About Sri Sivananda-Rita

In 1908, at the age of 4, the seeds of reincarnation were sown within her being. Rita,  guided into a certain street , found it to be just as familiar to her as her own Mother. The houses, the gardens were close to her consciousness and yet she was quite aware she had never been there in this present life. This had the effect of making her very conscious and observant of everything she came into contact with, and seven years later she found herself writing "Rita Nobody" on all her school books. 

At the age of 12 she gave a discourse to her step-father and a friend on the uncertainty of the world and world events, the insubstantiality of all things material, for her God alone was Real, and all else was a marching Parade, marching ever onward to death and decay. 

At sixteen she left school, with no Spiritual background but "That" which was deep seated within herself, subconscious.

She reached the age of twenty with much experience behind her, marriage, motherhood and divorce -

making a strong vow that her life would be governed by  "The Lord's Prayer", knowing that Prayer must come from the bottom of the heart with sincerity, then alone will it give peace and contentment.

"Thy will be done": this in itself relieving her of all tension, all problems. Knowing that if afflictions, adversities are with you, it is your duty to bear them uncomplainingly.

Her third resolve was " Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" She was still fighting this one 16 years later. She would say it was only by extreme effort that you attain the Divine qualities, by exerting your own Consciousness, holding debates between higher and lower Self and by God's Grace,

and so her Spiritual Background was being established in practical life in the face of Love and Truth and Living: God guided her and she moved as He moved her, listening to His voice and guidance.

As an example - Living with her mother she was happy and contented cleaning up a residential for three years,  and this gave her ample time to spend with her small daughter. She was filling a humble office in the work of God and was content until one day someone said to her.

" Why are you leading this sort of life? You are wasting your life."

Rita replied " What can I do I am so old? " (She was 22 at the time.) The friend said " Why not learn hairdressing or commercial art? "

In ten weeks Rita had opened a hairdressing salon which was a howling success from the first day and in six months she had six girls employed. She was being initiated into the world of money and glamour and somewhere along these years her tears began, for wealth for her was nothing but increasing woe, prosperity a beginning to adversity.

Hearing the monotonous groan and talk from others of " sickness and money ", feeling the complete lack of Love her heart wept and wept for she knew that Love makes the world go round - not money. While material prosperity was essential, Spiritual Illumination was the real importance.

To Rita God is Light, God is Love, God is Peace, God is Wisdom, God is Bliss but to those dwelling in ignorance only words. Her desire was to find that Love that is the centre of the Universe, the Heart of the world, and live and dwell in that Bliss to Eternity.

Around this time she subconsciously started doing Yoga exercises which kept her well and active, any sickness being nervous tension. This tension of the world would give her depressions beyond human endurance.

Her heart called "where, where, is the Divine knowledge she sort."

To enter into and be Possessed by the Divine Spirit was her goal and once the Supreme Spirit was known by the human Soul, there is no error, everything goes smoothly in perfect harmony with the Divine plan.

At thirty six she was still fighting " Do unto others as you would have them do onto you"

Having taken a bottle of milk from a neighbours who had 2 or 3 bottles delivered. When she got to her flat the battle began.

Her inner Self said. " That's not doing unto others as you would have them do unto you" Her lower self argued, " I don't care, we will have no milk for breakfast if I put it back and I can always replace it later on in the day."

The argument went on for some 5 or 10 minutes then her lower self said. "I may be caught putting it back."

At this stage of her life, wherever she was and whatever she did her mind was filled with thoughts of God, reasoning, reflecting, searching, listening, her mind consumed with thoughts such as -

"God has a place and purpose for everyone, something for you to do and somewhere for you to be"

" When your home is ruled according to God's world angels may be asked to stay the night and they will not feel out of their element'

" There never has been a great and beautiful character without first fulfilling the humbler offices of the works of God"

" I would rather walk in the dark and trust in my God than the light of any day that dawns"

"God has promised me strength, sympathy and undying Love"

" No good can ever come to me apart from God and all good must come to me with Him"

" The end of life is to be like unto God to the end of life following Him, to be like unto Him"

'let no man presume to give advice to others, who has not first given counsel to himself"

And so it was that her striving became an incessant listening for the voice of God, knowing He will guide you in every part of your life if you will strive to hear His voice, but first you must get rid of your egoism, desires, selfishness.

Around this time Rita purchased a New Testament but could not read past the fourth page. Her desire was to live the "Sermon On The Mount".

She wondered how she could rid herself of impurities. What was the answer?

Then by God's Grace her Guru , Swami Sivananda appeared and the fires of purification began.

Sivananda Rita met her Guru , Swami Sivananda in 1952 at the age of 48.

In 1956 Sivananda Rita wrote to her Guru the following:

"Again and again I prostrate before Thee, the Truth of your words ever before me." 

 "Underlying all the diversity of phenomena is the unity of the Self, the oneness of Godhead, the consummation of human existence. You and I are not two independent entities, but two manifestations of the self-same Power of Consciousness that lends reality to our lives and animates our inner-Self. Its realisation at once breaks down all barriers and gives us the grand inner feeling that we are one with all."

In 1957 in another letter she wrote:

"Humble gratitude for Thy help and guidance, which has brought joy, calmness, peace, self-control. From an intense aspiration to realise God has come intense Love, devotion to this Love and Love to all, having no wish for name and fame or powers, but as a violet wafts its perfume and hides itself in the density of its background, may it be Divine Will that I waft the fragrance of Thy teachings, elevating others by example."

"Prostrate in worship and adorations, in all humility, grateful, ever conscious of the Divine Grace that has led to the knowledge of my own Self; that Spiritual body of Light that fills all existence above space, time, delusion."

 OM OM OM OM OM OM