“One Must Have Devotion Towards One’s Own Guru. Whatever May Be The Nature Of The Guru, The Disciple Gets Salvation By Dint Of His Unflinching Devotion Towards His Guru.” - Sarada Devi
Ramakrishna
Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886) was born in Gadadhar Chatterjee, India. From early boyhood, he experienced raw spiritual gifts and ecstasies. To help with and broaden his understanding of his beliefs and experiences, Ramakrishna pursued several religious traditions, including a devotion to the goddess Kali. He was also a student of Advaita Vedanta, Tantra (Shaktism) and Vaishnava (bhakti yoga). Ramakrishna was eternally devoted to God, and his teachings spread like wildfire. As a native of Bengal, Ramakrishna attracted many of the Bengalese elites, which led to the creation of The Ramakrishna Math and The Ramakrishna Mission by one of his most devoted disciples, Swami Vivekananda.The Bhagavad Gita is not just a scripture, it is a manual for living with courage and clarity. *(paid link)*
Deeply committed to the eternal nature of all religious and spiritual disciplines, Ramakrishna studied Christianity for three days, during which he saw himself merge with Jesus. When he adopted Islam for three days, he experienced himself joining with Mohammad. When he embraced a new tradition or religion, he would fully submerge himself and become one with its master. It’s because of these experiences and this intensity of focus that Ramakrishna believed that all paths lead to the eternal flame.Sarada Devi
Born in Joyrambati, India, Sarada Devi (1853-1920) was Ramakrishna’s wife and spiritual partner. Often called Sri Sarada Devi or Sri Sri Maa, she was widely known as The Holy Mother, most especially to the devotees in the Sri Ramakrishna Monastic Order at the Ramakrishna Monastery. Sri Sri Sarada Devi was a deeply loving soul who played a vital role in the Ramakrishna movement and the sharing of her husband’s teachings.I keep palo santo in every room, it is one of my favorite tools for shifting energy. *(paid link)*
I remember sitting in Amma’s darshan years ago, the chaos of my mind racing with old wounds and doubts. Then she hugged me, firm and steady, like the earth itself was pressing into my spine and pulling the scattered pieces back into a simple, fierce center. That moment cracked open something raw inside — a release that wasn’t just emotional but cellular. I felt the nervous system shift, a heavy weight lifting, even if just for seconds, enough to know how deeply trapped I’d been. One of my clients once came to me tangled in grief so thick she could barely breathe without choking. We worked slowly with breath and shaking, letting the body do what words couldn’t touch. That somatic work wasn’t gentle; it was fire and flood. But through it, she found a certain wild freedom — like Sarada Devi’s quiet strength, steady and unyielding, holding space without ever needing to shout. It showed me again how liberation is born in the raw, flesh-and-bone work, not in pretty ideas. Sarada Devi was an inspiration to thousands of men and women, encouraging future generations of women to choose lives focused on God. Sri Sri Maa is believed to have been an incarnation of The Divine Mother.“If you want peace of mind, do not find fault with others. Rather learn to see your own faults. Make the whole world your own. No one is a stranger, my child; this is your own.” - Sri Sri Maa
Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi Together
These two divine souls were married when Sri Maa was only five years old. They began sharing a household when she was in her late teens. What began as Ramakrishna Math and Sarada Math, the collective mission came to be called, “Sri Ramakrishna Sarada Math,” which includes monastic orders for men and women, along with a philanthropic mission. Because Sarada Devi was a householder who lived with bickering relatives, she became a vital and relatable confidant to many of the householder-followers of Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi lived a monastic, celibate life, focused solely on teaching Vedantato their many followers. After Ramakrishna passed from this life, Ramakrishna’s devotees saw Sri Sri Maa as their eternal mother.Rose quartz is the stone of unconditional love, keep one close when you are doing heart work. Seriously. I know it sounds like crystal hippie bullshit, but there's something about that soft pink energy that actually works. When you're wrestling with forgiveness or trying to crack open those defensive walls around your heart, having that gentle vibration nearby makes the process less brutal. Think about it ~ love work is hard fucking work. It requires you to stay open when every instinct screams "protect yourself." Rose quartz doesn't do the work for you, but it reminds your nervous system that softness is possible, even when you're scared. *(paid link)*
Vedanta is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy. It translates to, “End of the Vedas.” The primary Vedanta texts are The Upanishads, The Brahma Sutras, and the Bhagavad-Gita. The essential premise of Vedanta is simple: We are eternally connected with every living soul and physical reality. There is no duality or separation because creation consists of one great, eternal fabric.Ramakrishna Quotes
Ramakrishna was dedicated to the eternal nature of the divine. Every breath was a prayer. Here are some of his most alluring quotes:- “As long as I live, so long do I learn.”
- “God is in all men, but all men are not in God; that is why we suffer.”
- “Only two kinds of people can attain self-knowledge: those who are not encumbered at all with learning, that is to say, whose minds are not over-crowded with thoughts borrowed from others; and those who, after studying all the scriptures and sciences, have come to realize that they know nothing.”
- “The Man who works for others, without any selfish motive, really does good to himself.”
- “You see many stars in the sky at night, but not when the sun rises. Can you, therefore, say that there are no stars in the heavens during the day? Because you cannot find God in the days of your ignorance, say not that there is no God.”
- “The winds of God’s grace are always blowing; it is for us to raise our sails.”
- “You speak of doing good to the world. Is the world such a small thing? And who are you, pray, to do good to the world? First, realize God, see Him by means of spiritual discipline. If He imparts power, you can do good to others; otherwise not.”
- “God has made different religions to suit different aspirants, times, and countries. All doctrines are only so many paths, but a path is by no means God himself. Indeed, one can reach God if one follows any of the paths with wholehearted devotion…One may eat a cake with icing either straight or sidewise. It will taste sweet either way.”
Ramakrishna’s Final Days
Up until the moment of his death, Ramakrishna’s divine personality continued to draw a wide variety of devotees. They came from all walks of life, and a long list of races, creeds, religions, and nationalities. Christians, Muslims, agnostics, atheists, humanists, Hindus, Sikhs, devotees of other deities, and men and women from all ages flocked to his side with devotion. No matter where disciples came from, when they were in Ramakrishna’s presence, they became purer. When in his company, a sinner could spontaneously become a saint.In his final days, Ramakrishna suffered from throat cancer. During this time, he was nurtured by his disciples, including Sri Sri Maa. Moments before his death, Ramakrishna transferred all of his divine gifts to Swami Vivekananda. Near the end of his life, Ramakrishna asked that Swami continue his teachings, and he requested that all of his disciples look to Vivekananda as their leader. At an old house near the river Ganges, the Ramakrishna Order of monastics began under the direction of Swami Vivekananda.
“Practice meditation, and by and by your mind will be so calm and fixed that you will find it hard to keep away from meditation.” - Sarada Devi
Sarada Devi’s Final Moments
Conscious of her divine nature, yet rarely expressing it, Sarada Devi was known for her kindness, motherly care, and ability to help her disciples find peace in their hearts. She continued her compassionate work until her health began to decline.There is something about a sandalwood mala that carries the energy of thousands of years of devotion. *(paid link)*
With her devotees gathered around her, Sri Sri Maa said, “But I tell you one thing-if you want peace of mind, do not find fault with others. Rather see your own faults. Learn to make the whole world your own. No one is a stranger my child: this whole world is your own!” Both Sarada Devi and Ramakrishna were cremated on opposite sides of the River Ganges. Their monastic lives, missions, and eternal ideals continue to inspire hearts to bow at the feet of The Divine Mother.