THE VISION, November 2025, Vol 93, Issue 2
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Beloved Readers,
Regulating the mind is vital for spiritual growth, for only a disciplined mind can transcend itself. Saints affirm that when the mind turns inward, its innate light, love and bliss naturally shine forth. The mind, a Divine gift, must thus be used for this higher purpose.
From childhood, however, the mind and senses are trained to move outward, chasing objects and emotions. This habit makes the mind restless and unfit for inner exploration. To reverse this, we have been told to concentrate on one thought — the thought of God, who is Stillness — to the exclusion of all other thoughts. We have also been assured that this process will lead us to the Source from where the sense of individuality springs. Outer silence helps prepare the way for this inward journey.
Beloved Papa Swami Ramdas says: “Silence means conserving mental and physical energy to tune your will with the Divine.”
This month’s issue of THE VISION carries articles of various Mahatmas on this subject.
— EDITOR
AS WE SCROLL DOWN...
- ‘Know the Source’ — emphasises Swami Ramdas. True peace and joy arise only when the mind withdraws from outer distractions and rests in the inner silence of the Divine Source. By perseverance in right thought, contemplation and meditation, we discover the fountain of bliss within and make it the permanent basis of all our actions.
- ‘Words of Beloved Papa Swami Ramdas’ — convey that true silence is not merely the absence of speech but the stillness of the mind. Through steady Japa and meditation, the mind becomes inwardly silent, leading to the realisation of the Self — the indescribable Truth beyond thought and word. This inner silence alone brings lasting freedom, happiness and peace.
- ‘Words of Pujya Mataji Krishnabai’ — reveal how, through earnest prayer and the power of Ram Nam, the restless mind is drawn into the Stillness within, which is vast and silent like the space between the earth and the sky. As this inner stillness deepens, the mind remains untouched by external disturbances.
- ‘Words of Pujya Swami Satchidananda’ — emphasise that communion with the Stillness within is possible at any time through sincere yearning and steady Sadhana. As we chant, contemplate and dedicate all actions to the Divine, the mind is gradually purified and becomes still. In this stillness, the ego dissolves and the experience of oneness with the Eternal shines forth.
- ‘Editor Answers’ — explains that Stillness is not the absence of thought but the silent background from which all thoughts arise. By becoming aware of the space between thoughts, we touch the ever-present Consciousness that underlies all activity. This Stillness is not emptiness but fullness itself — alive, radiant and sustaining all of Life.
- ‘The Gita Touch in Daily Life’ — illustrates through the story of a sculptor that true vision arises not from effort alone but from surrender. As revealed in Chapter 11, Shloka 53 of the Bhagavad Gita, what discipline cannot compel, grace unveils. When striving falls silent, the Divine reveals Itself within.
- ‘Silence and Stillness’ — Eckhart Tolle enumerates, is our essential nature, the Awareness in which all experiences arise. By paying attention to the silent gaps between thoughts, words or breaths, we touch Pure Consciousness and experience oneness with all Creation — which is Love itself.
- ‘Take a Dip in the Waters of Silence Daily’ — reminds us Dada JP Vaswani. Silence is the great healer, helping us strip away layers of pride, desire and restlessness. Through meditation and inner stillness, we embark on an inward pilgrimage, discovering our oneness with all Life — a wave of the unbounded deep.
- ‘Understanding Silence’ — J. Krishnamurti points out that true Silence is not the mere absence of noise or thought. It cannot be produced or described; it arises when one dies daily to the known, and the mind becomes fresh, innocent and free.
- ‘Be Still and Know “I Am”’ — Mooji urges us to rest in the silent Awareness behind the moving mind — the pure, formless Being that is ever-present and unchanging. By abiding in this intuitive sense of ‘I Am,’ the ego’s restlessness subsides, and we recognise ourselves as the unbroken, peaceful Presence behind all phenomena.
