280. Those who Jump to Conclusions often make a Hard Landing…..

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/those-who-jump-to-conclusions-often-make-a-hard-landing

Human mind is habituated to perceive. Perception happens only when the mind gets in contact with the five sense organs that are facing the world outside. Thought it is the ears, eyes, nose, tongue and skin which hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and feeling respectively without mind they cannot be experienced by an individual. The mind not only perceives but also makes judgment hence for many of us perception and judgment goes hand in hand.

The judgmental attitude often makes the individual jump into conclusions. This judgmental attitude could be due to inborn traits, parenting and past experiences. If one is aware of how the Mind relates to whatever it gets into contact with one can control the judgment process. When this judgmental attitude is put on check one can avoid jumping into conclusions.

Judgmental attitude is important to access the situation but it has to have its limitations. One cannot always judge things and people, if done so we will be missing the hidden splendor. This leads to Viparyaya (misjudgment) where the mind creates its own world that is different from the reality. Thus we are often prone to pass judgment rather hastily due to our strong belief on our impeccable judgment. We are unaware of that fact that what we are looking is one dimension of many more we do not know. While we look at anything we need to appreciate its worth and stop making judgment as we do not know why it is there for. A rose plant has thorns it is to protect the plant, our admiration has to be for the beauty of the flower and we do not have the liberty of discussing the presence of the thorns. The judgmental attitude obscures the full reality hence sometime we end up judging people on their face value. A casual judgment is likely to prove wrong even for an expert face reader as he may fail if the person is good at concealing his emotions. Judgmental attitude is assessing others with our own yardstick of values.

Sometime it will be as the English Idiom “The pot calling the kettle black”. 

“Oh! Said the pot to the kettle;
“You are dirty ugly and black!
Sure no one would think you were metal,
Except when you're given a crack.”

“Not so! Not so!” said the kettle to the pot;
This is your own dirty image you see;
For I am so clean without blemish or a blot
That your blackness mirrored on me.” …….poem from English Grammar to justify the idiom.

Nidhidhyasana (contemplation) is the antidote to Viparyaya, the misjudgment. Contemplation works in two stages: first it rejects the false notion and then confirms the reality. With an open mind to accept without limiting ourselves to judgment we can enrich our relationships and our own life. In the place of judgment if right understanding is substituted it does help us not to jump into conclusion in haste. Jumping to conclusions often makes us skip over the Truth and give us a hard landing……….What say????? 

278. Delusions caused by Illusions due to Ignorance………

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/science-of-spirituality/vedantic-study-on-delusions-caused-by-illusions-due-to-ignorance

Bhranthi (Delusion) is a false belief or wrong notion held with sincerity despite having evidence to prove that it is not so. The cause for the delusion is due toMaya (Illusion) which in turn is due to Avidya (Ignorance). Until there isPrajnana (Awareness) which lifts up the veil of ignorance various forms of Bhranthi (Delusions) entangle the Jeevatma (Individual Consciousness) in all its planes namely Karana (Causal), Sukshma (Subtle) and Sthula (Physical)  giving rise to distorted vision and experiences.

Self (Consciousness) is over powered by Mind due to following Delusions:

Karta-Bhogta Bhranthi (Delusion of doer-ship and enjoyer-ship):

If the reflection of the moon in the lake is distorted by the waves that resonate due to wind, moon up there does not get distorted. Exactly in the same way Self (Consciousness) though unaffected appears as if affected due to its reflection on Mind and Body. The false notion of doer-ship and enjoy-ship which belong to the Mind and Body is superimposed upon the Self (Consciousness) this gives rise to the presumption of “I am the doer, I am the enjoyer.”

Here the attributes of Mind and Body is superimposed on Atma, which is just a delusion.

Sangha Bhranthi (Delusion of attachments):

When an iron ball is put into a furnace it becomes hot and red. Though the nature of iron ball is to be cold and black, when it gets associated with fire it becomes hot and red. Exactly in the same way the qualities of the Self (Consciousness) is imposed on the Mind and Body. Hence there is a false notion that Mind and Body is Eternal and Perpetual.

Here the attributes of the Self is superimposed on Mind and Body, which is just a delusion.  

