2020

After reading her poem “banquet,” Rohini explains how we must never conflate humiliation with humility, or getting and giving love with Being Love–the Love that is our true nature.

shunya….

December 13, 2020

been attacked
from
both sides
of dichotomy

can’t win if
please

face accept
let go
of matter

then free

to
Love
resting in
Heart not head

supported with

no supports

Open to others’ opinions….

December 13, 2020

Open to others’ opinions Don’t need to listen

Never know what to believe You know the truth and are willing to take a stand

Using the Intellect Appropriately

December 7, 2020

Answering a student’s question, Rohini explains how the intellect leads us into delusion if we identify with it, and clarifies how it is to be used as the instrument it is, not who we truly are.

another petty pace….

December 6, 2020

running the show
indispensable
when
nothere who hears you
who is running being
run by you
you are just running
in your head
no where else
run to ruin when
i is thinking in
charge
in charge of what
where when how
who you
i think not
tired yet worn
out from
running getting
no where

Committed to distorting reality / twisting and distorting facts / don’t listen because you know / rigid

December 6, 2020

Committed to distorting reality / twisting and distorting facts / don’t listen because you know / rigid Seeing clearly and committed to clarity

Right all the time and forbearing about it Living with uncertainty / no security

straw dog….

November 29, 2020

you can’t die
you are not alive
get over yourself
life is none of
your business
life is business
of God
God lives
we play at
life and
fool ourselves believing
we live and die
only God lives for
us to all soul live
we must Love and
surrender our life
to God

Straw Dog

November 29, 2020

Rohini reads her poem “straw dog,” which strips away the delusion that our separate, individual selves are Real.

Caring / giving and getting attention / participating….

November 29, 2020

Caring / giving and getting attention / participating No conversation / doesn’t contribute

Pedantic / lecturing in detail at great length / ramming down throat Unassuming and receptive

gate….

November 22, 2020

boring unexciting
drowning in
blue bliss
same indigo
al ways in
dig go
with in
miser y gone
clinging to
dead material
gone
lost subject lost in
object gone
swim across
blue to be boring
in dig go
to Love

Power hungry….

November 22, 2020

Power hungry Nonattached to power / humble

Calling all the shots Powerless

intro….

November 15, 2020

do you introvert
thinking yourself
spiritual
thoughts repeating goodness
focus on thoughts
intro to barely begin
sadhana

turn in to
Heart
not introverted idea
reality literal
truth
focus on
Heart not head
with high heady
thoughts
focus
in to
center
to find
Truth
Consciousness

Bliss

Eeyore / depressive / oppressive….

November 15, 2020

Eeyore / depressive / oppressive Fun

Realistic Reckless

emissions….

November 8, 2020

still
still the vehicle
here hear the
vehicle still
here
use the vehicle
to be
still to
still all
vehicles
you then
arise

Remain unconscious as an excuse….

November 8, 2020

Remain unconscious as an excuse Consciously take responsibility

Never have to change No security and stability

against the grain….

November 1, 2020

absolute ly
reality you are right
grainofsalt relative reality grainofsuffering

Baba cared empathetic

you are still innumbness
not vedanta not yoga not kashmir shaivism not this not this

ganesh remover of obstacles feels the boulders to dissolve

you sit high on mountain top no longer human

Self of All being no care care with detachment

forsake all let go free to play just sit in emptiness

Baba said to Love so satchitananda tousall

humanity somewhat still intact

in order to care for the soul we have to acknowledge

what comes out of the soul

agrainofsalt agrainofsugar agrainofsand

Baba cared for it all because he knew

God dwelled in All

I didn’t do anything wrong….

November 1, 2020

I didn’t do anything wrong Unfairly blamed / accused of wrongdoing/criminal

Not willing to play your part Willing to play your part / take one for the team

Levels of Experience

October 31, 2020

Starting with her poem “against the grain,” Rohini explains six ways in which we might respond to experiences deeper than our ordinary. In each case, we believe we see all there is to see; in only one case are we correct, and in only two are we actually practicing sadhana.

no matter what….

October 25, 2020

distant from matter
stare at
projections
laugh walk away

under stand
matter

Brainwashed….