- ‘Silence is Ever-Present’ — Swami Chidananda reminds us that silence is not something to be created or attained; it is always here — the eternal, undisturbed Reality beneath all sound and movement. When we cease to disturb it, we discover it as our own true nature — Sat-Chit-Ananda, ever-present and boundless.
- ‘Epistles Of Swami Ramdas’ — urges us to turn our attention inward, stilling the restless mind to hear the sweet voice of the Divine Mother within. Through inner vision, listening and communion, we realise Her as the all-pervading Power — the Supreme Mother of the Universe.
- ‘Anandashram News’:
- ‘Book In Focus’
- ‘Thought For The Month’
- ‘Download THE VISION’ in PDF format and the Audio Book.
KNOW THE SOURCE
By Swami Ramdas
When we recede into the depths of silence within us we arrive at the true basis of our life. We discover that from this Source all life and manifestation have come forth in their amazing variety and multiplicity. It is at this Source that we discover the eternal fountain of peace and joy. Until an individual gets the vision of this fundamental existence, he will be simply groping on the surface and therefore in the dark, in pursuit of vain and evanescent things, believing that these can yield him the true peace and happiness which his soul hungers for.
What is principally required is the withdrawal of his mind from without to within, which means that the restless and roaming nature of the mind must be totally arrested by right thought, right contemplation and right meditation. The mind has to settle down and the uncontrolled dynamics of it must be brought under subjection.
Perseverance and an unflagging endeavour are the qualities of a true aspirant or seeker of Truth. Awareness, watchfulness and effort are the true qualities of a Sadhaka.
Therefore, seek the Truth within yourself, stop not until you have reached it, until you have made it one permanent basis for all your life’s activities. Know this Source and be free.
WORDS OF BELOVED PAPA SWAMI RAMDAS
Outer silence may be helpful in attaining inner silence. Outer silence alone is not the thing. There are so many who have outer silence and no inner silence. You may talk and still have inner silence. Outer silence is helpful when your mind is engaged in meditation. Talk disturbs. Mental practice of Japa leads to meditation and keeps the mind silent. That is a Sadhana.
***
You must dive deep and realise the Self. We cannot define Truth, which is unthinkable, indescribable and undefinable. From the thought plane we cannot realise It. Truth is silence. The best way you can express the Truth is by means of silence. When Ramdas thinks of his experience of that high state he is struck dumb. Still, he is made to talk about it so that interest may be created in the people to search for it. He knows that the goal, after reaching it, cannot be described to others. Others must experience it for themselves. But he can definitely say that the Absolute does exist because his own experience goes to confirm it. He can also say definitely that it is only by reaching the Absolute that this life of bondage is set free for attaining the state of happiness and peace of the Eternal.
WORDS OF PUJYA MATAJI KRISHNABAI
When I wanted to concentrate my mind more on Papa during my Sadhana days, I would bring to mind Papa’s Divine attributes — ‘Papa, Thou art Eternal, Papa Thou art Infinite’ and so on — while chanting Ram Nam with my lips. Even so, I found my mind was wandering and thoughts intruding on my mind. Then I earnestly prayed to Papa not to allow any thoughts to creep into my mind while I was trying to concentrate on Him. For, I realised, only Papa could bring stillness to my mind; after all, His chief attribute was absolute stillness, Void. Papa then shut my mind to all thoughts coming from outside and made it still.
***
As a result of the power of the Name, my Dhyana increased and I began to experience a state of stillness within and without. This was like the vacant space between the earth and the sky. As the feeling of such stillness increased in my mind, I became unaffected by external disturbance. I could see and hear whatever went on around me but it did not affect me. When I was in this state, so that my mind may go inward, my ever-compassionate Papa told me that I should recall all that I had spoken during the day, all the thoughts that had come into my mind and so on.
WORDS OF PUJYA SWAMI SATCHIDANANDA
Commune with the ‘Stillness:’
You can commune with the “stillness” at any time anywhere if you crave for it. May you be able to commune with the “stillness” — your own Being — constantly and be a witness to all the activities.