Karya-Karana Bhranthi (Delusion of cause and effect relation):

Clay is the cause for the pot, Gold for the ornaments, Cotton for the cloth and in reality pot is nothing but clay in a different form, ornaments is nothing but gold in a different form, cloth is nothing but cotton in a different form. The cause and effect relation is only in name and form when at the core it is the same. In the same way Self (Consciousness) and Paramatma (Supreme Consciousness) is the same. The difference that seems to appear between the cause and effect is delusion.

Upadhi Bhranthi (Delusion of limiting Adjunct):

When I hold a glass tumbler, there is air inside the tumbler as well as outside the tumbler. There is a separate identity for the air present in the glass tumbler. If I drop the glass tumbler, and if it breaks the air inside and the air outside gets mixed up isn't it? Likewise when this Physical Body falls (at death) the Self merges with Parmatma. The limiting adjunct of the Mind gives rise to the idea of limitation to the Self (Consciousness) which is eternal.

The Mind and Body limit the Self (Consciousness) and experience bondage which is just a delusion.

Adhyasa Bhranthi (Delusion of Superimposition):

Seashell on the beach appears like silver. The qualities of silver are super imposed on the seashell and make the onlooker think he has found a piece of silver. The silver is not present in the Seashell but the Mind approves it so by the force of superimposition. In the same way the characteristics of Eternality and Infinitude of the Self is superimposed on to Mind and Body. Hence there is always a delusion that the Mind and Body is perpetual, Eternal and Infinite. This delusion gives us the strength to cling to life.  

By a mere enquiry on “Who am I?” one can get a clear picture of that which can drive out the illusion caused by these various kinds of delusions.  Self is eternal while Mind is inert but when both get amalgamated, Jivatma (Individual Consciousness) is born. That is why scriptures ask the seekers to make the Mind so huge through Jnana (Knowledge) that it merges with Self this is what Sri Sri Sankara did and felt “Soham” or use Bhakthi (devotion) and by surrenderance to the Self detach the Mind completely from Self this is what Sriman Madhva did and felt “Dasoham”. Either way the illusion is annihilated.

277. Enough of being a Slave to Mind: Let me be Free as Always...

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/enough-of-being-a-slave-to-mind-let-me-be-free-as-always

There is impulsive urge in me to do what I like again and again. This tendency is termed as habit. Habits can be good or bad depending on the end consequences. Let us suppose a person smokes a pack of cigarette in a day it causes harm to him hence it is a unhealthy likewise if a person is visiting a place of worship every day and gets solace from that and it is acknowledged as healthy one.

From the psychological view point habits are considered as a recurring compulsion in me to engage in specific activity irrelevant of the consequence good or bad. But when I look at it from Yoga Sutras point of view, according to Sage Patanjali they are Vrittis which meanings whirlpool. It is just a whirlpool of thoughts; whenever I see something it brings a change in my Mind. Mind is the key instrument in perception even though the information is supplied by my senses. Mind is often referred to a liquid that takes the shape of a pot into which it is poured. This taking of shape by the Mind is termed as Vritti. There is a flip-flop of changing Vrittis every minute. During this flip-flop there is an impression called Samskara that gets stuck into my Chitta, the memory aspect of my Inner Conscience called Antahkarna. Not all that I perceive gets stuck in my Chitta, but only those which I have a liking developed in my Mind towards it.

Suppose I am performing an action for the first time I am very keen and conscious. When the same action is performed repeatedly it becomes a routine and can be done without much need of attention. For example, when I first begin learning to change gears while driving a car I would look at the gear lever while changing to see that the gear falls at the right number. As I got acquainted with the gears I seldom look at it I change it at ease. This happens so because by frequently changing gears I had created deep impression on where the gear numbers are and how to change gears. It becomes a reflex action and does not need much of my attention.

Habits also work in a similar manner. The only difference between changing gears without being aware of it and habits is the remorse and rewards obtained from the repeated activity. If that repeated action results in harmful health, effects behavior, then it is an unwanted habit. It may lead to remorse, disgrace, fright, humiliation, and depression. In contrast if it improves the status, health, wealth or awareness, then it is seen by many as a welcome habit.

