Random musings - Part 5

[Ashok]

As in everyday life, imitating someone or copying people blindly is harmful, so is it in spirituality too. One has to figure out what is the best method for the person to evolve spiritually. And all said and done, the end result of spirituality is that you are aware of yourself, you know yourself, you are restored in yourself and that you do not need anything else in the world to be happy.

When one has found oneself, all spiritual acts follow suit. Prayers come easily, your diet changes automatically and your acts are never violent. So what works best for other person may not work the same way for you. You have to figure out the way, how you find happiness, what makes you closer to your own self, what acts give you utmost satisfaction, which doings make you feel connected with your own self. They can be chanting, that can be planting trees also; it can be meditation or it can be doing service also; it can be reading books or it can be living with nature. As you inch closer to your own self, all spiritual practices "dawn" to you, they will be so naturally be part of your every day life.

Live in peace with yourself, love yourself, remain centered in your own self. The real spiritual person is one who does not need anything from the world, he has found everything in his own self (and yes of-course such a person might be engaged in worldly activities, performing its duties too).

[Ashok]

Cleansing oneself is an important part of one's growth. Cleansing involves getting rid of all the side-tracked emotions, feelings and experiences. And if ridding is not easy, probably thinning them out, coming out of their clutch on us and most importantly resolving them and moving ahead. Willingly or unwillingly, we store, hoard our emotions, our feelings in deeper layers of our mind. And like any event those stored emotions and feelings continue to shape our behaviour, start ruling over our life and most importantly become our master without our knowledge.

All experiences, good as well as bad when stored and accessed and allowed to control our life become big and i say really Big hurdles in our life. They will never ever let us move ahead. Good is the enemy of the best and bad is the enemy of good. Past will always try to pull us back and would not let us venture into future. You know present is always illusive, it is here and gone. It is here again and gone again. Present cannot be hold onto. Future is always in the time to come and actually is very uncertain, hard to hold onto. But past is something we have lived, we have experienced. Past seems our best friend. Past is like a partner who has been with us in our good and bad times. But past is such a baggage, past is like a store room which you are filling up with junk every moment. It has been overflowing for quite sometime, it has been stinking and rotting. It is time to clean it up. Past whether good or bad is no longer there.

It has to be given up. It has to be given up in such a manner that it does not haunt us any longer. We need to pick up the pearls of wisdom from the lessons of the past, but the event has to be forgotten and forgotten as much as possible. But directly attacking past may not be useful. Meditation, analysis, contemplation, prayers,reading etc. are various ways, and there would be many ways which combine many more things including the mentioned things in different proportions.

Peace and love.

[Ashok]

Because of merits obtained by our karmas, we enjoy a good life. We receive many moments of happiness, but out of our ignorance we never care for the reasons behind such moments and  do not bother to inquire if we deserve them. We live our live as if we owe nothing to this world and we are the most fortunate people. Merits earned at various stages of our life result in richness, good health, worldly achievements, name and social status; however we live our life in self delusion and want that status quo to continue forever. Any attempt to think outside the boundary of our worldly achievements is virtually non existent. We simply do not care. Teachings of life, beyond life, any talk about spirituality sound alien to us and we are never interested in that.

But merits do get expired in time, many people are born to experience the fruits of their demerits only; we see such disparities in this world and see one person getting wealth beyond measures while other toils day and night to bring food to plate, we see someone being happy amidst little material prosperity while others being diseased while having plenty of wealth; all these are just plays of our merits (and demerits). When in trouble, we should believe that it is good to be in trouble for we are getting rid of our demerits. Troubles give us chance to become closer to our own self, to get rid of many wrong impressions about this world, to  move ahead in our life with better vision, improved thoughts and a chance to be more closer to God at every moment during the journey. We should always try to help people who are more disadvantageous than us. And just because someone is in trouble and is miserable, one is no different from you. We all are at different stages of our journey towards God and our present situation is no indicator of where we are. However our attitude and current actions can definitely lead us closer to a life where we are more peaceful, more happy (and more closer to God).

[Ashok]

Focus and focus only can take one to the desired destiny. Nothing else but focus. Focus helps conserving energy, focus helps dissipation of energy at an appropriate place, focus helps sees ways from labyrinth of thoughts, focus helps us create path where there exists none. Focus is the flame which when burns, burns other distractions, burns all inessentials. May we learn to focus better and focus on important things.

