Meditations on The Journey Home – Lesson from Chapter 1
Inspirations from ‘The Journey Home ‐ Autobiography of an American Swami’
In Rome, one day Gary and Richard entered a monastery and meditated in the underground cemetery. These rooms were filled with human skulls and skeletons, and many were artistically arranged to make furniture and chandeliers. The monks there meditated on the impermanence of the body, and the ravaging power of time. One sign above the skeletons read, “As you are now, we used to be. As we are now, you will be.”
Later they hitched to Pompeii. Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning two days in 79 AD. The volcano collapsed higher roof‐lines and buried Pompeii under 20 m (66 ft) of ash and pumice, and it was lost for nearly 1,600 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1592. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Italy, with approximately 2,500,000 visitors every year.
Now walking through the ruins of this ancient civilization, Richard was lost in the thought of the impermanence of material life:
“What could we learn from the tragedy of Pompeii? At any moment disaster can come upon anyone. In our complacency, we fail to grasp the impermanence of all that is material. I thought of the bubonic plague that had ravaged Europe, the atomic bomb that levelled Hiroshima, the earthquakes and fires that had destroyed cities in America. Through the history of mankind, the powers of nature take everything away from us. Why put off seeking the eternal jewel of enlightenment? Now is the time. “
Time is a powerful energy of God that brings an end to all our material hopes and dreams. If we confine our ambitions to the temporal pursuits of this ephemeral world, we too are lost. As huge waves of time toss us insignificant pebbles around, we desperately seek to hold ground. History is filled with names that are worthless to us. Our exploits too are no big deal to successive generations. Yet we long to etch our names in the pages of history, and to be loved and adored forever.
During one class, Radhanath Swami drew the attention of the audience to the huge wall clock hanging at the rear of the hall. He graphically described the havoc caused by time in our lives, “Just see this clock. Both a young teenager and old man look at the same clock differently. The teenager laments ‘why is the clock going slow. C’mon speed up. I want to grow to be independent and enjoy all the pleasures of this world.’ An old man looks at the same clock and laments ‘Oh clock, why are you going so fast. Please slow down.’”
A spiritual seeker therefore searches for eternity that transcends barriers imposed by time and space. The term of human bodily existence is a rare chance for self‐realization, a chance to be reunited with the Lord of our heart. For a spiritual aspirant, life in this world is a springboard to enter the Lord’s eternal abode. Thus a truly intelligent person searches for transcendental happiness. Radhanath Swami practises and teaches the process of bhakti‐yoga, Devotional service to God in which the spiritualist realizes his or her personal relationship with God.
Although all designations pertaining to the body are fleeting, the eternal soul dwelling within the body is special. God cares for all souls and eagerly awaits their taking the initiative to turn to Him. Through daily chanting of holy names of God, the original dormant love for God within us starts flowering. As our relationship with the Supreme Lord blossoms, it also lends freshness and excitement to our lives.
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Founder-acharya of the International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
“Go to India” a sweet but commanding voice; spoke up in the heart of young Richard (later Radhanath Swami) who was immersed in meditation, his search for meaning in life has brought him to the Isle of Crete. Today he was ordered to go to India. Born and raised in the middle class suburbs of Chicago, Radhanath swami grew up in the 1950’s and 60’s era when popular musicians protested war, prejudice and social injustice. Radhanath swami would listen to these songs again and again, but their lyrics referring to God stirred his soul. Peter, Paul and Mary- the folk trio from Greenswich village sang in their debut album
“Early in the morning, about the break of day
I ask the Lord, to help me find my way”
This simple prayer was to guide Radhanath swami in the coming years of his life........
Radhanath Swami Maharaj’s realizations are very deep & holistic. His life has really been a very inspiring spiritual journey for all of us.
To know more about Maharaj, please click on http://radhanathswami.com
Hare Krishna!
View Commentwonderful,incredible ,excellant , heart melting narration . Radhanath Swami is really : THE REAL SPIRITUALIST.
View Commenthttp://www.thejourneyhomebook.com
Amazing point on how a clock is perceived differently by a young man and an old man. Superb!
Also check out this site for some more amazing stuff http://audio.iskcondesiretree.info
View CommentAll Glories to Guru Maharaj, HH Radhanath Swami.
View CommentI am highly inspired by his book, The Journey Home, which has captivated my heart to realize the essence of human form of life.
http://radhanathswami.co.uk
Wonderful insight of how we are bound by the time dimension.
View CommentYou can find more such articles of HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj on: http://itsohappened.com or http://radhanathswami.com/About
In one class Radhanath Swami said …. Time is most precious … Money lost can be earned back, Collapsed empires can be build again … But a moment wasted will never come back again
View CommentWonderful article
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami Maharaj is truly a liberated & compassionate soul who is trying to deliver every other soul from the endless cycle of birth & death.
View CommentTo know more about Maharaj, please click on http://radhanathswami.com
Time and tide wait for no man!
View CommentWe have to achieve our goals and ambitions in the short period of our lifespan. Thus, not a single moment should be wasted on unnecessary things.
(http://www.radhanathswamiquotes.com)
HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj is helping us prepare for the ultimate test – the time of death, so that we can remember Lord Krishna at that time & go back home, back to Godhead.
To know more about Maharaj, please visit http://radhanathswamionline.com
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami Maharaj is truly a liberated & compassionate soul who is trying to deliver every other soul from the endless cycle of birth & death.