However from Spirituality point it is recommended to give up both types of habits ultimately. A good habit is better than the bad habit but no habit is even better than having a good habit. The aim of Spirituality is to get me free from all conditioning good as well as bad, since both are part of materialism. Whether a bird is in a golden cage or a wrought iron one it is in bondage, it is not free. It is said that even practice done as routine is an obstacle to excel in spiritual life. Actions have to be performed with awareness and conscious if not I become slaves of my own Mind. Shunning of doer-ship can annihilate habits. I have to get rid of this slavery and become a free in the true sense……… What say?????

274. Why is Crime Rate on a rise? Have we failed to Control it?

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/why-is-crime-rate-on-a-rise-have-we-failed-to-control-it

A middle aged woman was brutally attacked inside an ATM in Bangalore. Crime rate in our country is increasing day by day. Our judiciary and administrative system have failed to control them. In recent years, crime rates have gone up dramatically in big cities. The reports by experts point towards poverty and lack of education for the rise in crime in metros. But in general if it may sound well when one thinks it is not poverty and lack of education. As we all know all poor are not criminals and all educated are not well behaved. Then what make one get those criminal thoughts?


In the first place we need to understand what a crime is. Crime performing action with a weak thought. That weak thought can emerge when there is inferiority complex or when there is no fear. Initially what started as the inferior complex while doing the first crime will gain momentum and land up in no fear zone while committing the later crimes. This weakness of mind not only affects the individual and his victim but the whole society. It shatters the trust between people in the society and bring in insure feel. Crime does not restricts itself to brutal attack, assault and intrusion of privacy but cheating the spouse, betraying siblings, severing bondage with parents and backstabbing a friend is also committed with weak thoughts. These weak thoughts encourage an individual to go against his conscience. 


Earlier there was either fear of God or fear of morality which would stop a person going against his conscience. Knowing and putting those moral values in practice will ease the fear of morality. Moral fear has been the only psychological barrier that could check the crime rate. Cruel punishments and death sentences can never be believed to have controlled crime. In many cases we have see outside our country where even with such punishments the crime rate has not reduced but is in check, the reason being those who do crime become thick skinned. The best way to prevent crime is by instilling moral and ethical values in the young. They have to be praised when they do good and reprimanded when they do something bad. It is at that tender age the young have to learn valuable lessons that carry them as perfect citizens in their lifetimes.


Who has to install moral values in the minds of our young? It is the parents who need to introduce moral values to their children by practicing them. But for a working couple their kids spend more time in the school than at home with their parents. It is here that schools have to fill that spot of installing moral values to kids. Prevailing education system aims at developing a kid to make a handsome earning and a good citizen but not a better human being. What is the point in having a son/daughter or a son-in-law/daughter-in-law who earn in lakhs but do not respond to other hearts???? Isn’t it also a weak thought???

271. Being Aware of Self is better than Gauging from what Others have to say……..

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/being-aware-of-self-is-better-than-gauging-from-what-others-have-to-say

There are many means of pilling up knowledge but it is intelligence which is required to implement it in daily life. A person profound in knowing things about liberation do not attain it until he treads in that path. It is very simple to know about things but very difficult to practice them. Some are enthusiastic only at the beginning and have no will to endure it further, this type of approach is called “Soda Bottle Enthusiasm” the fizz does not last long. 

Although it is difficult to tread the path of Spirituality it is not impossible, all it needs is endurance. Also a strong will and more importantly an attitude to live a life of simplicity and dispassion. We have Self improvement courses conducted by many spiritual organizations every now and then which train seekers to lead a life of virtue, but what is the benefit from that until and unless one change way of life. In this materialistic world many feel that it is impossible to live a life of virtue but it is not so, we can live a beautiful and stress less life if we live contentedly. This is the knowledge given in every course but is it followed is the question???

In once such Self Mastery course a Spiritual Master was giving a discourse on the Soul and how Soul is above all. The course was for a week and many seekers had enrolled themselves to the course. On the first day the Master told the gathering that every individual has Soul and that Soul was Eternal and Supreme. The true identity of a person was not the body or the mind but the Soul, and at the core we were all the same reality. The lecture went on for about 3 hours. After the third day of discourse a participant in the course came to Master with a disturbed mind which was beaming on his face.

The Master asked him the reason.

