Understand-A-Chant: Rama Bolo

Rama Bolo, Rama Bolo, Bolo, Bolo, Ram

Rama Bolo, Rama Bolo, Bolo, Bolo, Ram

Sita Bolo, Sita Bolo, Bolo, Bolo, Ram

Sita Bolo, Sita Bolo, Bolo, Bolo, Ram

Hanuman Bolo, Hanuman Bolo, Bolo, Bolo Ram

Hanuman Bolo, Hanuman Bolo, Bolo, Bolo Ram

RAMA, SITA, and HANUMAN:

Rama, a prince, is also an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Sita is Rama's wife.

Hanuman is a monkey who serves Rama and Sita, and rescues Sita from evil.

BOLO: "Bolo" is the imperative form of the verb "to sing."

"Oh my friends, sing {to the Universe}!

When it gets too damn hard, just sing.

Have no fear, don't give up. Sing!

When it gets too good, sing.

When it falls apart, sing.

When it comes together, sing.

Cry and sing. Sing and cry.

Living sing. Dying sing.

Listening sing.

Singing sing."

-Krishna Das

How Do YOU Feel?

Over the weekend, I discovered a wonderful website called We Feel Fine.

The program used by this website scans blog posts constantly, searching specifically for the words "feel" or "feels". It then pulls that sentence along with any associated pics, and grabs all the info it can: age, sex, place, and even weather. As much as it seems a bit 1984, what it allows you to do is search through feelings worldwide, from as recently as a few hours ago.
It uses a variety of displays to make it fun and interactive, and oddly compelling. You can even click on any given quote to visit that person's blog if you're interested.

What are people in Montreal feeling right now? What is the prevalent feeling worldwide today? You can search by feelings themselves, opening doors to real people and how they're feeling blessed, beautiful, or inspired. It's a unique way to connect at a heart level with strangers, to remind us how connected we always really are.
It made me think of how many people ask how we feel , what we're thinking, and how often we shrug this off with small and defensive answers.

Twenty-five minutes ago, a 23 year old from Warwick, NY, posted "I love the feeling of inhaling cold air conditioned air" even though it seems it was cloudy when they posted.
I would gladly take that information in the place of so many of the worn things we tell one another.

In our society of diminished emotional bonds and increased superficiality, it seems a blessing to have access to these moments of intimacy, as much as it is wonderful to know that these feelings have been shared, and are not sitting stagnant and ignored. As a result, the boundaries between "you" and "I" seem lesser today, and I am relieved to know that four hours ago, someone, somewhere, was "feeling better about myself".

Look To This Day!

Look to this day!

For it is life, the very life of life,
In its brief course
Lie all the verities and realities of your existence
The bliss of growth
The glory of action
The splendor of beauty.

For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision,
But today well lived makes every yesterday
A dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore, to this day!
Such is the salutation of the dawn.

— Kalidasa

More from Ram Dass

Ram Dass first went to India in 1967. He was still Dr. Richard Alpert, an already eminent Harvard psychologist and psychedelic pioneer with Dr.Timothy Leary. He had continued his psychedelic research until that fateful Eastern trip in 1967, when he traveled to India. In India, he met his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, affectionately known as Maharajji, who gave Ram Dass his name, which means "servant of God." Everything changed then - his intense dharmic life started, and he became a pivotal influence on a culture that has reverberated with the words “Be Here Now” ever since. Ram Dass’s spirit has been a guiding light for three generations, carrying along millions on the journey, helping free them from their bonds as he has worked his way through his own.
(excerpt from biography at ramdass.org)

Be patient.
You'll know when it's time for you to wake up and move ahead.

Our whole spiritual transformation brings us to the point where we realize
that in our own being, we are enough.

Working on our own consciousness is the most important thing
that we are doing at any moment, and being love is a supreme creative act.

My life is a creative act--like a painting, or a concerto.

The heart surrenders everything to the moment.
The mind judges and holds back.

Suffering is the sandpaper of our incarnation.
It does its work of shaping us.

It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience,

including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path, and to proceed.

I’m not interested in being a “lover.” I’m interested in only being love.



The most exquisite paradox… as soon as you give it all up, you can have it all.
As long as you want power, you can't have it.
The minute you don't want power, you'll have more than you ever dreamed possible.



Only that in you which is me can hear what I'm saying.



Your problem is you're... too busy holding onto your unworthiness.



Learn to watch your drama unfold while at the same time
knowing you are more than your drama.



The spiritual journey is individual, highly personal. It can't be organized or regulated.
It isn't true that everyone should follow one path. Listen to your own truth.



If you think you're enlightened go spend a week with your family.



In most of our human relationships, we spend much of our time
reassuring one another that our costumes of identity are on straight



Our interactions with one another reflect a dance between love and fear.



If you want to be surrounded by Souls, become identified with your Soul.
It takes one to know one!

Words from Wayne Dyer

Begin to see yourself as a soul with a body rather than a body with a soul.

Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.

Everything is perfect in the universe - even your desire to improve it.

Everything you are against weakens you. Everything you are for empowers you.



Conflict cannot survive without your participation.



There's nothing wrong with anger provided you use it constructively.

Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.

I cannot always control what goes on outside. But I can always control what goes on inside.

How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.



It's never crowded along the extra mile.

Miracles come in moments. Be ready and willing.

Our intention creates our reality.

We are Divine enough to ask and we are important enough to receive.

You'll see it when you believe it.

What comes out of you when you are squeezed is what is inside of you.

Self-worth comes from one thing - thinking that you are worthy.

It is impossible for you to be angry and laugh at the same time.
Anger and laughter are mutually exclusive and you have the power to choose either.



If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.



You leave old habits behind by starting out with the thought,
'I release the need for this in my life'.