384. Self is Realized if Mind is Vanquished………..

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/meditation/self-is-realized-if-mind-is-vanquished

Awareness in general is to know or be aware of and every human mind is aware of something or the other. For that matter we all are aware, even if I say I lack awareness the thought I know that I lack awareness is also awareness. Isn't it???? 

This awareness of things around me will help me live a better life in this material world. Awareness of the product a sales executive is supposed to market has its influence on the sales and helps him to progress in the marketing field. Imagine if just the awareness of a product that one has to sell has the influence, what about awareness of my own Self, the inner companion?
      
The word awareness of the Self is Self-Awareness and this Self-Awareness is not just being aware of my body or the mind. As my mind and body are dependent of others for its existence. Awareness of Self is going deep inside to the core of my existence which is independent. 

My mind is responsible for knowledge of the inert world, but my mind as it is, is inert hence it is not aware of Self. My mind is aware of objects around as it has gets power to do so from Consciousness. Now the Self observes the inert mind as Self is itself Consciousness. To become aware is to convert the unknown to known literally. So in general my mind uses the Consciousness and makes the unknown object known. Here my mind as the subject brightening up the object. But understandably my mind cannot become aware of the Self because the Self is what “I am”... evident, aware. 

My mind need not try to make a Herculean task of making the Self aware of Self, simply because the Self is self revealed. "I am" is always experienced my me in every incident of mine like while I walk or run or dream or sleep. Self awareness does not require mind, or let me say my mind has no part in enlightening the Self. There are efforts made to know about Self through the mind but it is futile effort. Mind always borrows Consciousness from Self, the relationship between the Self and my mind is like that of Sun and Moon. Both have the capacity to illuminate but one is light by itself while the other merely reflects light got.

There is no point in trying to be aware of the Self by using my Mind. The self is realized only if the mind is seen indifferently. 

Mind has two ways of looking at the world around; one is through the Objective Mind, here the my mind perceives external objects by the information that come from my five senses and process that information through reasoning and, depending on my likes and dislikes, interprets the observations in terms of attraction and repulsion. The second type is through the Subjective Mind, the information received from the objective mind filtered through my emotions and stored in my memory and when required it is used to create the projections on that stored information with the help of emotions and the memory of likes and dislikes that it got from objective way of viewing the world. This subjective mind has the doer-ship in it and hence is an enjoyer also. The objective mind is not at all the problem, it is this subjective mind that is the hindrance to know the Self.  If this subjective mind is vanquished then the Self is realized. 

Now the most important question "How to vanquish the Subjective mind?" ...... It is not an Herculean task at all..... just surrender to the Absolute and try not to compete with Him with Ego to create. Even the creative thought in us is bestowed by Him as the projections in our mind are surely creations. Total Surrender is the only way to avoid becoming the Doer. Also it is the most easiest way to accept others creativity also without getting insecure. I hope I am right ... the lack of will to surrender is to be blamed..... Right????

383. Farmer tills soil to sow seed & Spiritual Seeker tills Mind to sow Good Thoughts.

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/farmer-tills-soil-to-sow-seed-spiritual-seeker-tills-mind-to-sow-good-thoughts

The process of having a good thought in my mind which I can supposedly transform it into a good deed is similar to the process of cultivating a good high yield crop. 

This is a small attempt to highlight the similarities in Agriculture and Spiritual Practice. 

To cultivate a good crop I need to have a land that contain fertile soil. Every individual is already bestowed with a mind that is suitable to sprout divine thoughts.

As every fertile land is filled with some rocks and gravel that veil the fertility of the soil so do the attitudes and ego causing selfishness and self-centeredness make my mind unworthy for a good thought develop. I have to identify those rocks and gravel and clear them from the field. After that the field has to be softened and leveled so that it is suitable for sowing.

How can this field be made more suitable for sowing? What is the instrument that can perform this important task? It is again my mind that will bring out this transformation in my mind by working as a plough, but only a stable mind can till the land. Hard surface of the land can be softened by tilling it. With the help of two oxen called Knowledge (Jnana) and Dispassion (Vairagya) and the plough call Devotion (Bhakti) I have to till the mind to soften it.

Now the land is soft and level it is time to add organic manure to make it fructiferous. The mind also has to be prolific and to make it so the dose of Scriptural Treatise (Adhyatma Bodha) help. 

Now as the land is fit for sowing seeds the mind is fit for the positive thoughts. As the seeds begin to sprout in the soil so do weeds also, there are negative thoughts as well that sprout in the mind. I need to pull them out so that there is more space for the positive thoughts only.

For the saplings in the soil there must be continuous supply of water daily to the field to grow. The positive thoughts in my mind thrive with good company (Sat Sangha).  

Control over my Senses (Indriya Nigraha) acts as scarecrow to keep the birds called Desires (Kama) which try to pick away the crop. I need to put a fence of Faith (Shraddha) and Patience (Saburi) to keep the stray cattle and trespassers called Anger (Krodha), Greed (Lobha), Attachment (Moha), Pride (Mada), Arrogance (Darpa), Hypocrisy (Dambha), Prejudice (Asuya), Intolerance (Irshya), Jealousy (Matsarya) away.

With all such precautions I need to wait for the rain in the form of Divine Intervention (Dhi Shakti) to shower on the land. 

Agricultural experts give a lot of advice on their experience on improving the quality of the crop and I have Masters and Gurus who pour out their experience to show me the path.