October 25, 2020

Brainwashed Think for yourself

Instructed and guided Lost

irresolute….

October 18, 2020

wounds not
healed
not ready to
play

my anger is
my problem

you can’t take it
away from me
i have to take it away

i hate to resolve

it

Possessed….

October 18, 2020

Possessed Autonomous

Inspired / infused On your own / limited

Wed to the Intellect

October 18, 2020

Starting with her poem “Irresolute”, Rohini shares how a wrong identification with our intellect, in which we use it as a deflector or filter to protect the shrunken self from what we take in, makes us incapable of learning from our experience or growing into Love, freedom, and our true nature.

karmic chain….

October 11, 2020

abidjan to have
been born
there
not
alabama
and yet
we all
slave
as hate
masters
us
buy beg
borrow
freedom

own self cut
shackles
face hate
silence so sound
is Love

Promiscuous….

October 11, 2020

Promiscuous Disciplined / focused / integrity

All is permitted Narrow / rigid / life-denying

Baba Mahasamadhi 2020….

October 4, 2020

we are
not

equal

you are my Guru

you have brought God

to me through you

the portal to bliss my last pranam to your physical form

that full moon night

filled me but no goodbye

you cannot leave chained to your feet forever

Love informs and bindstoyouand God

Invisible (you can’t see me)….

October 4, 2020

Invisible (you can’t see me) Exposed

Don’t even exist Able to be seen and valued

Baba’s Mahasamadhi 2020

October 4, 2020

In honor of the 38th anniversary of her Guru Swami Muktananda’s mahasamadhi, Rohini reads her devotional poem to Baba and leads a short meditation.

skinned….

September 27, 2020

do i want to hate forever
eating me inside
out

born black in america
to feel the
pain and
suffering of hate

the color of my skin
is not the issue
but the hate is
other places

particulars of
various kinds
cause fuel for
hurt and pain

born somewhere else
my skin fits
in and no longer the
issue
my skin is not
universal
temporary covering
i love this vehicle
but i am not
my vehicle
can not take it
with me

too soon to
distance must
first wail the
call of so many

insight yes
empathy not yet

Judge your judgments / reflect on your judgments / examine your discernment….

September 27, 2020

Judge your judgments / reflect on your judgments / examine your discernment Indiscriminate / unreflective

Rigid grid of good and bad Assess consciously with discernment

soul survival….

September 20, 2020

democracy cannot
survive
unless the
truth is
born

we start anew
not a few

in family of humanity

difference
surface indicators

sole one soul playing all

the parts

Give benefit of the doubt….

September 20, 2020

Give benefit of the doubt Suspect and expect the worst

Sucker / willfully blind / naïve / gullible Careful / vigilant / savvy

Magical Life, Magical Sadhana

September 20, 2020

Rohini explains how and why so many people who think of themselves as undertaking spiritual practice (sadhana) actually don’t want to change. Instead, they want the Guru to magically transform the world around them to accommodate who they think they are, so they don’t have to do the actual work of inner transformation that lies at the the heart of real sadhana.

immune to distance….

September 13, 2020

the herd heard what did
they say over the

cliff we go

heard the herd immunity for

community
h
burn up our suffering not our
m
e
s

whether by illness or violence

both destroy our physical homes

prostration as protestation heals

surrender our homes in order

to free our selves to walk the walk

in herd toward Love the Love

Willfully disregard your assessment if it is negative / ignore red flags, glitches / dismiss glitches as too critical or ungenerous….

September 13, 2020

Willfully disregard your assessment if it is negative / ignore red flags, glitches / dismiss glitches as too critical or ungenerous

Listen to and reflect on negative assessments / pay attention to glitches

Think of yourself as noble and generous

Captious / pessimistic / inclined to criticize, too critical

groundwater….

September 6, 2020

connected uses
not
senses

connected sees
all we
use one

connected dissolves
i

connected manifests
Love

connected vanquishes
invisible enemy
me i
that uses mines

Learner….

