Dear initiates, seekers and friends,
I wish you a very happy and spiritual New Year 2013!
 
Mental stress, at an individual level, is a burning issue in our society today. This stress is caused by money, career and relationship matters. For many of us this stress further causes health problems.
 
Let us make 2013 the year of the transformation from mental stress into mindfulness.
 
Instead of waiting for another doomsday prophecy, let us spend the first few days of this New Year in finding a reason within us to be more spiritual. Once we have “sold” the idea of the importance of meditation and spirituality to our own individual selves, our problem-solving mind will find the time and the technique to meditate.
 
It is critical that one finds within oneself the specific reason to follow a spiritual path – a reason that can bring one back into their “asana”, or meditation posture, every single day. Today’s spiritual seeker, unfortunately, is so occupied and, sometimes confused, by the hundreds of thousands of spiritual websites and the many spiritual television channels that they can’t focus on one practice. It is understandable to research before choosing a spiritual practice. However, it is critical to eventually stop the research and use the outcome of the research to adopt one spiritual practice.
 
Meditation is a “tapasya”. “Tapasya” is a Sanskrit word that refers to both the process and the product of focused practice. Therefore, focus on one practice is critical.
 
In 2013, strike out a few chores and indulgences from your busy calendar so that you can find the time to meditate. Master your mind through meditation. Once the mind is mastered, stress is overcome. If you still feel the need to stress about something, stress about your soul.
 
All the best,
Shailesh