For a better pollination the crops of the neighboring fields also plays an important role. Likewise I need share my insight with my surrounding and also try to gather information to have a significant outcome on the journey of my life.    

If I sincerely work in my field I am sure to reap rich (Liberation) …… do you agree with me????

382. The One that is Present in its own Absence………..

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/mysticism/the-one-that-is-present-in-its-own-absence

Vedas describe Maya (Illusion) as “ya ma sa maya”. Ya means that, Ma is not, Sa is so; Illusion is that which is not. 

It exists but not in reality, it is present in its own absence. There are many illustrations given to depict the word Maya like, forth in the milk, waves in the ocean, fizz in the aerated drink, mirage in the desert, snake in the rope, ghost in the post. Maya sometimes becomes the support to find solace for those who defend their failure and tribute it to Maya. While some fear all luring things to be Maya and want to stay away from it. The thought that everything that lure is Maya pushes them to conclude that this material world is also Maya. Such thought could lead them to either to be insensitive about others or careless about themselves.
 

Maya is here to stay and we can never do away with it hence it is better to know its strength and help ourselves to live a better life. Getting out of the clutches of Maya is one great effort but even greater endeavor is to accept our immediate neighbors who are self pitying themselves in the name of Maya. This is again a Maya. Therefore it is considered an art to remain uninfluenced by Maya and also know how to respond with those who are influenced by it.  
 

Maya is that divine feminine force which we can neither complain about it nor condemn it. It has the magic wand of "Avarana" and "Vikshepa" the veiling and projecting power respectively to superimpose the quality of eternity on the ephemeral. Hence the Upanishads advice us to be indifferent to it with complete awareness about it. In the rope and snake analogy, when a person sees a snake in the dark he is afraid till the point of his awareness come to his help and tells him that it is not a snake but a mere rope. In the same way as the person who due to ignorance saw an imaginary snake in the rope, we tend to project our individual ideas and beliefs on this material world. Although the imaginary snake induced only fear in us, the projections that we make on this material world will not only induce fear but it charms us, puts us on the top at the same time pulls us down, gives us credit as well as tosses blame at us. Makes us fall into bondage as well as provoke the zeal in us to yearn for Liberation. With Maya it is up and down roller coaster ride all the way.  

Hence it is important to be in this world without getting attached to it. In Bhagavad-Gita Lord Krishna gives an excellent example of “Padma Patra” the Lotus leaf, even though immersed in water the leaf is not wet due to the wax layer on the surface of the leaf.  

Is it possible to be so??????

Yes, only if we learn to see the Truth without likes and dislikes in it. Be a Nirliptha, unstained.

What does it mean????

It is to see the hidden reality beneath all the projections of our mind on this material world without prejudice and to acknowledge the veil of Maya and learn to see the truth without our own misconceptions.
 

As is the wax layer on the lotus leaf so is Spirituality to a seeker to keep the effects of Samsara (Bondage) from getting anointed.

What say??????

380. Our Inability to Use the Resources in a Proper Way……..

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/our-inability-to-use-the-resources-in-a-proper-way

We humans have been bestowed with Buddhi, the intellect which unfurls the activity of Viveka, the faculty of discrimination. Buddhi and Viveka have its accomplishment when the Mind goes to the extent of using them to take pleasure in the available resources. We fail in using those resources and curse our karma, fate, and sometime Absolute also. The Buddhi (Intellect) is insentient (Jada Vastu) but gets illuminated by the Consciousness which is ever charged with “Dhi Shakti.” The charging of “Dhi Shakti” to every individual irrespective of caste, creed, religion, whether atheist or theist happens every now and then.

Once there was a king who wished all his citizens to live happily and prosperously. One day he sets out to view the law and order situation in his kingdom. He happens to see a charcoal merchant who was in a pathetic state. King called the fellow to his court and enquired about his poverty. The poor fellow had a big family to take care and above that he was the only breadwinner in the family. The King understood the position and ordered his ministers to send 1000 cart loads of Sandalwood chunks to the merchants place.

After some months the King went again to view the law and order situation in his kingdom. He was shocked to see the merchant again in the same pathetic situation. He called him and enquired the reason for him being poor even after getting the loads of Sandalwood chunks.

Dear Fellow Seekers, I hope you all guessed what the charcoal merchant would have done. After getting the Sandalwood chunks he set them on fire and made charcoal pieces with it. He had sold the entire lot but got little profit from it, the king thought he would have made nice money but this stupid charcoal merchant had reduced the loads of Sandalwood to charcoal and sold them.

It is the same with many of us. We are incapable of using the resource called the Viveka that has come from the “Dhi Shakti.” We use it to be over smart or find faults or try outsmart other. We have never used the potential for our benefit at all. There are many insights found in the words of a philosopher or a mythological story but it is unfortunate we use our imaginative aspect to find the loop holes in those and try to be over smart just like the charcoal merchant. 

379. Churning of the Thoughts to get Ambrosia of Creativity!!!!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/mysticism/churning-of-the-thoughts-to-get-ambrosia-of-creativity

In Hindu mythology there is a famous episode called Sagara Manthan or Churning of the Milky Ocean. This tale appears in the Srimad Bhagavatam, the Mahabharata, and the Vishnu Purana. It is not just a fairy tale for a spiritual seeker if he can understand the subtle meaning in them by contemplating not on the characters but on the essence of the theme on which the story has been knitted on. Our mythological stories have so many such subtle nectars which when relished get us the profound insight.

