Dear os.me family,

Happy New Year! (2022 bye-bye. Time to be extra mindful while writing the date.😊)

The previous month around this time, I was feeling utterly lost and directionless. I had everything that was required but there was this void that won’t fill. Somehow, that one thing that would be my reason to wake up every morning was missing. Like a restless monkey, I knew I wanted something but I didn’t really know what. (What and where, on earth, was my ‘banana’?). Do you feel the same at times? Do share what’s your coping method in the comment section.😊

Suddenly, I stumbled upon this beautiful line and that was my eureka moment. I realized that was exactly what I was deeply wishing for. It has been my constant prayer since then. I had to share this prayer with my lovely family.😊

“ऐ दिलों को फेरने वाले, मेरे दिल को अपने दीन पर जमा दे। काम ले मुझसे, परवरदिगार। हिदायत की तौफ़ीक अता फ़रमा।”

Translation: Oh the One whose grace turns the hearts back to their eternal home, please set my mind firmly on the path of dharma (not what I feel is dharma but what actually is dharma according to You, set me firm on that). Take work from me. Make me an instrument in fulfilling Your purpose and make me a puppet and work through me. Teach me, train me, mold me, make me as You deem fit. Grace my life with Your instruction and guidance at every step with every breath.

But how do we become perfect vessels for His grace to flow through us? How do we attain The Divine? Ancient Spiritual Wisdom says ‘शिवो भूत्वा शिवं यजेत्’। Only by becoming like the Divine can we actually worship (and attain) the Divine; by nurturing the Divinity within ourselves by an assiduous effort towards constant purification of the self. Thus, Divinity isn’t just limited to The Divine but it verily includes everything that manifests out of the Divine’s essence.

Self-Purification –> Tapping into Inner Divinity –> Witnessing the Divinity in Everything —> Attaining the Divine.

Sounds cryptic, isn’t it? The Path may be complicated, for sure, but fear not! Your samurai has done the homework for you. 😊 Modelled after the wise wizard, Dumbledore, I quote “Divinity can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light.” Here are some resources curated especially for you (and for me). I’ve got 6 Divine Fireflies to light up our path towards self-purification.

Divinity Unleashed!

A Tiny Bit of Divinity  – One of the four pillars of supreme spiritual attainment that Swami talked about (Mar 2022 discourses) was the ability to see the Divine in everyone. It comes naturally when we mindfully and diligently walk the path of purification. But what about the time when it’s not that effortless? In the face of an unfavorable situation, Vivek D asks his mind this powerful question,

“Where is your vision of divinity now?” Is it so weak and selective that the moment someone caused you pain you just stopped seeing divine in that person?”

What if we could also take a pause and ask ourselves the same question when all the demons are rushing in to occupy our minds? Our 1st firefly, Vivek ji’s experience is here to enlighten us.

Om Swami – Who is Om Swami? Well, he is the founder of this kindest corner on the internet (and much more!) Far more than being a person, He is an idea; an ideology. Komal Om’s letter to Swami is here to give us workable pointers that she has learned from His impeccable conduct. If we can imbibe even one of these virtues, it will surely have a telling influence on our spiritual journey and life as a whole. Komal is our 2nd firefly!

Mumbling Silence – When the Divine touches us, we naturally become humble and when we are humble, the Divine will surely touch us. One of the most amazing things about spirituality is: Everything is circular. Almost all ‘vice-versa’ are true.

This sublime poem transports the reader to the abode of Mother Divine through the eyes of our 3rd firefly, Tahira Om.

You accept us all

flawed or haughty

an arrogant girl

has softened her heart

at your command

just a sweet kiss on my forehead

and I transformed.

That’s the transforming power of Divine Love.

3 Tips for a Mental Detox– Looking for practical ways to deal with those nightmarish thoughts? You can trust our 4th firefly, Gaur Gopal Das Ji, on this. Watch this video that gives 3 simple yet effective ways to deal with our inner demons that won’t let us get drenched in the sanctifying water of Divine Grace.

Wisdom from our Head Firefly’s Bowl

The Cobbler, the Dog and God – Read this true story shared by Swamiji as ‘a gentle reminder about the purpose of spirituality — to see the divinity in everything.’ Quoting the Master,

When you realize God, you become humble naturally. Arrogance and ego flee from you as thieves do in the light. You become an embodiment of goodness, you choose your words carefully. You weigh your actions meticulously. You check your thoughts artfully. You act mindfully. It all happens effortlessly, for you see the same Divine in everyone.

Bonus Post and Threads:

The Garland of Swords– Fond of stories? Read this well-written engaging piece by Shubham Kumar that will glue your eyes to the screen.

Want some practical tips to move closer to The Divine? These threads are full of first-hand experiences that might help.

1. How do you plan to move closer to your beloved Lord this year?
2. How To Keep Our Devotion Alive Throughout The Day?

Other Amazing Roundups

Did you guys check out other roundups? Here, grab on all the wisdom that you can gather, because everything is interconnected and every single thing will eventually strengthen our journey to the Divine and our own Divinity. (As Baba RanchhodDas says in 3 Idiots, “सब जगह ज्ञान बँट रहा है, जहाँ से जितना मन करे, ले लो।” Wisdom is being distributed everywhere. From wherever you can, take it. Profound, isn’t it? 😊)

Slice of Life, Anecdotes, Parenting, Books, Sadhana, Poems, Gratitude, Ayurveda, Mental Health, Spiritual Wisdom and Self-Discovery

Fun-homework (Sounds oxymoronic, right?😊)

This is January, the infamous month of resolutions. Let’s resolve to be better versions of ourselves in order to bask in the Divine Grace. There are 3 tasks. We have to choose any one and complete it before we meet in our next roundup on Feb 2, 2023 (Save the date!). Cool? 

Task 1: Complete these videos by Swamiji. Collect the nuggets and work on yourself accordingly.

Path of Divinity- Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. 

Task 2: Read this life-transforming book by Sadhvi Vrinda Om Ji. 

Task 3: Take up this 15 Day course and discover a new ‘you’. 

Yes, you can do more than one, lovely people. Drop a comment about the fun-task you are going to undertake this month. I will share mine as well there. 😊

Whenever you feel like having your dose of Divine Love, get a big warm cup of refreshing coffee, come to Divinity and read on.😊

Signing off with these lines, extremely close to my heart, from A prayer that Never Fails by our 6th firefly, Sadhvi Vrinda Om Ji:

My inner life and spiritual quest took on a new meaning. The flaws were still there, but love had mellowed them. I saw my mistakes more clearly. He helped me see and hear things that I had not been prepared to admit or listen to earlier. In love, I was willing to change. The desire to purify myself for Him had taken on a new life. My perspective underwent a sea change, and I wanted to be of service to others.

It was as if a new person was emerging from beneath the older one. Divine Love was my undoing. It moulded me bit by bit to follow my dharma.

Bhagwan became the great presence in my life who drove me to try and live in grace and harmony with myself and others. We all need this purity, this divinity in our lives, because everything falls apart in its absence. Our search for meaning, purpose and a fulfilling life is all but a ruse to find God.

It is this prayer to be worthy of God that never fails. A prayer for constant self-improvement and self-purification. It is the only prayer that never fails.

Find Him in any shape or form, in any religion or scripture, but find Him. You are incomplete without Him, for in love alone, one is complete.

As the New Year spreads its wings and takes flight into the vast period of 365 days, let us all take our flight; our leap of faith into the eternal ocean of bliss and divinity that resides in the deepest recess of our hearts.

I will see you on February 2nd, again. Live. Laugh. Love. Give.

Warm Regards,

Snigdha