“Guruji I have been participating in you discourse from the first day, as you have very well mentioned I have started seeing a person on the Soul level and have understood that there is no difference between Soul of one person and the other.” the participant said.

“Well then what is it that you are worrying about?”asked the Swamiji.

“Guruji, yesterday after the discourse I by mistake wore somebody’s slippers while going back home. After I got to know about it I wanted to return it to the owner so I came back today and the owner of the slippers was waiting at the door. As soon as his sight fell on his slipper, he called me a “fool” and “idiot” for wearing his slipper. I am very much disturbed.”

After listening to him patiently Master asked him, “What have you understood from the course I have talked for three days telling you that Soul is ultimate and every person has to get identified with it. However, even after listening to the discourse you are still associated to your body and mind”.

“Well, do you suggest that I should take the insult, Guruji” asked the man.

Guruji told him, “Son, when you have known yourself will other branding you a fool or idiot matter to you? You had brought the slippers back and you knew that what you did was a mistake and you could have thrown the slippers away and got a new one so that the person who was the owner of the slipper would not have known at all. The reason you brought it back shows your conviction and you know that better than the owner of the slippers. The owner of the slipper was in a hurry to judge you give him sometime he will know who you are. To me it is not important what is important is, you know yourself better why worry about what other says about you.”

Knowing self is better than gauging from what others have to say………….Right?????

269. Let Go the Past, Accept the Present, Embrace the Future!!!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/let-go-the-past-accept-the-present-embrace-the-future

There is a group of mischievous monkeys near my factory. They stay in group and fight with each other occasionally. In one such scuffle I noticed one young monkey was injured by older monkey and was bleeding profusely. There was a deep cut on its leg and I thought nature would cure the monkey and for the next one month I kept a close watch on that particular monkey every day. To my amazement the young monkey would always scratch the wound and not let it heal at all. The wound was as fresh as it was on day one. Maybe if the monkey had let the wound alone it would have healed by that time. Anything left alone will never bother. Past is also one of the time zones which when left alone will never haunt us.  

There is a past in every one of us that could either be pleasant or gloomy. All pleasant events are categorized as sweet memories and rewound every now and then. Some say those recaps give them strength and refresh their present. While some great thinkers say even that would be not right as it might spoil the present by comparing it with the past. Actually the great truth is “I can never do any corrections to my past and at the same time I cannot perfect the present as it was in the past”. So in other words past has more of negative impact on my present than positive impact.

If I waste my present, actually I am wasting my future. So if I am not ready to handle the present correctly, it will go on to be an imperfect past over which I will waste both my present and future. That is to show that I don't have any control over which is past so I need not worry about the uncontrollable things. But I do have the present which is still under my control. If I concentrate on making it better instead of brooding over the past I can have control over my future also.

An old was losing his eye sight and his memory. He consulted a doctor and after diagnosing the doctor said, “Gentleman, you have a very peculiar disease, we cannot correct both your eye sight as well as you memory you have to choose either eye sight or memory. The old man preferred the eye sight. The doctor was astonished he asked, “Why do you prefer eyesight?” The wise man replied, “Eyesight helps me to know where I am going to, while memory would help me to know where I have been. Where I am going to is more important than where I have been.”

Does that mean past has no relevance in the present or future?

No, every event that has gone past do cast two types of experience on me, one is positive and the other is negative. It is inevitable for me to face both of them even though I do my work sincerely and with awareness. The positive experiences are like success in business or my relationship with my fellow beings. Likewise my negative experiences could be failure in a business venture or a sour relationship with my fellow being.

It is wise for me to not let the negative experiences affect my present negatively. In contrast I need to make them a great positive impact in my life. How can I do? It is simple a negative experience remains a negative impact as long as I do not learn from it and make an effort to convert it to a positive impact in my life. The key here is learning. So consciously I have to treat my past as a learning opportunity. Life is just a learning process…and a place to put into practice that is learnt…..am I right????