Sagara Manthan story represents the spiritual endeavor of a person to achieve Self-Realisation through concentration of mind, withdrawal of senses, control of desires and practice of austerities and asceticism. Deva and Danava represent the positives and negatives aspects in us. The participation of Deva and Danava in the churning indicate that when we seek Bliss we have to integrate and harmonise both the positive and negative aspects and put the combined energies to achieve the goal.

Why is it the Ocean of Milk??? Why use of Snake And Mountain as rope and churning rod???

This Ksheera Sagara is our Mind and the thoughts are the waves in it. Mandhara is the mountain used to churn. The word Mandhara is Mana + Dhara (meaning Mind and single line) concentration. To achieve concentration is must.

Mandhara Parvatha was upheld by Lord Maha Vishnu in the form of Kurma (Tortoise). The tortoise indicates the need of withdrawal of the senses into oneself (Tortoise withdraws its head and limbs into its shell) to practices mental concentration.

Vasuki was used as rope for the churning which is our desires. Desires have to be wound around the mind which is on the path of concentration. Desire, if left stray will overpower and destroy us.

Poison called Halahala emerged out first as the churning began; this poison is the anguish and pain (adverse effect from the mind and body) at the beginning of Sadhana (spiritual practice). When the mind is advice to concentrate, the counter reaction would be intense suffering and great inner turmoil. This emotion has to be resolved otherwise further progress is not possible. To resolve this Lord Shiva, the ascetic principle has to take care, since Lord Shiva is Yoga Murthy not Bhoga Murthy. Lord Shiva’s role in this Sagara Manthana is great it suggests that if we deal with the problems in initial stages it is better.

There are various auspicious objects that come out of the ocean during the churning stand for the psychic or spiritual powers which we gain as we progress spiritually from stage to stage. Seekers should be careful about these powers as they can be a hindrance for the progress. Hence such powers should not be used for personal use at all it should be diverted to the wellness of the society. This is the reason why the Devas and Danavas distributed all the objects so got to the welfare of the society as their main aim was to gain immortality.

One of the articles obtained while churning was Dhanvantari representing health and signifies that for the spiritual success the body and the mind are to be in perfect state of health.

Maha Vishnu disguised Himself as Mohini signifying the delusion of the mind due to pride. It is the pride of achievement to which the Danavas succumbed. Mada the egoistic pride is the last hurdle we have to overcome in spiritual life before experiencing self-realisation.

The Thoughts that are contemplated upon will yield the Ambrosia of Creativity is the significance of the arrival of Amritha from the churning. Yet that creativity is the one which could lead us to the ultimate achievement of the goal of Self-Realistion.

Look at the Tattva Jnana (essence) in the mythological stories of any religion or sect they have many many profound insights to reveal. Just ignoring them to be myths will not serve the purpose. They are not Cock and Bull stories to the one who is a serious seeker.

What have you got to say my fellow seekers???????? 

378. Can I get away with a crime blaming it to social condition??

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/can-i-get-away-with-a-crime-blaming-it-to-social-condition

In the response to my earlier blog one of the seekers wrote that “Ignorance and Hatred is due to social conditioning.” I have been writing blogs in Speaking Tree since a year and getting responses from the seekers here and trying to understand the subject better. Today this sentence has made me to contemplate on the issue of Dharma. In this regard I want to seek the help of you seekers to clarify, a person due to hatred if he commits a crime, can he simply blame it on the social conditions?????    

I will put forth a situation, suppose I am returning home from my office in my car after I had a bad day with my boss who has fired me for some lapses in the accounts. My mind is still lingering with that episode and I happen to miss the traffic signal and hit an autorickshaw from behind. Now the driver has started shouting at me, since my mind is not stable because of the office episode I also shout at him and then raise my hand to hit him. And there is a big shuffle and a lot of people gather and one person takes the initiative to stop the fight and the auto driver says it’s my mistake to hit from behind when the auto is stopped at the signal. If a say to the crowd that my mind was not stable due to the boss firing at me at the office is it OK?????

If I had developed the thought of not taking the office matters out of the threshold of the office would I have not avoided that dirty scene at the signal?????

Is it not the Gunas in me which are to be controlled so that I always maintain Sattvic nature?????

Can my social conditions be blamed for my behavior????

If at all if the social conditions are to be blamed then a small time pickpocket, or a part time thief, or a full time robber, or a habitual rapist, or a deadly decoit, or a merciless murderer will also have a social condition to blame for his action?????   

Ignorance and Hatred are because of my nature which needs to be corrected is what I feel, am I right in thinking so ?????

What do you great thinkers have to say??????         

Please write your views so that I can correct my stand…..        

377. Multidimensional Perception with Activated Pineal Gland…..

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/science-of-spirituality/multidimensional-perception-with-activated-pineal-gland

We see through our physical eyes and it is called looking. For that act of looking to get the dimension called perception, along with the two physical eyes the Pineal Gland which many consider as the “THIRD EYE” has to get involved. Pineal Gland is one of the most mysterious glands in our body. It is little behind the root of the nose at the middle of the brain having a pine cone shape. From the top view of our body the two physical eyes and the Pineal Gland form a triangle with the two physical eyes as the base. Hence the word perception is “Drustikon” “Drusti” is sight and “kon” is triangle.


