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Great people are those who make the most out of any opportunity that comes up in life. Even greater are are those who transform seemingly harsh circumstances of their life into life’s greatest success. What do you think would be the best thing for you to do if you are to be shut up in a prison for 56 years? Willie B. Blackmon is, in fact, serving a 56 year term in a prison in Missourie, USA. And he is making use of his time as a prisoner in the best possible way, to practice spirituality, to find God, to realise that God is Love. But it’s not as simple as it sounds, read from Willie’s own words how life in prison has helped him grow spiritually and how spirituality has transformed him into a better human being. I am not aware of the kind of crime that got him into prison in the first place or the kind of life he is now living in prison, but from his article I see that he is a much better person than most living outside. They say “Salt of the earth”… Willie B. Blackmon is definitely one such salt of the earth.

Here is the link to the article: “The Blessings of Prison” by Willie B. Blackmon.

See also: Crime and punishment

“What is happiness?” When M. Sivaprakasam Pillai put this question to Ramana Maharshi, he came up with the following answer.

Happiness is the very nature of the Self; happiness and the Self are not different. There is no happiness in any object of the world. We imagine through our ignorance that we derive happiness from objects. When the mind goes out, it experiences misery. In truth, when its desires are fulfilled, it returns to its own place and enjoys the happiness that is the Self. Similarly, in the states of sleep, samadhi and fainting, and when the object desired is obtained or the object disliked is removed, the mind becomes inward-turned, and enjoys pure Self-Happiness. Thus the mind moves without rest alternately going out of the Self and returning to it. Under the tree the shade is pleasant; out in the open the heat is scorching. A person who has been going about in the sun feels cool when he reaches the shade. Someone who keeps on going from the shade into the sun and then back into the shade is a fool. A wise man stays permanently in the shade. Similarly, the mind of the one who knows the truth does not leave Brahman. The mind of the ignorant, on the contrary, revolves in the world, feeling miserable, and for a little time returns to Brahman to experience happiness. In fact, what is called the world is only thought. When the world disappears, i.e. when there is no thought, the mind experiences happiness; and when the world appears, it goes through misery.

More such questions and wonderful answers in the book Who am I?. Great reading if you have an inclination for Self-enquiry and the path of Jnana.

There is an oft quoted verse from the Bhagavad Gita, verse 47 of chapter 2, which says,

You have the right to perform action, but not the fruits thereof at any time; let not the fruits of your actions be your motive, and let there not be attachment to inaction.

When I learnt about this verse for the first time, I thought it commands us to work like slaves, we keep suffering and God enjoys all the fruits of our actions. But now, as my understanding has become a little clearer, I am able to appreciate this verse which reminds us of our right to be free all the time.

To understand the verse better, we first have to clearly understand what is action and what is meant by ‘fruit of action’. … Continue reading ‘Performing action without attachment to reaction’ »