September 6, 2020

Learner Snotty / know-it-all

Stupid Expert

Dueling Nondual

August 31, 2020

Rohini explains how our wrong identification with our intellects contributes to our inability to connect with the groundwater of reality we share, and ultimately with each other. She clarifies how nondualism articulates this perfectly.

facing it….

August 30, 2020

Love thy neighbor
as an
adversary
my narrative is
the high way

self fish for what
ever
so close
and yet galaxies

a way

time will
wear us

down to the
wire fence
and yet
never give
in

so walk away and
re direct the
path back in

Function at all costs / mission success is everything….

August 30, 2020

Function at all costs / mission success is everything No structure / no path / no plan

Obsessed with plan, goal / obsessed with recipe Willing to adjust / agility / semper gumby – always flexible

covidiot….

August 23, 2020

like lady macbeth

wash hands again

again to wash the sin of ignorance

clean enough think not scrub again

solving solvents not resolving

clarity of sun light missing mark

to murder virus before murdered meeting out

musings of delusion deep within breathing

with no air as if hand washing was enough

while hiding behind masks hoards from

death

Not knowing how to feel, within oneself or for others….

August 23, 2020

Not knowing how to feel, within oneself or for others Feeling with nonattachment what is within oneself and others

Living in a positive world / affirming / no negative feelings Emotional splattering

Inability to discern underlying foundation / only doing behavior modification….

August 16, 2020

Inability to discern underlying foundation / only doing behavior modification

Responding respectfully to a situation by listening deeply and learning at that level / acting appropriately on the physical plane

Getting by on the surface, which frees us from feeling anything

Experiencing what’s under the surface, which isn’t always pleasant

wellness….

August 16, 2020

physically separated but

connectedinwardly wemeetinthe Heart

where God resides

crampedtogetherphysically with no inward reflection

hollow empty nothingness brutal

loneliness

in one second we meet within with

joy Love our choice

physical alone or Love

have it all from going within and never miss each other

there is no other

cloudscape….

August 9, 2020

Clouds pass as always
under blue sky
white clouds

below all hell and
e
a
v
e
n
play
too gather
on

same field

narratives change as clouds

blue remains

eternal

Critiquing….

August 9, 2020

Critiquing Affirming unconditionally

Captious Supportive / encouraging

Mind and Meditation

August 3, 2020

Rohini draws on one of her poems and Swami Vishnu Tirtha’s Devatma Shakti to discuss the nature of the mind, clarifying how it is not who we truly are but merely a vehicle for the Self. She then answers questions about the right attitude toward shakti and how to approach meditation as a way of deepening one’s spiritual practice.

shhh….

August 2, 2020

still vibrations
of all
vibrations
be with vibration
face does not
let go
quiets
stills dissolves
evaporates
to find next one

Expert….

August 2, 2020

Expert Ignorant

Dismissive Approachable

summoned….

July 26, 2020

wait no more then
wait some
more
called wait
moved wait stand
wait go wait
life is
jury duty
questioned yes
be seated
yes no be seated
not called
return to stark
gray
wait again
pray for gray
until the end
of the
day

Authority….

July 26, 2020

Authority Ignorant

Authoritarian / condescending Amiable / equal

Right Effort All the Time

July 19, 2020

Rohini clarifies how spiritual practice does not unfold in a sequence of steps, but that all three of its aspects–being with your experience, whatever it is; letting whatever comes up from that experience come up; and functioning appropriately on the physical plane–are in fact simultaneous, and independent of the intellect and its processing activity.

bored room….

July 19, 2020

time passes and
thoughts bore
us to boredom
the day
the night
the inbetween
productive lazy
crazy easy
time still
passes
distraction concentration
time still
not still
moves
change
evolves
all even
jury duty

Professional….

July 19, 2020

Professional No boundaries

Insensitive / abrasive Personable

number is up….

July 12, 2020

made it
land of
mundane

sit in plastic rooms
gray and grays
black with whites
grays
hard surfaces
waiting
waiting to not
be called
judging fairness
seems so
empty yet
a right and
rite for us
all
day be over
and
after last time
jury duty done

Relaxed / at ease….