There are two important glands in human brain one is this Pineal Gland and the other is the pituitary gland. Kundalini identifies these two as Ajna Chakra (Pineal) and Sahasrara Chakra (Pituitary) respectively. The Pineal Gland is activated by light and produces melatonin which regulates the wake and sleep state. Pituitary Gland is a part of the endocrine system producing hormones which control other glands as well as various bodily functions. The Pituitary Gland is called the “seat of the mind” which regulates both the emotional as well as intellectual thoughts. The Pineal Gland is known as the “seat of illumination”. The Pineal Gland is to the pituitary gland what intuition is to reasoning. In short while Pituitary gland induces “Josh” (Zeal) Pineal Gland imbibes “Hosh” (Awareness). As a human both are necessary and it is said that the joining of the essences of these two glands in the third ventricle is what opens the THIRD EYE.


Every action performed by us is presupposed by a thought. And the hormones secreted by the Pituitary Gland bring those thoughts into action. The Pineal Gland inhibits the immediate discharging of thoughts into action. This discretion causes us to look inward and to deeply ponder our actions and thereby our reactions. This sort of introversion is essential for self-realization as it shifts our attention from the pressures of the outer world to rush things and entangle ourselves in the chaos and focus on the peaceful inner world. When the focus is on inner world the external world fades. As a result our circle of consciousness contracts and remains with our inner self. It is this inner focus that welcomes the “spiritual illumination” into the Pineal Gland and more and more an individual is showered with insight…..What say?????


Finally how to activate the Pineal Gland???


Our ancient scriptures say “Arogyam Bhaskarat Icchet” (Sun is provider of Heath). So we were advised to worship Sun in the early hours and in evening times. Science also says Sun Gazing will help improve our eye sight as well as the activation of Pineal Gland but it also says no amount of Sun Gazing will help if the Pineal Gland is calcified. What is this calcification of Pineal Gland? How does it happen? 


Pineal gland gets hardened by calcium compounds over it and this is called “Calcification of Pineal Gland” (just as the calcium deposit we find in our water boilers).


Activating the Pineal Gland is very easy but it can't be activated when it has deposits of calcium over it. Keeping the Pineal Gland healthy is the hard part it requires a healthy lifestyle such as control on our eating habits, avoiding pharmaceutical drugs unless treating chronic illness and most importantly keeping our mind calm.....Chanting OM does create the vibration needed to peal off the calcium compound on the Pineal Gland!!!!!!

376. GOD… When a Concept and When a Reality??????

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/god-and-i/god-when-a-concept-and-when-a-reality

There are many concepts like destiny, time, space, and causation. They are concepts to me simply because they are neither proved nor experienced by any of my senses. I cannot write them off also as it was created by my mind to know, illustrate and interpret my surroundings. No matter what I do, there is no way I can sense their presence. But on the other hand the computer that I am using now has an existence in reality, because I am using this keypad to make the thoughts in me to get converted into words and get posted in this blog. This computer is a reality to me at this particular time and space. So I am clear of what a concept is and what reality is. Now my next doubt is to know if Absolute is a concept or a Reality?????
 

Absolute was a concept when my parents used to tell me of His vigor and valiant but it did not remain so until it became a reality to me. This transformation of my understanding the Absolute to realizing him is termed Realization. This realization has made me not to know about Him but to feel and sense Him.


How could I realize Absolute??? Was it through my five senses that felt and sensed Him? No, because my sense would not comprehend that which is abstract. So was it my mind, no if my mind had got to have the visualization then it would be hallucination. Then could it be my intellect, no again as my intellect would want justification and authenticity.  Then what was it that made me feel and sense His presence???? It is not the senses or the mind or the intellect it is the “instrument” hidden deep inside me which is higher than these three. Many call it 6th sense but to me it is my true Self my “Adhistana. (substratum)”      
 

As a child I was introduced to the stories of Purana (mythology) by my parents, which delivered the concept of Absolute to me. But then it was all about His great acts He had done to protect mankind, as He had promised in Gita to come to the rescue of the good and destroying the evil. This concept as I grew up seems to being a “fanaticism” of Him. At this point I wondered what He is to an American, European, Japanese, or an African.  They do not know about His stories to become His “fans” like me. This type of questions awakened me to make efforts to understand Him beyond what the concepts tell about Him. He is beyond everything, everyone, and His realm is beyond the wavelength at which my mind can grasp. It was then I stepped into Upanishads and Vedas. These are scriptures filled with knowledge yet they also are incapable to apprehend Him.
 

With Upanishads and Vedas Absolute was defined to suit the understanding of its reader. Hence again I thought what is the case of a Non-Hindu who has no acquaintance to Upanishads or Vedas. This was a puzzle to me and then one day I realized how foolish I was to think so as Vedas and Upanishads are not limited to one religion. Vedas and Upanishads preach the way of life and belong to entire mankind. What I have learnt from Upanishads and Vedas is irrespective of where you are born and what you are, since time long, long back these scriptures are ingrained in the subconscious mind of all beings. Hence all the philosophies and the philosophers have their base on these two scriptures and are saying about the same Absolute though in a different forms or ways. Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, Moses, Jesus, Prophet Mohammad, Buddha, Mahavira, Nanak, Sri Sri Sankara, Srimad Ramanuja, Sriman Madhva are all saying the same about Absolute. I feel life is the opportunity to realize Absolute from a concept stage to reality. These philosophers have designed different methods over the years, time and again to assist me to convert that puranic concept of Absolute to Realization at my “Adhistana” (Substratum).