268. Satisfaction in posting blogs Consistently on the Subject that I Contemplate…..

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/satisfaction-in-posting-blogs-consistently-on-the-subject-that-i-contemplate

I have noticed that those things which are of interest to me make me think a lot on them. I want to analyze on the subject by contemplating and finally I make a write up and post it as a blog. The matter does not end there I want to know if my thinking is right I want to get the different perspectives. Hence I make enquiry about the subject posted. This is not on the subject of spirituality alone a few years back I had posted a blog site (http://ballastslaminations.blogspot.in) on the details of manufacturing Electrical Ballasts. We in our factory supply one of the main components required for the manufacture of Electric Ballast (Core section). I made a clean study on these electrical ballasts when I found that there were some fraud companies which were publishing advertisements and fooling unemployed youths and swindling few thousands from them. That blog did help many who came to know the details involved in manufacturing Electric Ballasts, many called me and thanked for the details posted.


I visited a few Hoysala Temples in Karnataka, Hoysala dynasty dates back to more than 1000 years and they have built some exclusive temples with exquisite architecture. While Tourism Corporation has highlighted only Belur, Halebidu and Somanathapura Temples, I felt a need to post on the other lesser known temples as well to benefit the tourists who are interested in Art and Architecture of ancient Royal India and so was born a blog on Hoysala Temple Architecture and Grandeur (http://hoysalatemple.blogspot.in). Off late I made it a point to post blogs on whatever I know and understand in the spirituality and religious matters.

What made me to post blogs on various subjects I wonder? Firstly I would wish to thank Absolute (who is none other than Sri Hari in my case) as I always do. With His grace it requires to be in best of moods, have a fresh mind and have good amount of energy to keep the creative sap flowing. If there is will to think about something deeply enough there will be a sizable matter for one to write on that subject and post a rather meaningful write up.


My interest on the subject of philosophy has been constant throughout, that is why majority of my blog posts have been on it. Though I am fundamentally passionate about spirituality, my interests about various aspects of philosophy have been changing from Advaitha, Vishistadvaitha, Dvaitha, to Islam, Christianity and Sikhism. One does not develop expertise in anything while his interests keep changing. To have original thoughts and write on a subject, one must be an expert in it. I do not want to be an expert all I want is to know about everything in Philosophy. A few want me to sit in meditation instead of blogging and seeking answers from seekers so that I come out from knowledge based to intuition based spiritual living, they have a point but I am not a person who is comfortable doing it I think.


Now what has this consistent blogging made me? Blogging has improved the sense of discipline in me. All of us have thoughts and want to write on it but when it is time to pile up the content in a blog, there is this writer’s block which makes us to lose the main ingredient for the write up. Here over the years I have understood that it is not what I write that matter but that which matters is what I need to write. If there is nothing for me to write no worry at all I can stay quite. Discipline in blogging according to me is to write on the subject which I have contemplated on and not to decide on what to write…………. What Say??????

264. We are all like Wooden Logs floating in the River of Life……!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/we-are-all-like-wooden-logs-floating-in-the-river-of-life

If we happen to look at a river in a valley from mountain top it is an extraordinary sight. The sound of the rushing water is enchanting to listen. With all the might and force the water travels from the higher altitude to the lower altitude. When there is a flat surface the river water forms a pool which seems to look like it does not want to get into the swift of tides but remain aloof. In reality the current in those pools are as rapid as it is when the river water is rushing down but not visible. Just as there is a pool which looks different from the river, we cordon ourselves with our families, cultures, visions etc.... letting life go by with a constant change with extraordinary strength and beauty.

The water in the pool does get displaced but is hardly visible. It seem to be stagnant this is the way we lead our life we do not accept the change drastically any change should be periodic just as there is change in the season. We cling to our tradition, social order, small virtues because we want permanency. The clinging is due to the fact that we are afraid that we may lose what we are identified with. We conclude that it is that identification which we are attached with is the one which is keeping us satisfied and hence our life is moving on. This very thought has made us refuse to accept life as it comes.

Life is like a river watched from a height in that total panoramic view, we are able to see that endless movement of water, the barriers in the form of boulders trying to cause hindrance to the flow of water and smooth exist in the form of gorge which makes way for the flow. The river water never stops its surge penetrating every abyss in the route and finally meets the ocean.

Well, if life is like water flowing in the river then what are we humans in it?

In the river a log of wood floating on the surface come from one side and another from some other direction, they flow together for a little distance. They may remain in contact for a short time until a strong wave shakes them and then they part again. There are possibilities that these two logs of wood which parted away may meet again but they will have to separate again after sometime. Exactly in the similar fashion in our life we humans are related to each other in the form of father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife and children. We live together in one life span and get separated, we could meet again in the different birth and again there is separation.