[saisaran]

Sairam! In one way, it is to remain fully PRESENT in NOW! Sairam.

[Ashok]

Yes, you are right, Saisaran Ji. Thanks for replying.

[Ashok]

There is strength in not retaliating. There is strength in forbearance. And it is not easy to choose the option of not yielding to the temptation of giving tit for tat. Reaction to the every action seems to be the natural way out in the world, but the person who chooses to go against the tide of this law and bear with grin all sufferings will actually witness tremendous energy and strength developing inside him. And it will not be easy, at every step, when we will be hurt we would like to return the hurt, we would like to pay back in same token all abuses received, and we would be tempted to return all verbal volleys received at an opportune and a weak moment.

But let me tell you, this moment of weakness if overcome is going to create a surge of energy in us. If we are able to seize that moment and just that moment, we will conquer time and conquer much more. If we could trade that moment of retribution with forgiveness and kindness, we will be lifted and are going to experience a different level of consciousness altogether. And the seemingly unreal realm of experiences will reveal themselves to us in all its glory, and all this would be possible only if we make ourselves worthy enough for that experience.

[saisaran]

Sairam! A rare insight. Swami emphasize about "forbearance' as the greatest virtue. i try though feebly to control the emotional upsurge often and some times i remain mute and deaf to others accusations and allegations. May Swami bless all to develop the noble virtue of FORBEARANCE. Sairam.

[Ashok]

One has to seek its own destiny and everybody's destiny is unique. Paths meet and cross, yet they are all different from each other. No one traverse the same path as chosen by other. And it is utterly foolish even to attempt that. Destiny is the path camouflaged among various look alike ways and one who can let its innermost will assert itself will find the way. Will can surface from many levels of our mind and self and real joy in life comes when the will coming from bottom most corner of our own being finds its way and once we learn to do that we will release ourselves from the clutches of this world.

[Ashok]

Purification is not easy. Purification is always painful. Purification requires calmness while undergoing the process. Purification is essential for its lessons. We all have to learn necessary lessons, unless we do that we have to pay price for our mistakes. The world has been brought to a sate of utter disappointment, confusion, chaos, deprivation and conflicts. Mindless greed has made everyone ignore the long-term harms of unjust actions. There cannot be any joy and happiness when it is built over tears of millions of people. We cannot hide behind the reasoning that people have got the lot what they are suited for, because in some way we all because of our greed, because of misusing our privileges have created barriers for others; have created situations whereby very few people have reaped the benefits of development and progress. We have monopolized resources, opportunities to grow, raised unnatural bars to prevent others from living dignified lives. And nobody cares, we do not care what happens to people around us. We do not think about the implications of our actions. We are living as if there is one life and we own everything on this earth.

I have the feeling that like a volcano, the restlessness in the world is ready to erupt any time; the media which showcases lives of rich and successful people have created more and more dissatisfaction among people; plastic smiles are taken for happiness; greeds and desires are fanned everyday, unreasonable heights have been attained by these desires and people are not always mindful about the reasons for disparity; materialism is the only culture propagated. Cleansing will definitely happen, purification will definitely happen and because of us being part of this whole scheme of things, however small our part may be, we all will pay the price. Whether we make the cut to survive, would only be decided by which side of the scale our accumulated worth tilts towards, towards good or bad.

I sincerely wish that we all work towards what is right and what is good, as per Baba's teachings; as per what our conscience's voice. Let there be peace, everlasting one. Sai Ram. 

[saisaran]

Yes, the wounds in society are so deep that only the Divine Surgeon(Swami) can cure it. Looking at things as they are, none can feel happy. But the process of healing is long, caused by generations of demonic forces. Hence Swami has said in one of His discourses that "During the Krishna Avatar, only the hill Govardhana Giri was lifted. But now, entire mountain ranges have to be lifted. This Sathya Swarupa has not come in vain. I will restore every thing and Golden Age is here to come shortly. Do not doubt. My Sankalpa(Will) be fulfilled! Hence, we need not have apprehension. At the end of the dark tunnel, there will be Light! That Light is Swami's grace and Love! Om Sri Sai Ram.