By saying so does not Upanishads and Vedas being ingrained in the subconscious mind of all beings again become a Concept??????


No, for the simple reason that if we look at the teachings of all the philosophers who have appeared irrespective of religion and sect we find that what they have told about Absolute is nothing NEW it is all in the Upanishads and Vedas………. Hence Upanishads and Vedas belong to the entire mankind not to any one single sect or religion. 


Absolute to me was a Concept until I believed what other say about Him, once I start to realize Him; He became a Reality to me.


(So to have GOD REALIZATION it is our individual awareness that can help, although the sincere and best efforts of all masters and philosophies can only guide us to the Concepts but not to the Reality ........This is my personal experience --If Reality is the Clarified Butter, Concept is Milk....... Milk is required to be churned and processed to get Clarified Butter)

375. Sign board is the Same but what we make of it is Different…..

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/sign-board-is-the-same-but-what-we-make-of-it-is-different

Life is a journey with sign boards to direct me to the right path. What I understand from those sign boards cannot be codified to others because it doesn’t have a fixed quintessence. Everyone walking the journey finds the sign boards and draws different meaning which is supposed to help him move on towards to the goal. There is no point in encoding and contradicting the understanding of each person got from those sign boards. But analyzing and knowing could sometime help as one is not dead sure of anything unless shared and known. It is like using the light lit by those who have moved forward in the dark alley prior. There are those who neglect those light and there are some who are aware of the light but will not use them for their advantage and only a few are aware as well as use that light to move forward. 


A simple anecdote would provide an insight on how we go about in life with whatever data is received. Once a renouncant comes to town which is at the foot of a mountain and tells everyone that he has found a huge cave in the mountain with treasure hidden and can tell them how to go there. 

 

A few call it a bluff and accuses him of lying and they say they will not believe anyone just like that. While some are lazy to trek the mountain and so question the stranger on the authenticity of the treasure and want to know who has kept it there and why. A few instantly believe the stranger but instead of planing to go and fetch the treasure they start thinking on what to do with the treasure. Some bank on the money got from selling the treasure and use it to their daughter’s wedding, while some want to buy a tractor to till their land. Some want to build a palatial house on their land and deposit the rest in the bank and live on the dividends. Many have many dreams on how to spend the money thus obtained.


And it is a few who not only believe but start their journey towards the treasure. Yes, it is not just belief but eventually getting the treasure which gives the proof of making use of the data so obtained. On the path, the rough directions given by the renouncant may help but one has to make the start sync with what is to be done now.


Every information we get will have its meaning when it is put to use ..... getting information is Knowledge and using that known information is Wisdom.....What Say????

374. Can Plaintiff win Case not appearing before the Magistrate?

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/mysticism/can-plaintiff-win-case-not-appearing-before-the-magistrate

Every animate and inanimate substance has its own existence, but darkness as an entity has no existence of its own. Darkness is what our mind makes out of light not traveling to the rods and cones on the retina of our eyes. It is a no-light region for the absence of light. A small light is enough to drive it away. Darkness cannot be displaced by darkness. Darkness is only driven out with Light not with more darkness. The feel of Dark is because there is lack of Light and same is true with Ignorance it is just lack of Knowledge and for Hatred it is lack of Compassion. Once we are aware of that Light, Knowledge, and Compassion present in us the Darkness, Ignorance, and Hatred just fade away from us. From the ancient times there has not been a single evidence to prove that Darkness and Light, Ignorance and Knowledge, Compassion and Hatred had ever coexisting with each other.
 

Once Darkness went to Lord and complained, “Oh Lord, I have no place for myself and hence have no privacy. Every thing in this universe created by you has a place of its own. What mistake have I done?? Light always trespasses and does not let me stay at peace in one place, he drives me away all the time. He is after me always chasing me, as if I have done a huge blunder to him. This I feel is a great injustice done to me. No one is helping me in this regard, only you can as you are Supreme Lord over all.”
 

Lord listened to it carefully and said He would look into the matter and get back to it soon. Then after sometime He called Light and asked him to explain why he was not letting dark to stay in one place and always troubling and chasing it. Light said, “O Lord, what are you talking about???  By the by who is this darkness? I have never come across anything like that, let go troubling or chasing it. Please I would request you to let it come and complain against me in front of me.”  
 

Even to this day the case filed by Darkness against the Light is still pending as it is impossible to bring darkness and light face to face. Lord knew that it is not possible in the nature of things because darkness is not a reality. It exists and yet it does not exist. It falls into the category of things which is there when something is absent. And so are Ignorance and Hatred they too have no place on their own. There is not enough darkness in entire world that can put off a small light; likewise there is no Hatred enough to encompass a modest Compassion. And a little lamp of Knowledge is enough to burn off Ignorance, just as the dry leaves would turn to ashes when it comes in contact with fire.

373. Science and Spirituality are two rails for the Bogie called Life…..

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/science-and-spirituality-are-two-rails-for-the-bogie-called-life

This era of scientific surge has made our efforts simple to have an absolute control over anything and everything outside us. Things happen in just a push of a button, and even more further with the invent of sensors there is no need to push with the finger. Thanks to sensors doors close and open automatically and there is flush of water as soon as one stands in front of the wash basin. This technological insurgency makes me wonder where this all would lead us to. Will the human invented technology start to control his life or would it just start extenuating as we have seen in nature that which reaches the peak scales down. One cannot say if the progression followed by insurrection is cyclic or linear but a little awareness in the changing scenario can provide a significant hint of what is to hit the future.