***
State of mind reveals spiritual progress:
When you continue your Sadhana — chanting His holy Name constantly, contemplate on Him as the Absolute Existence beyond all names and forms, who has manifested as the entire universe and as one seated in our heart, and dedicate everything you do as His service — your heart will be gradually purified and it will be rid of all thoughts, except God-thought. From the state of your mind, you can make out whether you are progressing or not. Later, the God-thought also disappears, making the mind perfectly still, for longer and longer periods. It is in this state of stillness that God reveals Himself. It is said that when such experience comes, one is not conscious of the body and the outside world. The mind having become still and the ego having disappeared, the experience of our oneness with the Eternal Infinite Existence alone remains.
EDITOR ANSWERS
Question: We are told that Stillness is the ultimate goal in the spiritual journey. The intellect interprets Stillness as the absence of thoughts. Yet, the only instrument we have to move forward is thought itself. How then can we proceed?
Answer: When we look at this very question, we notice a quiet space between two words. Our eyes rest on the words, for they carry meaning and serve our purpose. Yet, if we pause and reflect, we realise that it is the space that upholds the words. Without that silent background—without the unseen whiteness—no word could exist. The words and the space are not separate; they coexist and reveal each other.
So too with the mind. Thoughts arise only from where there are no thoughts. Between two thoughts lies a pause—a gap—subtle and serene. When, along with recognising thoughts, we begin to recognise this space between thoughts, we touch the very essence of Stillness. It is not something to be attained; it has always been there—ever-present, ever-supporting.
Gradually we discover that this Stillness is not a void or emptiness. It is fullness itself—alive with Consciousness, radiant with Intelligence, rich with Potentiality, and vibrant with the Life Force that sustains all. Thus, Stillness is not a destination to be reached, but the Eternal Substratum upon which Life unfolds—through every thought, word and deed.
THE GITA TOUCH IN DAILY LIFE
Chapter 11, Shloka 53 — Awakening
For months, a sculptor worked tirelessly on a massive block of marble. He measured, struck, polished and refined. Yet despite all his effort, the form he envisioned refused to emerge. One evening, exhausted, he set down his tools and simply gazed at the stone. In that quiet pause, he suddenly saw the figure already hidden within it. All that was left was to gently release it.
He later reflected: “It was not my chiselling that created the statue, but the moment I stopped forcing and allowed the form to reveal itself.”
His awakening echoes Chapter 11, Shloka 53:
नाहं वेदैर्न तपसा न दानेन न चेज्यया ।
शक्य एवंविधो द्रष्टुं दृष्टवानसि मां यथा ॥
“Not through Vedas, penance, charity or ritual sacrifice can one behold Me in this form,
as you have seen Me now.”
Effort has its place, but the true vision dawns when striving falls silent and surrender blossoms. What discipline cannot compel, grace unveils.
SILENCE AND STILLNESS
By Eckhart Tolle
Stillness is your essential nature. What is stillness? The inner space or awareness in which the words on this page are being perceived and become thoughts. Without that awareness, there would be no perception, no thoughts, no world. You are that awareness, disguised as a person.
***
Look at a tree or a human being in stillness, who is looking? Something deeper than the person. Consciousness is looking at its creation.
***
When you look at a tree and perceive its stillness, you become still yourself. You connect with it at a very deep level. You feel a oneness with whatever you perceive in and through stillness. Feeling the oneness of yourself with all things is love.
***
Pay attention to the gap — the gap between two thoughts, the brief, silent space between words in a conversation, between the notes of a piano or flute, or the gap between the in-breath and out-breath. When you pay attention to those gaps, awareness of “something” becomes — just awareness. The formless dimension of pure consciousness arises from within you and replaces identification with form.
