate them from our psych. "ther practices enable us to discriminate between the real and the unreal in order to cognize what is our true nature or our true identity. There are also special purificatory practices and other that give us a lot of energy. #ll practices are related between each other and the development of the one facilitates the development of all others.

FIRST Se f!a"areness

SECON) Satt#ic food , impressions

T*IR) One!pointed discriminati#e en%$iry

Se f!o(ser#ation Satt#ic associations Ref ection +apa!mantra Satt#ic actions -editation Prayer

Affirmation

These three directions of practice ha#e as a goa . First. the p$rification and trasformation of o$r #ita , mind and heart . $e want the satt#a %uality to predominate in our system and the ra/as and tamas%ualities to be eliminated. If we cultivatre sattva we create the foundation on which all other practices can flourish easily.

Second. the c$ ti#ation of certain #irt$es such as discerment, dispassion etc.(see all qualifications above) which are necessary in order to eliminate the ego and pass successfully through all obstacles during our spiritual &ourney towards liberation. Third. the disco#ery of a egoic propensities, desires , negati#e emotions, greed, i0e!dis i0e etc' and its comp ete e imination' Fo$rth. the redisco#ery of o$r tr$e nat$re by hearing, reading, reflection, meditation and self'en%uiry. Fifth. the rea i&ation and esta( ishment in o$r tr$e nat$re by nirvikalpa samadhi which is possible through incessant meditation or (elf'en%uiry. )xcept of the main practices which are mentioned above there are also methods or practices that support them. *et see an example. I mention above the importance of eating satt#ic food. +rom the spiritual point of view it is not only important the %uality and the %uantity of the food

that we consume but is also very important the way we eat the food. It is altogether different thing to eat very fast, without attention and emotionally upset than to eat in silence, attentive and doing some mantra or prayer. y doing so eating becomes a practice of yoga and not only a way to satisfy our gluttony and take the necessary energy that we need to stay alive. "mraam #ivanhov call it *rani yoga. y practicing regularly and steadily the above we gradually develop satt#a in body, vital and mind, mental and emotional balance and good health. These are very important in order to prepare ourselves for the battle against the ego which will resist and react with all possible ways in order to survive in our psych. y practicing the above as well as other relative practices we will make the mind our friend and a very fit instrument which will play the main role for the elimination of ego and the realization of our true nature. # fit mind is that which is pure, steady, calm, introverted, one'pointed, detached, dispassionate, attentive, and discriminative. The spiritual work gradually develops in %uality and %uantity. $e develop all %ualities of our heart and mind in such a degree that enable us to march steadily towards i(eration. ~ Nityamuktananda Atman