July 12, 2020

Relaxed / at ease Authoritarian / oppressive

No hierarchy Hierarchical

Gurupurnima 2020

July 8, 2020

For Gurupurnima, Rohini reads three of her poems before reflecting on her Guru, Swami Muktananda, and on the importance of the Guru as person and as principle.

new world order….

July 5, 2020

the same
playing
field
sky
clouds
winds
water
changing
game
changing
premise goal
rules
all changed

to win
get in the
game
know the
world
and
win
by playing
on God’s
side

use same weapons
for God
for Love
for Truth

don’t run God will
find you

other team shows
God’s rules

play
confess on sides
self esteem pushed you
to lose God

brazen attack brings
us back

name calling
shows where
not with God
play test and
win
by
facing facts
esteem
does
not want
to see

Good boundaries….

July 5, 2020

Good boundaries No boundaries

Rigid / electric fence Relaxed / human

Against the Grain

June 29, 2020

Drawing on Jnaneshwar’s commentary on the Bhagavad-Gita as well as two of her poems, Rohini explains how important it is to Love the world as it is and avoid the two temptations of trying to make everything positive as we understand “positive” or, at the other extreme, devaluing everything in the manifested world as temporary and not worth caring about. Both those illusions are attempts to avoid honest discomfort, and are devoid of Love.

exile….

June 28, 2020

delusion denies
divine

concrete clocks
clouded concepts
cover

pleasure pleases senses
Love then lingers

languishes far away

Self-righteous / shocked….

June 28, 2020

Self-righteous / shocked Accepting of self and others

Principled / sense of justice Amoral

refusal….

June 21, 2020

a window
look through

no why not

fear fear not

to miss universe
cherish light

so few windows
opportunity missed

another lifetime
and millions of miseries

until see window
again

Exercising freedom….

June 21, 2020

Exercising freedom Rigidly constrained

Reckless disdain for rules, decency, and others Disciplined

particle….

June 14, 2020

par tic u
liar i zing

pair tick you
and too
two me
point

out
no where
togo
point in
macro

two no more
me

God’s particular
All

Rebel….

June 14, 2020

Rebel Acquiesce / brownnoser

Obstinate Serve the situation / respect hierarchy

the duelists….

June 7, 2020

prakasha creates vimarsha
out of Self
non dual

God creates adam
then eve out
of adam

non dual

till we all fall
in to
different pieces

duelistically
we duel each
other
who is our self

make one just
wrong
one
wrong duel
fighting
non duel your self
non duel dueling
delusion
right duel is
non dual

Willful unconsciousness / willfully unconscious of reality….

June 7, 2020

Willful unconsciousness / willfully unconscious of reality Practicing conscious awareness of the Real / disciplining your

Insulated / creating own reality / playing by own rules Straitjacketed / confined / constrained / burdened

the heal….

May 31, 2020

heel a
v
o
i
advancing
s

heal
embrace
r
a
c
e pain
o
n
then

w
re main the same
t
h
i
n
or with
out

un less pick up again

walk back on heel

not same when consciously heal

Factual….

May 31, 2020

Factual Sugarcoated

Blunt Diplomatic

not you….

May 24, 2020

good self
bad e
l
same s e l f
both not
S
True
l
f

shrunken self gives
it
self
authority
own
voice
goodbadself same
voice
not two
n
e

Clown….

May 24, 2020

Clown Serious

Light Dour

inscription….

May 17, 2020

document
the infinite
listen
express that
share through
vehicles
unique
each soul
sole manifest
with
each us
dictated
to
to
document

Able to frustrate others / inserts self / in control / powerful….

May 17, 2020

Able to frustrate others / inserts self / in control / powerful Insignificant / ignorable / of no value

Disliked / resented Liked / gets along with others

Baba’s present….

May 10, 2020

no words
All o
r
d
s

you guide in all ways
forms vehicles express
vibrations profound concrete
subtle always

moving me towards Love

thecloser i get dissolves me

so thirsty was i you are the spring and the one that
quenches my thirst almost drown

took in emptied out you filled

Babayou aregave thegreatestgift
Muktananda showed rohini

who was who

Fixated on control….

May 10, 2020

Fixated on control Lets be

Has agency / power No agency / powerless

objectivity….