Source: Stillness Speaks
TAKE A DIP IN THE WATERS OF SILENCE DAILY
By Dada J P Vaswani
We live in a world of allurements. The sharp arrows of desire, cravings, animal appetite, of passion and pride, of ignorance and anger, of hatred and greed, wound our souls again and again, and the scars of many wounds: they need to be healed. Silence is the great healer.
To know what meditation is, we need to go within ourselves and ‘sink deeper and deeper.’ No one else can do that for us: we need to do it ourselves! We need to silence the clamour of our unruly mind; we need to strip ourselves of all pride and passions, selfishness, sensuality and sluggishness of soul: we need to remove veil after veil until we reach the inmost depths and touch the Pure White Flame. Meditation is gazing inward by opening another aperture of the mind. It is turning away from all outer objects to seek Him — the One and only Reality. Meditation is embarking on the interior pilgrimage in which layer after layer of unreality is to be torn. The pilgrim, therefore, proceeds by negation: Neti, Neti, not this, not this! These are not God: I seek Him alone! The pilgrim enters, more and more, into silence. In silence, he understands the secret of true freedom. In silence, he makes the discovery that he is not the isolated creature he thought himself to be. He is a ‘wave of the unbounded deep,’ he is one with all life, all creation. He is in all: all are in Him!
Source: Peace Joy Pills
UNDERSTANDING SILENCE
By J Krishnamurti
The only silence we know is the silence when noise stops, the silence when thought stops — but that is not silence. Silence is something entirely different, like beauty, like love. And this silence is not the product of a quiet mind, it is not the product of the brain cells which have understood the whole structure and say, ‘For God’s sake be quiet; then the brain cells themselves produce the silence and that is not silence. Nor is silence the outcome of attention in which the observer is the observed; then there is no friction, but that is not silence.
You are waiting for me to describe what this silence is so that you can compare it, interpret it, carry it away and bury it. It cannot be described. What can be described is the known, and the freedom from the known can come into being only when there is a dying every day to the known, to the hurts, the flatteries, to all the images you have made, to all your experiences — dying every day so that the brain cells themselves become fresh, young, innocent. But that innocency, that freshness, that quality of tenderness and gentleness, does not produce love; it is not the quality of beauty or silence.
Source: Freedom From The Known
BE STILL AND KNOW ‘I AM’
By Mooji
Be still and know the magnificence of the intuition — ‘I am.’ I am one with you as Witness and conscious Presence, timelessly unchanging. Recognise your own real Self and be happy. We are not our thoughts, emotions, memories or conditioning, but formless Being, eternally changing, yet, unchanging. Be integrated with that silent space behind the moving mind. Be one with That — that within which this grand dance of manifestation is perceived. Knowing this, the mind is stilled.
Observe the unbroken silence from which all springs. Recognise yourself as attribute-less Being, as beyond the changeful, and be happy. Be still and know ‘I am’. Rest in ‘I Am,’ as I Am! We are the unbroken and unbreakable presence behind all phenomena.
Do not any longer indulge the fickle tendencies of the ego-mind to stray towards meaningless dribbles. They may seem harmless enough at the time but they gradually stupefy the mind and lead to a build-up of inner chatter and restlessness which then appear to tyrannise the peaceful Beingness.
Source: Before I Am
SILENCE IS EVER-PRESENT
By Swami Chidananda
Silence is ever-present; you do not have to move one foot to reach it. You do not have to put forth your hand even a little to touch it or grasp it and take it. If you want to talk, you have to make effort, exert; but for silence you do not have to try, or exert, to bring it about.
Why? Because it is an eternal fact. It is always there; you do not have to make effort, you do not have to exert. You have only to stop disturbing it, stop bringing in something else. You are constantly bringing noise, sound; otherwise, the stillness, the silence is there, ever-present, the Reality, the Substratum, the Truth. Even so, Sat is ever-present, infinite, boundless. Chit is ever-present. Ananda is ever-present because you are That. So, be aware of this Truth. Live this Truth. Base your life on the truth of your being, the fact that you are Satchidananda ever, ever and ever. Ponder this Truth within. Make use of this Truth.
