Nikki Walton

The Power of Keeping a Spiritual Diary + My Playlist

Added 2022-07-23 11:20:25 +0000 UTC

Weekend Reminder: 'Your duty is to treat everybody with Love as a manifestation of the Lord." - Swami Sivananda

To 'remember' to do this, he recommended keeping a spiritual diary. I keep one, and you should, too. He says-

"Keep a spiritual diary. Note down in the diary when you become angry towards others and when you hurt the feelings of others. This is very, very important. Write in the diary: "I have forgotten to see God in man two times this day." If you proceed in this way for one or two years, you will doubtless realize remarkable Shanti (Peace), wonderful spiritual progress and strong will-power. Many kinds of miseries, troubles, and mental torments will come to an end. Devotion will develop. You will evolve rapidly. You will be a changed person. You will be a veritable God on earth. Will you practice this, dear friends, from this very day on which you read these lines? Turn over the pages of the diary once a week. If you commit twenty mistakes daily, you will commit five only in one day after six months, if you keep a diary. A good time will come and you will not commit even a single mistake in a day. Benjamin Franklin kept this kind of diary."

This is from his book, 'Bhakti and Sankirtan'. It's the first book that found me when I touched down in India. On my way to my room in the first hotel in Kainchi Dahm, I walked past a table that had a stack of books, a make-shift, donated library from the decades of spiritual travelers like myself. They were clearly heavily used, and highlighted, with notes written throughout. My favorite kind :) This book was right on top and called to me. I kept it with me much of the week (and loved that it talked about Ram Naam, and the Hare Krishna and Gayatri mantras) that I spent there, and ended up ordering it a few days ago, because my mind kept going back to it. He explains non-dual Bhakti yoga and the spiritual progression of worshipping God outside of you, to within you, to God being you, very well. He also goes in depth on the power of chanting the names of God and shares many of the most common and powerful mantras and their origins and first-mentions in ancient texts. You don't 'need' it, but if you're anything like me, you'll appreciate having it in your collection.

Someone recently asked how I manage to squeeze in 16 rounds of the Mahamantra (Hare Krishna, Hare Ram- watch this docu for more info) everyday. Before GOoD Mornings, I would complete all 16 in the morning around 5 am. Now I do 8 rounds in the morning (at 5am) so that I have time to record before the noise of the day, 4 rounds midday, and 4 rounds at night before bed. Breaking it up like this during the day is awesome because it keeps that Awareness sharp. Maharajji said, “the eyes of a saint are always concentrated on the supreme self. The minute he is aware of himself, sainthood is lost.” Mantra keeps me focused on the Self, dissolving 'me' in the Self, leaving only the Name. Only the Word. Only the field of Loving-Silence. In addition to the formal 16 rounds, I'm constantly chanting inside throughout the day every chance I get, either the full Mahamantra (Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare), just 'Ram Ram', or singing 'Sri Ram Jai Ram'. If you haven't, please listen to last week's episode of Meditation with CurlyNikki. The whole episode was about mantra and the fruits of the practice. Felicia gave a gorgeous testimony at the top of the hour that will rekindle even the dullest practice. If you're not chanting right now, you may want to start :).

I Love you. I Am you,

Nik

Presently on repeat to keep me remembering and feeling LOVE-

Shiva Gospel - Bhagavan Das (nice blend of Hindu and Christian themes, just went to see him Live last weekend!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uske3QQVIKU

Hare Krishna Kirtan-Niranjana Swami (that drop at 12:40, tho)

https://music.apple.com/us/album/hare-krishna-kirtan/164131831?i=164131908

Revelations 19:1 - Sunday Service Choir (Kanye)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM0KKjXB1Bc

Sri Ram Jai Ram Live- Mooji

https://open.spotify.com/track/6Q8eFlREObhtxPyLO6hen0

Sita Ram - Mu