May 3, 2020

g
whence we come
e
and think
we are
b v
u n iqu e ness
t o
show
h
i
n
objects
y i
g
n
i
f
y
i
n
no thin g

Desert yourself and others….

May 3, 2020

Desert yourself and others Remain present and true

Stay above it all Dragged down into the mire

who is the baker….

April 26, 2020

half
baked
is not
baked fully
choosing
what baked
is not
cooking
only maintaining
not cooked at
all
not at
All

Inconsequential….

April 26, 2020

Inconsequential Valued / influential

Do what you want / free Entangled / burdened

the way away….

April 19, 2020

so sad
to see
suck up
cynic
sink
into
abyss
since
sources
say
don’t
and they just
say
sorry

Miserly of spirit / mean spirited / hard hearted / indifferent / uncaring….

April 19, 2020

Miserly of spirit / mean spirited / hard hearted / indifferent / uncaring

Compassionate / empathetic / caring

Non-attached / self-contained /discerning / enlightened

Emotionally extravagant /emotions are the bottom line

devolition….

April 12, 2020

difference
be tween
devoted devotees
disciplined
disciples
depends on
motor vation
motive
vation

internal
extra ternal
act tion

diving deeper
dropping

down
may be
just justified
but being both
Being
brings back
to life

goal of Grace
surrender sufficiently
soul to Self
know no choice

theymeet
on path with
nonames

Spectacle / theater….

April 12, 2020

Spectacle / theater Boring / mediocre / nothing life

Over the top / reality TV Quiet / harmonious / in right relation with God

turkish delight….

April 5, 2020

putting
all
to
sleep

sheep
numb
selves
by cold fire
shepherds
herd
to death

empty eggs
hatch
nothingness
wool gives
no warmth
winter always
never Christmas
spring will never
come
white witch works
her magic
sleep for
peace
stone for
freedom

for whom
sheep follow
no doubt
no inquiry
learned lessons
well
indiscrimination numbness
satisfied
mediocrity

Emotionally self-absorbed….

April 5, 2020

Emotionally self-absorbed Emotionally clear and self-contained

Showing care by expressing feelings Cold and unfeeling

Guest Blog by Bridget Ferguson: The Guru / The Chariot Driver

March 29, 2020

The Guru

Her chair
our respected reminder that
God's grace has honoured place

in our lives in
our hearts

Astonished first, then humbled
by her human form taking the seat

A shining example:
human potential fulfilled
surrendered to God's will

She is Real
The one we love
personally
yet know not
personally

The Chariot Driver

Swirling storms in bone china tea cups

What are these to the chariot driver?
A sideshow.
The task at hand:
to fulfill her dharma as warrior, wise
Defeater of maya, trampler of demons
Helper to mankind, remover of obstacles
Lover of life

guiding our souls
home

Oh chariot driver, let me care for you
down to the bone

Never give an inch / confess nothing / never wrong….

March 29, 2020

Never give an inch / confess nothing / never wrong Accept criticism / receive guidance / take instruction

Strong-willed Spineless

emergence….

March 22, 2020

a
r
i
s
l e t t e r s
o d i f f i c u l t
r
o
m
v i b r a t i o n
s o u n d
m e a n i n g
a
n
i
f
e
s
t o

f o r m
w o r l d
a s Y o u
a l l w a y s

Attack what others value….

March 22, 2020

Attack what others value. Respect/cherish what others value

Challenge / examine / question / not complacent Condone / level all values / enable / false equivalency

erase to the finish….

March 15, 2020

when we surrender
to the
erasing
of the shrunken
self
Love Joy Truth
Consciousness
Bliss
remains
always there
never left
we cloak
we forget
until
we finally surrender
to God
and laugh

Brazen….

March 15, 2020

Brazen Measured / respectful

Confident / strong Hesitant / self-doubting

the joke….

March 8, 2020

at least
Baba is
laughing

humor humors
bubbles up
the joy to
play
with life God
play
All the time
erase the story
that is no fun
Baba laughs and
laughs
Loves

Hate….

