"All virtues come hard to those who have not identified with unconditional joy, and sought first the things of the spirit…And so the wise ponder unceasingly on the bliss of the soul, willing themselves to feel it eternally, and by so doing, all unselfish and noble actions become a joy in themselves, and never a hardship."

-Justin Moreward Haig, The Initiate, by Cyril Scott

My dear friend and spiritual brother, Philip, gave me this new site for my recent birthday; (Thanks Philip!) and I'm happy he has added this section for "thoughts," so that I can write, from time to time, whatever feels relevant.

I love the above quote from The Initiate, which I chose for my main page. So often we are told to practice virtues from a place of discipline and effort. And my primary spiritual teacher, Swami Kripalvanandji (Bapuji) certainly stressed the importance of practicing the yamas and niyamas (moral and spiritual restraints and observances). These were enjoined by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, and by others sages, in some form, in most spiritual traditions. Bapuji said that practicing one virtue was like picking up one pearl on a necklace of pearls; when you do the whole strand will come along with it.

In my early years living in an ashram, I, and many of my fellow residents would, from time to time, select one yama-niyama to focus on exclusively; and I found great value and learning in this (visualize a teenage celibate tying to practice the yama of mitahar, moderate eating, for a month!)

Now, after many years of practice and insight, I have found an approach more powerful and spontaneous; when one first opens the heart center (through disciplines like yoga, self-inquiry, devotion, mantra, etc.) and contacts the ananda (joy) that is the very essence of our true being, virtues like generosity and kindness unfold naturally. When we more and more become identified with the ananda, fear is softened, because our chronic sense of isolation is softened. And when fear is lessened, all the negative qualities that are given birth to by fear—dishonesty, greed, manipulation, etc—are also lessened.

The more we become identified with non-separative ananda—the more we naturally avoid anything that disturbs it.
Thus virtues are naturally expressed, not because of some moral imperative imposed from without, but because they are the natural expression of one who is identified with joy. 

Wishing you blessings of joy,

Shivanand