Karma can be changed. Your destiny is in your hands

This article continues the previous post on the Illusion of Free will.   Free will, as we commonly understand it, is an illusion because the personality which drives our will is fixed and makes predictable decisions.  Furthermore, we are unaware of the invisible Forces of Nature (Prakriti) which impinge on our consciousness and compel us to act in pre-determined fashion.   It is only when we expand in consciousness and gradually unite with the Divine through Yoga that we begin to experience the true nature of free will, for then our will becomes aligned with the will of the Supreme.  True freedom comes with True Knowledge.

Stages in the spiritual journey (Anandamayi Ma)

Anandamayi Ma (wiki) was once asked to describe the stages in the spiritual journey.   She enumerated four stages:

Links between Vedas, Upanishads, Tantra and Puranas

Sri Aurobindo and his disciples uncovered connections between the Vedas and the later scriptures such as Upanishads, Puranas and the Tantra by tracing the evolution of concepts, use of common verses and the underlying symbolism between these scriptures.  This is a synopsis of their discoveries collated from a variety of sources.

Sri Ramakrishna’s occult contact with Sri Aurobindo

Sri Aurobindo never met Ramakrishna Paramahansa in physical life but he did gain contact through the occult planes with the latter as is adduced from various written works.  For example, Sri Aurobindo notes in his journal Record of Yoga three instances when he received messages from Ramakrishna Paramahansa.

True intent of the caste system

The caste system in India has been a subject of much controversy. It was supposed to be an identification of man’s inbuilt inclinations and capacities, but gradually this truth was lost and it morphed into a mechanical system for slotting people into various social categories based on their birth in a certain family. It thus became a vehicle for stigma and discrimination.  In the following selections from various works, Sri Aurobindo points out the true origin of the caste system –  how the four castes are actually four latent powers (caturvyuha) within Man which must be perfected by every person on the spiritual path.   The Brahmin represents the faculty of knowledge, ethics and learning, the Kshatriya represents valour, the Vaishya represents commerce and relationship of harmony, while the Shudra represents perfection in work.

Messages are also exchanged on the subtle planes

Every letter that is sent to someone, whether by email or by surface mail, is also an exchange of forces on the inner planes, which can be detected by someone who has become conscious of his inner being (i.e. astral body).