March 8, 2020

Hate Pleasure

Passion Emptiness

Brazen / spectacle / theatrical / over the top….

March 1, 2020

Brazen / spectacle / theatrical / over the top Measured / respectful / discreet

Confident / strong / assertive Hesitant / self-doubting

Baba’s gift….

March 1, 2020

Your eyes look in
i fall to where you rest
live
with for you
Baba
my love you Love us always

in each of us

i in my myness miss you

your Love dissolves us all

to All we return

Baba pulls us

still you never left

abheda….

February 23, 2020

on this
day
as on
every day
there is
nothing but
the Guru

you Muktananda

surrendered all became embodiment

Nityananda
surrendered all only Guru remains

the perfect sadhana modeled

for us all leaves with pranams

only you
the Guru remain

Chameleon….

February 23, 2020

Chameleon Outstanding

Fit in Standing out / sticking out

aliens….

February 16, 2020

God waits
we avoid
God remains
we distract
God speaks
we repress
God listens
we react
God acts
we passive aggressive
God gives
we hoard
God Loves
we indulge
God Is
we object

Charismatic….

February 16, 2020

Charismatic Invisible / not noticed

Attention whore Comfortable in own skin

lemming….

February 9, 2020

simon says
no
please
no
act as wish
yes
whenever
however
no effect
no consequences
no account
obey no
disciple no
knownothing
selftaught
self directed
over the
cliff
know no good
good for
no thing

Caring about you….

February 9, 2020

Caring about you Abandoning / neglecting me

Holding onto me / lost in me / smothering Letting me go / freeing me

Solving the Problem

February 2, 2020

Rohini clarifies the real problem at the root of our individual, social, and global predicament, and explains how to solve it, beginning with our own practice.

report….

February 2, 2020

the gun
is the
voice
of so many
ringing
songs
that leave
us
crying
no joy
only voice
no
choice
to bring
us
to
our knees
begging for
life love
yet we sing
shots of
cruel power
where agency
comes from
crushing
each
other

Binge….

February 2, 2020

Binge Fast

Experience fully Miss life

secret agency….

January 26, 2020

no voice
really
is
questioned
terrible words
terrible actions
are
agency
choice agency
pretend powerless
really
really full
of voice
fury
no love
lots of voice
no discernment
really
choose poorly
but voice
it
is

Banished….

January 26, 2020

Banished Included / a part of / embraced / appreciate

Off the hook / free to maintain narrative Smothered / held accountable

interruption….

January 19, 2020

in the first moments of
blissful oblivion as sleep drapes over
reality
rips through
the black sweetness
to
the scream of
death
as battle ends
so quickly
for the prey
of mr fox

fox rabbit sound
vibration
action
all blend
into
out of
me
nightmare
sweetness
that
coddles
us to
death
playing the
part part
changes in
world plane
of differentiation
fox
rabbit
listener
witness judger
assessor
all
parts
of
play for the
All
who
watches all
channels
at once
manifests at
once
for All’s
pleasure
joy
sat
chit

ananda

Asleep at the wheel….

January 19, 2020

Asleep at the wheel Conscious / seeing

Untroubled Troubled / tense

sleep well….

January 12, 2020

take a nap
make
your bed
if only
solutions for all
universal
problems

freed from pain
by surface
indicators
so easy
so empty
absolute
absolutely
nothing
numb out cold
free pass
start over
nap
on bed
make nothingness

Angry….

January 12, 2020

Angry Clear & rational

Feeling Cold & unfeeling

wrought iron bars….

January 5, 2020

having conversations
using letters
having great intellectual events

thinking being in your heart
thinking understanding
thinking experiences

all
just mental play

doesn’t matter
what the number of letters
mixthemalltogether

nice sadhana letters
nice philosophical letters
nice spiritual words
hip words
boring words

isolated
in our words
imprisoned in our words
still
all words

disentangle from those letters
be
with the vibration

no matter how pretty the calligraphy
wrought iron bars
holding us
in a box

understand un-understood mother
understand power inherent in letters
understand vibrations

to free clear knowledge
of Reality

Sh

Agility….

January 5, 2020

Agility Rigid

Careless / unstable Disciplined / steady