We humans come together for a life time and then drifted away, sometimes to meet again and sometimes never to meet again. So do members of a family come together only for the brief time of this life span. Death is inevitable for those who are born and rebirth is also certain for the dead who has wanton and desires to be fulfilled. There is no harm in developing Bandhavya (relationships) but it should never be of Mamakara (mine-ness) which leads to Moha (attachment). There are fewer twinge in losing Bandhavya while it haunts to lose one with whom we have developed Moha…..…Moha and Mamakara induces ownership, but we can never be owners of anything even our own body. 

Finally there is only ONE owner, we have all emanated from Him and hence His products……. What say????? 

259. Looking at Divinity in Excellence…..

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/science-of-spirituality/looking-at-divinity-in-excellence

Only a few of have the ability to rule the roost whether it is in the arena of art, music, sports, scientific discovery or just for the matter doing good in a profession. A few individuals in their own field have been able to transcend the ego and manifest the impossible and become role models. These acts of enormity demonstrate the pinnacle of human excellence, it is here they exhibit their highest potential so that their name is etched in the books of history. 

“Shraddhavan labhate Jnanam” (The one who is attentive attains Knowledge) says Lord Krishna to Arjuna. This attentiveness provides the flow. There may be a sense of floating on waves of “flow”, involuntary action and a complete silent mind. The sense of self may be lost, as the person in the flow is described as unity with his action. There are many scientists like Albert Einstein who become so engrossed in their work that they forget about food and sleep. Their only aim is to excel in their profession. It is in this position they are in state of flow.  

It is this flow that provides those people meaning, drive, and zeal to manifest their Sva-Dharma (ones Own Duty). It makes their ordinary occupation or extreme passion gets canalize to their higher consciousness and whatever they venture into will be a success. Does such an individual have no failures? Yes, they do have but they are so engrossed in making it happen that they take failure in the stride and move towards success. This attitude is what made Thomas Alva Edison say “I have not failed; I have just found 10,000 ways that don't work.”

Off late Sachin Tendulkar is viewed by proud lovers of the game of cricket as the Divinity of Excellence. This is one of the reasons why so many people pay thousands to watch him play. So much drama over a silly game of cricket…but flow is what makes that little master a champion. With the game on the line and thousands of people watching, nothing is more thrilling than watching him transcend the pressure, anxiety, and fear to make the sport of cricket worth watching. This is also true in the field of art, music, science and more there are people with amazing talents — we can almost experience divine grace flowing through them………… Am I Right???????   

258. The Grass on the Other Side seems to be Lush and Green……

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/the-grass-on-the-other-side-seems-to-be-lush-and-green

Advancement in career is an important track and a valid reason to hoop into an opportunity where there is scope to excel. Instead if the degree of dissatisfaction is aimed only at the chance to get raise in the pay scale alone then it is a matter of concern. As the more the hungry the fish is the faster it bites the bait. There are headhunters with a perfect package to rectify the dissatisfaction. But overall employee satisfaction in the country is decreasing, despite huge increases in salaries and perks across the IT sector. Why??

The decline in satisfaction and retention levels can be directly credited to the steady increase in expectation levels among the employees. There is a tendency to look at the employees of other company and compare their payable with them and feel dissatisfied. It is like the calf that looks beyond the fence and think the grass on the other side is greener. This attitude is not only found among employees but all of us we compare with one in the higher level without knowing that dissatisfaction is even there.     

Once a wild dog strayed into a village and met a domestic dog. They looked alike and they started talking to each other. The wild dog was hungry and the domestic dog shared a piece of roti which its master had offered it. The wild dog was amazed to see that the dog need not go in search or hunt of the food. The food was offered to it at regular intervals. However the dog was excited to see the wild dog without the belt around its neck and free to move any direction. Thus they both were envious and thought the other life was better. 

The wild dog asked the domestic dog if he could stay with him. The domestic dog said owner had a flock of sheep which he takes on the mountain side to gaze and a wild dog will be of help to him. The wild dog thought of the idea he need not go in search of food and hunt. He felt at time he had to eat rotten flesh if he stayed back he can have fresh roties and occasionally meat also. He agreed to the proposal.