Scientific surge has been a boon for mankind but meaningless technological insurgency has created havoc in the system by going against nature. spirituality and Science are the two essential structures that have supported humanity. If Religion is the recipe spirituality is the savour. If science is the song technology is the tempo. The flavor and the tempo provide meaning to the recipe and song respectively. Science is a discovery of fundamental information of how things work and technology is practical application of that information. Spirituality is a journey of knowing our inner Self and religion guides us to embark that inward journey.  


Off late the direction of technological insurgency is making us oblivious to the basic structure of science that is to protect nature and ourselves. Likewise religion is also contaminated by outrageous and dogmatic thoughts which have distorted the true purpose of spirituality. There is no doubt that technology is providing us a lot of things but we should admit that it is taking a lot away from us as well. It is true that it is helping us get more things under our control at the same time it is making us less controlled. The incessant pursuit of technology has outshine the inquisitiveness of mankind and hence, pursuit of science. Religion also has made mankind sway away from spirituality as it is providing a lot and at the same time taken away the very essence.  


With such thought I wonder, are we on the progressive ladder towards a path of glorious civilization or a doomed one? It is hard to visualize the future but with little interpolation of swelling technological insurgency and weakening spiritual quest it would not be an exaggeration to say that we are losing our own conscience in imparting intelligence to materials rather than having them with us. The Internet, E-mail, Twitter, Face book, whatsApp? which were invented to assist the multitasking mankind is unnecessarily been blamed. Why should the technology be blamed if we have failed to use them for our advantage? If the technology has to soar high like the kite in the sky there has to be a string called spiritual thought to manoeuvre it…..am I right???

372. The Culprit in the Farm House ……………!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/the-culprit-in-the-farm-house

“We reap what we sow; we are the makers of our own fate. The wind is blowing; those vessels whose sails are unfurled catch it, and go forward on their way, but those which have their sails furled do not catch the wind. Is that the fault of the wind??? We make our own destiny.” Says Swami Vivekananda.


In a farm house lived a man all alone, he was very much worried because every night in his garden someone destroyed the flowering plants. He did everything that could be done to protect it. He put an electric fence, let his dogs to guard, and then arranged for focus lights to be lit whole night. Yet, every morning, the pots in the garden would be in a mess. The man was amazed and also astonished and did not know what to do. Then some enlightened soul was passing by his farm he ran to him and put forth his agony in a hope that the saint would be able to find some solution to his problem. The master closed his eyes and said, “Set the alarm on your clock at three o'clock in the night.” Surprised the man asked the saint, “How can setting the alarm at three ever help?” The saint said, “Son, do what is said never have doubts. Just set the alarm to ring at three o'clock. Then come the next day and tell me what happened.” 


The man was rather unconvinced but he had no other go. He set the alarm that night to ring at three o'clock and went to sleep. At the shrill sound of the alarm bell he was awake. He was standing in his own garden, a shovel in the hand wreaking havoc on his flowering plant pots. He was a Nidrachari (sleepwalker)! 


We are just like the sleepwalker at the farm house unaware of things that are happening to us. Precisely the same way as the man wanted to know who had destroyed the pots in the garden we react to the events of our life. We are not aware that it was we who have planted the seed of misdeeds or fortune deep in our sub conscious that is yielding miseries or making us happy depending on the seed planted. The moment we realize this truth we will neither brood at the miseries nor get over excited at the fortunes in life.


Miseries or Excitement will no longer affect us, it is only when we are unaware it affects us. When we are unaware we are affected; when we gain awareness, there is a distance maintained between us and the emotions. The greater the awareness, lengthier is the distance. A moment comes when we are so far away that it is as if it's not there at all. This is how the man at the farm house himself-in his sleep was destroying his garden and was unaware. In the morning he would be puzzled and would question, “Who did it?” And start searching for the culprit and suspect everyone who passes by. The culprit is not somewhere away he is inside us he is none other than our own mind.

371. Similarities in Vedanta and Taoism as I understand….

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/philosophy/similarities-in-vedanta-and-taoism-as-i-understand

Vedantic thought is the message of universal harmony it is the end part of Vedas and is culmination of knowledge. Taoism is the philosophy that advocates living in harmony by following “Tao” (Path). Both Vedanta and Tao are one and the same in thoughts while their approach to reach the Truth is different. Vedanta is as old as Vedas and is believed that many Rishis formulated their Religio-Philosophical vision in verses form. Laozi is one of the great sages and founder of Taoism.


There are many thoughts in Taoism that are similar to that in Vedanta. Let us look into a few of them here.


On Creation

Vedanta says: From Akshara (un-manifest) to Kshara (manifest).
Tao says: From Yin (un-manifest) to Yang (manifest).


On Action

Vedanta says: Nothing can happen without a cause and the effect is in other words the cause reproduced.
Tao says: Certain action has a certain Consequence.


On Ego

Vedanta says: Ego is the shroud that veils the Self and the seeker has to unveil it through knowledge.
Tao says: Ego is irrelevant to a seeker and by leaving it behind, he can reach the center of Life.