Source: Ponder These Truths
EPISTLES OF SWAMI RAMDAS
Beloved Ram,
…You call the Divine Mother, "Mother, Mother", and you complain, you do not hear her respond to the call and say to you, "Son, Son". But the fact is, you fail to hear Her. For, your attention is externalised. Your mind is distracted with the noises of the world. Still the mind and in perfect silence listen to the sweet and melodious voice of the Mother within. Through the inner vision, behold Her; through the inner ear, hear Her; through the inner voice, speak to Her; thus, through close and intimate communion, lose yourself into Her resplendent being. The worlds are Her forms; all activities therein are born of Her power. She is the supreme Mother of the universe — the creator, sustainer and destroyer…
ANANDASHRAM NEWS
15500-CRORE NAMA JAPA YAGNA FOR WORLD PEACE:
The total Japa received in the fourth round of the 15500-Crore Nama Japa Yagna for World Peace in the month of September 2025 is 210 crores, chanted by 191653 devotees.
The grand total of the Japa done so far in this round now stands at 5830 crores.
***
SESSIONS WITH CHILDREN AT ANAND KUTIR IN ANANDASHRAM:
In the month of September 2025, 10 interactive sessions were held with children at Anand Kutir, in which 356 students participated. As the sessions are free from teaching and preaching, they help the children to bring out their own learnings:
- Aisha shared, “I realised how much our words hurt others.”
- Ahmed Shamas said, “I will try to do good things for my country.”
- Fatima Jumana reflected, “I am thinking about the meaning of ‘I’ for the first time. I realised that service is my responsibility and duty.”
- Aminat Shaima expressed, “I realised that many problems are caused by us, and the solution lies within.”
- Shivanya stated, “I realised that love should not be kept in the mind — it should be expressed through actions.”
- Haripriya shared, “I will be committed to the living Earth. I will think from ‘me’ to ‘we’.”
- Vidya noted, “I will try to find happiness in small things.”
- Niranjana said, “I will try to see the good in others.”
- Aditya reflected, “I realised that one cannot live alone in this world.”
MOUNA SADHANA IN ANANDASHRAM:
A day-long Mouna Sadhana is scheduled on the 9th of November 2025. Devotees interested in participating may kindly inform through WhatsApp (+91-9037466744) or by email (pms.anandashram@gmail.com).
106TH JAYANTI OF PUJYA SWAMI SATCHIDANANDAJI:
The 12th of November 2025 is Pujya Swami Satchidanandaji’s 106th Jayanti.
On this occasion, we are reminded of Pujya Swamiji’s exhortation: “Human birth is a gateway to liberation; our True Being is our destination — our Real Home, our own Self; we go back as naked as we started from there." What prevents us from approaching our Real Home is the sense of ‘doership;’ while the fact is that He gave us the sense of individuality to function as per His will. When we get stabilised in this truth, we will be moving towards our Real Home.”
BOOK IN FOCUS
‘Krishnabai’
This luminous book by Beloved Papa Swami Ramdas traces the extraordinary transformation of Mother Krishnabai — from a young widow consumed by grief to Vishwamata, the Universal Mother whose boundless love embraced all. Through touching anecdotes, letters and Papa’s own reflections, the book reveals how, under the alchemy of Guru-Kripa, she rose above every human limitation to live in total surrender and service. A rare glimpse into Divine motherhood in action — simple, stirring and deeply inspiring.
Available in English and Telugu.
THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH
“Communion with God can be cultivated in silence and solitude.
What is required is that we should lift our gaze to Him,
hand ourselves over to Him and
permit Him to take us up and transform us into His likeness
by infusing into us His radiance and joy.”
— Swami Ramdas
DOWNLOAD THE VISION
Devotees can download the PDF version or the audio book of this issue of THE VISION by clicking on the relevant links.
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