Within a week the wild dog went crazy for he was confine to the master's compound, he was made to bathe and he was expected to behave properly in front of guests, and added to it was the irritating belt around its neck. The wild dog wanted to get back to the forest because the thought of a life under such discipline and regulation was revolting to the wild dog which had been in the forest and roamed freely without anyone bossing over it. The wild dog felt it was living a life of a blessed animal in the forest.

Now the wild dog offered to take the domestic dog with him to the forest. Excited to live a free life it agree to go with the wild dog. Within a week this domestic dog was fed up. Though they were free to roam there was constant fearfrom the predators. A few days he had slept with empty stomach and on some occasions it had to don the role of a scavenger and eat rotten meat from a dead carcass. It was now the turn of the domestic dog to realize how blessed a life he had lived.

If we observe in this story there were only two parameters namely “freedom” and “Comfort” which the mind of the two dogs oscillated. The domestic dog was envious of the freedom that the wild dog enjoyed but could not sacrifice the comfort it possessed. The wild dog wished for the comforts the domestic dog experienced but would not let go the freedom it had. Just imagine how many parameters oscillate in our mind, and how hard it is to sacrifice what we already have and enjoy. Come what may one has to learn to live with it. A person will be happy if he thinks he is happy and he will be dissatisfied if he thinks so……… am I Right?????

256. What is more important Buying Power or Buying Skills?????

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/what-is-more-important-buying-power-or-buying-skills

Buying power is defined as the ability of having cash to purchase products and more or less it is a way to get adjusted to inflation. It is good that every individual earns handsomely and spend handsomely after all what we earn is to be spent but that does not mean that the economy could be hijacked.


We all have noticed that the price of many products hit a high at the time of festivals why is it so? The reason is that from a petty shop owner to a posh showroom owner know well that it is the time that the customers will definitely purchase. There is no place for bargain as they are quite sure that their goods will be sold. 

At the time of Dussehra & Deepavali the traders pile up banana plant on the sidewalk to sell which are brought and hung at the entrance as auspicious sign at festivals. Traders refused to reduce the rate sticking to their price. For them it is like those who are affordable will purchase and finally only half of their stock is sold and remain half will be left to the city corporation to take care the following day. This is how buying power is exploited instead if they had sold at reasonable price the whole stock would have been cleared.


Now coming to the Buying Skills, with inflation reaching the roof top there are many smart housewives who manage their finance very well. I would say it is a knack which does not have a teacher. The shopkeepers experiment with such women to see their buying power while the women floor them with their buying skills. Yes, the family budget does not run on how much the man of the house earns but how many a woman purchases with whatever she has. An intelligent woman does not get carried away and fall prey to impulse buying, she will know her priorities and gives prominence to what should be brought.  


Earlier a particular clan was involved in trade and commerce they would cater to the needs of the other clan. Their way of trading was simple they would purchase the products and fix their profit and sell irrespective of its demand. Their only aim was to cater to the needs of the people, but look at the way the onions are sold today the traders hoard the stock and create the demand to fetch higher rates. Unfortunately for them they never know that it is their own brother’s pocket they are robbing. Well does that matter to them as far as their pockets are filled? That a different issue all together.


If hoarding is the concern of vegetables and groceries price raise the change in the model and added features are the bait used in on products like consumer electronics and automobiles. Most amazing and funny part is that in consumer electronic purchase the companies’ loot their loyal buyers, the first purchasing lot pay more. As far as automobile is concern the companies do not let it customer enjoy the vehicle before the plastic covers are removed there is another new model on the road with added feature. This flood of automobile has increased the “Used Car Outlets” which acts as smoke screen to black money mongers.      


Mahatma Gandhi used to say “A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.”


Customer has lost his King status in Democracy. Now this question remains what is more important Buying Power or Buying Skills???????

255. Charisma in Realising SELF and becoming THAT……..

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/charisma-in-realising-self-and-becoming-that

Self is the only intimate and eternal being and everything else is distant. While the latter requires some efforts to be obtained the former is readily accessible. To obtain all the other distant things mind is required but the Self is realized only when the mind is transcended. How can we transcend the mind which is the faculty of cognizing?????? Is it possible to go beyond mind????