On Awareness

Vedanta says: A seeker can approach the outer sciences with an inner vision.
Tao says: A wise seeker views with the inner eye and not the outer eye.

On Holiness

Vedanta says: The effort of a seeker to be holy is the act of ego and not a spontaneous one which is the off shoot of simplicity and humility.
Tao says: A seeker has to not strive to be holy. Need little and want little is the simple rule to follow to become aware.


On Virtues

Vedanta says: Virtue is inbuilt in Satyam (Truth) which is an expression of prevalence. Events insist on righteous practices which confer to Ritam (Ultimate Truth). Both Ritam and Satyam refer to Truth and have their origin in Param (Supreme). Ritam is truth that originates from inside out and never changes while Satyam is that truth which corresponds to the particular situation.
Tao says: A seeker will know virtue only by knowing the Path and one cannot define the kind of action that conform the Path. 


On Individual

Vedanta says: Jeeva (Individual) and Brahman (Absolute) are not different but the same.
Tao says: Every human adopt himself to the earth. Earth adopts itself to Heaven. Heaven adopts itself to the Path. The Path contains everything and is that which eternally is.


On Self-Realization

Vedanta says: For Self Realization one has to have Atma Sakshatkara (vision of Atma). To have that one has to do Self-enquiry. 
Tao says: If you know yourself you are wise. If you know others you are intelligent.


On Learning

Vedanta says: There is a lot to know from “Mouna Vyakhyana” (Silent narration) as Lord Dakshinamurthy, the first preceptor taught the Truth in the language of silence.
Tao says: Know the value of teaching that uses no words.


On Destiny

Vedanta says: Events happen as they should and not as one wishes. Thus upholding the theory of “Determinism”.
Tao says: Accept all things as they are. One is born when he is due to be born and has to die when he is due to die.


On Equanimity

Vedanta says: Welcome pain and pleasure with equanimity of mind. If one craves only for success he suffers. To avoid this suffering one must be indifferent to success and failure. Accept destiny with neither resentment nor elation.
Tao says: Birth & death, failure & success, wealth & poverty, honor & disgrace, praise & blame, cold & heat all these come and go according to destiny. Do not allow the destiny to disturb your inner harmony; do not allow it to upset your mind. Keep perfect balance.

369. Universe: A Reality OR A Dream?

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/science-of-spirituality/universe-a-reality-or-a-dream

The ancient thoughts have recommended us to have a perceptive look at our lives and identify and difference between the transient and the incessant. They want us to realize and differentiate which is and was and will be forever with us with that which is temporary. A sincere seeker thinks a Ferrari will not provide him eternal happiness.  


Is it difficult to identify that which is eternal? Yes, what is confusing and veiling us is the continuous overlap of the transient which makes us believe that temporary happiness is eternal. Just as mankind seems to be immortal as there is a continuous overlap of mortals. Even so in the dream state we assume that what is happening is for real until we are awake. Everyone has had this experience of assuming the dream to be real. Most amazingly a person who has had a stupendous meal may dream he is very hungry and get up in the middle of the night, only to say what a silly dream?


Dreams are in fact the reflections of the wake state and so we get involved and transact with the people in it and participate with them. Mostly the objects and the instances that appear in the dream are what we are aware off. But in some rare instances dreams may not be of what is already seen, it can be something that is entirely new and different than what is on the earth maybe like what has to appear in future or also a fantasy world. We get solace at the fulfillment of a deed in the dream that we were yearning for. We do all sorts of unimaginable and unique actions in our dream. Dreams can make us a zero or a hero depending upon the situation pertaining to the event in the dream.


Now there is a difference in that projection of zero or hero in the dream. Either way we just say “after all it is a dream” may be upon waking up or after some time and just snub it. So finally we are taught and even experienced enough to say that dreams are not for real. And hence we do understand that what is happening in the wake state is Reality. But upon pondering further one understands that even this Reality is like a dream when compare to Ultimate Reality.


What is this Ultimate Reality? How is it different from Reality? Reality is contemporary state of affairs which in the course of time will change. What is in the Universe now was not so some 100 years ago and will never be the same another 100 years ahead. But the Ultimate Reality is the one which has transcended the time space and causation. Becoming aware of the existence of this Ultimate Reality within Reality as there was Dream within Reality is Jnana (knowledge). Then is this universe not real? This universe is real, but only relatively real (Vyavaharika Satya), while Brahman alone is absolutely real (Paramarthika Satya).


Off late quantum physics is inclined to believe that this universe is more like a dream than imagined earlier. This insight has made Sir James Jeans, noted physicist, mathematician and astronomer announce thus: “The Universe begins to look more like a great Thought than a great Machine.”

368. Motivational Lessons from Trees………….

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/motivational-lessons-from-trees

Nature is the biggest patron for mankind and also a great master. Environment in its full blossom imbibed with shades, splendor, glow, resonance, and movements that we see in the nature is incredible. Is it possible for any of us to have a replica of it factory made????? No, one and only Absolute has the ability to bestow it to our benefit. He has emanated into every thing for a purpose whether it is a tree, mountain, rock, sand, an animal, or an individual. We have to only go into deep contemplation to know the purpose and live to His expectations.   


Nature is the best teacher it provides us lots and lots to learn. Animals and birds are inspiration for us, Cats shows us how to be patient, Dogs preaches loyalty, Ants guide us on teamwork, Crows the art of sharing.