In one of his lectures Radhanath Swami said …. Time is most precious … Money lost can be earned back, Collapsed empires can be build again … But a moment wasted will never come back again.
So try to achive the best of it and go back to Godhead!
View CommentWe can see that we all have to die one day or other.
View CommentWow !!A beautiful analysis on the power of TIME. Nice article.
Thanks
View CommentIts true.we are really doing time-PASS. we should use each and every second of our precious life and not let the time pass. Some beautiful lectures also i found on http://audio.iskcondesiretree.info/index.php?q=f&f=%2F02_-_ISKCON_Swamis%2FHis_Holiness_Radhanath_Swami%2FLectures
View CommentA surperb analysis on TIME!!
For more information:
View Commenthttp://radhanathswami.com/
No one could ever think like Radhanath Swami on TIME. Everyone is so forgetful about the time and in ignorance is continuing with his life not realizing soon he will be his turn to face the reality. At time of death we will be faced with the final exam we have been working hard to achieve temporary goals but not at all focused on our final exam which could allow us to achieve the real goal of life which is Kingdom of God. Radhanath Swami sincere spiritual seeker is showing through is example on how we should realize the harsh reality.
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami Maharaj is absolutely correct. Everyone has to eventually surrender to Time, irrespective of one’s name, fame & all the material opulences one may possess.
View CommentTime is indeed the great equalizer, doesn’t differentiate between rich & poor. And Time is Krishna!
As much as our ego may resist, we have to one day succumb to Time, to the will of Lord Krishna. If we live our life in the service of the Lord & His devotees, then we will be in an extremely happy situation, otherwise we have to once again go through the miseries of cycle of repeated birth & death.
simply wonderful
View CommentWe generally focus our attention and efforts more on acquiring the things of this world and in the process we realise that life is finished……just acquired the things but now will have to leave them behind…..TIME will take away everything.
View CommentAmazing piece on Time. What we take for granted every day is a very precious commodity that has to be used for the most enduring result which is to achieve the ultimate perfection
View Commenti.e. Love of God.
Do we ever think about time in this manner? Amazing.
View CommentTime is running. we are going near to death every moment, every second.
View CommentHence, we should prepare for the final exam of death & then, be happy, no more exams.
So prepare hard, use every second of your life.
A really eve opening part from this book.
We hear many times about importance of time and our fragile life.
Unfortunately our materialistic life-style always wraps us under blanket of illusion that we are safe.
Hoping to read this passage from book again and again.
Hare Krishna.
View CommentWonderful
View CommentAmazing Article
View CommentIt is said time and tide waits for none.
View CommentThis reminds me of how devotees of the lord become happy as they progress in their age as each passing year brings them closer to the Lord but the one who wastes the rare human birth in animalistic acts, is going near to inevitable onslaught of time in the form of death.
View Commentwonderful !!!
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s realisations on various aspects of life are truly eye opening. Time has such a destroying effect in this world, but people seldom realise this and far from working towards the real purpose of human life, they try to defy ageing by artificial means. Radhanath swami has captured the essence of it nicely here.
View CommentWe should learn to take lessons from everything around us in a positive manner as our Gurudev did.
View CommentSooner we realise better it is for our spiritual progress. “what comes in this world has to go”. Thanks Maharaj for helping us understand the value of human life through this realisation.
View CommentTime waits for no one.Thank you Maharaj .
View CommentHH Radhanath swami the great!!!!!!!!!1
View CommentI can very well relate to the example of the Clock. Vrey thought provoking presentation.
View CommentMany times we get sobering experiences but we dont contemplate on them enough to learn something from it. We just miss these wonderful learning opportunities.
View Commentthe story of pompei also tells us that in front of time everyone has to surrender.thankyou maharaj 4 ur wonderful book
View CommentThough we see everywhere that finally this life is temporary still our lifestyles are such that we are unable to give the neccessary time to find out the answers to most important questions of our lifes. How unfortunate!
Saintly people like Radhanath Swami showed such a deep commitment to find these answers and now working so hard to share with all of us…
We need to make ourselves fortunate, just by accepting the help provided…
View CommentHi you can subscribe to our rss link here’s the link
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Regards
Radhanath Swami is a self realized person can mitigate our ignorance and take us to light of spiritual knowledge.Please read his Book, “The journey Home”
View CommentAs you are now, we used to be. As we are now, you will be. is a very though provoking statement. Almost every day we see a clock or an old person…now it also make us think of this Sobering Reality.
View CommentWe tend to forget that everything we are so attached to is perishable. Time destroys all.
View Commentvery nice article, thanks for posting, bhakti
View Commenttime is healer for everthing, and time can change things in a fraction of moment, and as radhanath swami maharaj says we must live our life moment by moment with submissive and selfless service to the lord, haribol, rajesh karia
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami Maharaj has wonderfully explianed about the “Time – a sobering reality”. Thank you Maharaj!!
View CommentGood Article!
View CommentVery nice!! If only everyone understood what Maharaj is saying here peopl won’t be greedy and materialistic.
View CommentRadhanath Swami talks very clearly on what is shadow and what is the substance. This has taught me as to what should I give importance to, in my life. Thank you.
View CommentThis is all very new to me and this article really opened my eyes.Many thanks for sharing with us your wisdom.
View CommentYou are making a lot of good points in this article nevertheless its very hard for me personally to focus on this article on the broken blog layout!
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