Self is realized with Manonasha. When mind is devoid of thoughts and has nowhere to go it automatically turns inward. Then the mind sees its own source and becomes THAT (Self). It is not as the subject perceiving an object but it becomes un-objectivable subject. In a dark place a lamp is necessary to illumine so that we can see the objects, but to see the lamp there is no need of another lamp as the lamp itself is self-luminous. In the same way to look at objects outside reflected light of the mind is necessary but to see the Self it is enough that the mind turns towards it. Then mind loses itself and Self shines forth. This is Manonasha. 

The fundamental nature of mind is only to make us aware. Unfortunately if Ego dominates over it then the mind does multi-tasking like reasoning, thinking, sensing, or judging. If that Ego is subdued then one can have the mind as only pure Consciousness. Many people in spirituality often want to know the tricks of controlling the mind. One can only say that the mind is just a bundle of thoughts having its support from Ego. 

Is it possible to destroy the thoughts????? No, Thoughts are essential part of the mind. The mind projects thoughts like a continuous flow of oil. Hence it would be foolishness to attempt to reduce the thoughts with the help of mind. It is like asking the thief to help catch a thief who is his friend. He will just pretend as if he is on the job but does not do anything. So one must turn the mind inward and see from where the thoughts are arises and then it will cease to exist. The only way of doing it to find its source and hold on to it. The mind then fades away on its own and has the realization of the un-manifested illuminating SELF and this is NIRGUNA UPASANA.

What if one is unable to go inward and get to the source of the thought?????? Is there no realization for them then?????? If one is unable to go inward then, there is no point in pretending to have realized the Self or relating the hallucinations to have realized the Self and convince others and confuse individual self. There is always the manifested Absolute outside the individual. If one tries to focus the mind on the manifested Absolute even for a fraction of a second with all the concentration then realization takes place and the illuminating Absolute is experienced. This is SAGUNA UPASANA.

THAT may be in the Center of Hridya Guha as Nirguna or Everywhere else as Saguna......

      

In either mode of realization the SELF the individual becomes THAT ….. If observed in both the cases it is the MIND that is the central part, so please let the MIND free from EGO that is the gateway for REALIZATION………..This is my feeling ............ am i Right????????????

254. Are Old Habits Hard to Break????????????

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/are-old-habits-hard-to-break

Habits are vital in helping us do everything in a habitual process.Habit has two faces one being the Vasanas (Impressions) and the other Samskara (Tendencies). The impressions are the groove that is created in the plane of consciousness with the needle of past repetitive thought. Vasanas tempts the individual to repeat a particular event over and over again. Vasanas that are ingrained in our unconscious mind eliminate the need of a conscious thinking about steps of action that is involved in a routine job.

Our mind gets the pattern in the memory and makes the thought and behavior habitual so that the conscious mind can deal with it without much complication. These become Samskara which are behavioral attitudes of action or non-action that in fact label our habit. This is an amazing virtue of mind, but the drawback is that Samskaras can also have a negative hold on the same mind and make them hard to break. This is the major problem which makes additions hard to die. 

Is it possible to erase the Vasanas completely and have only good Samskaras???
 

Yes, says the brain researchers. Vasanas can be ripped up if we gradually and wholeheartedly working against it. If the habit is formed by mechanically doing the same task again and again then there are possibilities that by performing an opposite task again and again it eliminates the habit. Is it that simple then??? No, the mind always forces us towards the old habit. If that is the case then abstinence is the medicine. Amazingly mind gets back to old habits very quickly than being interested in the formation of a new habit. However if one is sure to get rid of the unwanted habit mentally then with repeated performance, there are chances that the Vasanas can be rooted out. 

Modification of stubborn tendencies in an individual’s attitude or bad manners in his conduct is possible only by a strong determination and continuous unwavering practice. The individual has to be self-confident in the first place; he should not be the servant of his wishes. His mind has to listen to the intellect not his senses.

By having good Samskaras (fair tendencies) we can live meaningful living and have solace. By wiping out both the good or bad Vasanas (impressions) one is likely to be liberated as scriptures say “VASANA KSHAYA MOKSHA”