Trees also give us lots of lessons. They provide us ripe and taste fruits and pleasant and fragrant flora, if not at least grant us shade. They are “Mauna Muni” (Silent Hermits), they never boast or advertise there contributions. Come what may they contribute to the society without expectations. They are Spiritual master for those who can get the Spiritual essence from them. They give us lots of insight. 


They say:                

Be Submissive -- The tree as a plant is submissive to the wind hence it grows to withstand the wild wind later on.

Value even the Small --The leaves that are small help the tree in photosynthesis and provide the required energy to it. Likewise in our lives sometimes even insignificant person are needed to our sustenance and growth. Just a word of appreciation will make them warm.

Never Self-condemn -- The tree has come out of a small seed. The greats were always small at the start. It is only with efforts and strong endurance they grew and sky was the limit.

Be ready for Change -- Change is the only permanent thing in life. The only consistent event is change. Old leaves have to be shed for new ones to take its place.

Be Supportive – If we are supportive to other they are supportive to us. In a forest trees interlock their branches and roots hence even a tornado cannot separate them while a huge tree standing alone could be uprooted easily.

Be Productive or Creative – It is those trees that are felled for fire wood which does not provide fruits or flowers. Be productive or creative it increases the value and everybody respects.  

Be Modest -- It is those trees with bunches of fruits that bend low. Knowledge is that which makes some individuals arrogant, for such kind the acquired knowledge goes down the drain.    


The structure of the tree is it self very informative. There are tentacles of roots which are like various religions that support the stem which is one Spiritual Thought; then again there are different paths in the form of branches which at the end yield fruit.

366. The Chronology of the FIVE ELEMENTS.

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/mysticism/the-chronology-of-the-five-elements

Akashat Vayuhu, Vayur Agnihi, Agnir Apaha, Adyah Pruthivi, Pruthivya Oshadhayaha, Oshadhayo Annam, Annaath Purushaha.-Taittriya Upanishad.


“Akashat Vayuhu,” From the space came the air. Space is the first manifestation. We find in nature that an individual creates a dwelling place. And Prana created its own abode by generating Air is the thought of the Veda. This is therefore the second manifestation.

 
“Vayur Agnihi” From the air came fire. We find that when hydrogen is burnt using oxygen we see fire and it results in water. Therefore Fire is the third manifestation. And “Agnir Apaha” Water is the fourth manifestation.

 
“Adyah Pruthivi” From this water manifested the earth. This is the fifth manifestation.


“Pruthivya Oshadhayaha” From the earth came vegetation. This is the sixth manifestation.


“Oshadhayo Annam” From the vegetation came food. This is the seventh manifestation.


“Annaath Purushaha” From this food came the individual (Jeevi). This is the eighth manifestation.


As per the ancient thought of the Indian scriptures the whole universe and the human body both are made of Pancha Maha Bhuta, the five elements. Pancha is five, Maha is great, and Bhuta is life sustainers. They are Akasha (Ether), Vayu (Air), Agni (Fire), Aapa (Water), and Prithvi (Earth). These five elements (atomic particles) have got their evolution from the five preliminary elements called Pancha Tanmatras which are the minutest infra atomic particles and which has the sensing ability. These Pancha Tanmatras are Shabdha (Sound), Sparsha (Touch), Roopa (Sight), Rasa (Taste), and Gandha (Smell).


At the onset it was Akasha Bhuta, the ether element which had only sound, the Shabdha Tanmatra in it. From it evolved the Vayu Bhuta, the Air element which along with the sound has the touch, the Sparsh Tanmatra in it. Hence the air is felt and heard. From Vayu came Agni Bhuta, Fire element which along with the sound and touch has the sight, Roopa Tanmatra in it. Hence we are able to see, feel, and hear it. From the Agni came the Aapa Bhuta, the water element which along with the sound, touch, and sight has the taste, Rasa Tanmatra in it. Hence we can taste the water and also see, feel and hear it. From the Aapa came the Pritivi Bhuta, the earth element which along with the sound, touch, sight, and taste has smell, the Gandha Tanmatra in it. Hence we can smell the earth and also see, feel, hear, and taste it.
 

The five elements in human body are classified as follows:
 

1. Entire physic emotions in us which are likes, dislikes, modesty, fear, ignorance are qualities of Akasha Bhuta, the Space element in the body.
 

2. Inhaling, exhaling, running, walking, contraction, expansion are qualities of Vayu Bhuta, the Air Element in the body.
 

3. Body Heat, hunger, thirst are qualities of Agni Bhuta, the Fire element in the body.
 

4. Blood, semen, bone-marrow, urine, and saliva are qualities of Aapa Bhuta, the Water Element in the body.
 

5. Bones, flesh, veins, and arteries are qualities of Prithivi Bhuta, the Earth Element in the body.
 


Just like Absolute these Pancha Maha Bhutas are omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient. All these exceptional characteristics of the Pancha Maha Bhutas are attributed to Absolute by our ancient seers. The only difference between the Absolute and Pancha Maha Bhutas is that, one can see, touch or feel the presence of these Pancha Maha Bhutas but it is near impossible to have the glimpse of the Absolute.
 


Apart from Ancient Seers of India, many ancient philosophers from China, Japan, and Persia have used a set of typical classical elements to explain patterns in nature. Aristotle, Plato, Socrates have also mentioned extensively about these classical elements in their writings.