489. Be the Man of the Moment.........

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/be-the-man-of-the-moment

It was a bimonthly community meeting at the locality and the children were having a lot of fun. Middle aged male were busy on their mobiles and women with their usual talks. The convener announced the felicitation of Sri. Bheemanna, the retired bank manager for his immense involvement in responding to the problems of the locality. There was a loud applause and the old man nearing eighty came up to the podium. He greeted the gathering with folded hands. The convener requested Sri Bheemanna to address the gathering. The elderly man spoke thus:

It is very nice of you to have recognised my work and feel happy to felicitate me and share your happiness with me. I was wondering if this felicitation was a part of the purpose of my life when Mr. Sudeep, the convener contacted me. I would like all of you who have gathered here to understand not just know what your purpose of life is. Sometime back I asked a very busy man about this, he said he was not sure. I guess he was looking at life from a different angle. He was a busy and successful man; I know he will definitely have a path in life. However I felt there was another way for him to perceive life. I would like to put my understanding before you all.

A person who does not understand the purpose of his life, views two paths in life. One path is in the pursuit of livelihood and the other is the search for the significance of life. First let us know about the struggle over livelihood. In this category we are worst that the characters in the “Animal Planet”. It is just the survival of the fittest and the triumph of the strong over the weak and the victory of the smart over the wise. When the individual is immersed in this category and enjoying “Personal Growth” he will not have the intensity to know about the other path.

Very often it will be either the utter failure or over success in the struggle over livelihood which makes a person tilt towards the other path which in the realm of spirituality is called “Awareness”. In this path we struggle to go towards the Bliss. We search for answers by reading scripture, knowing about the unknown, learning and talking about humanity, love, compassion and finally try to know how to overcome ego. All this exercise is just promises and hope that we may reach Bliss. Then what is this BLISS?

More often than not, that Bliss turns out to be a dummy as we feel we have either missed it or yet to face it. With this uncertainty we never understand that we have always concluded that the Bliss to be in the future and or have missed it in past. This is more discouraging, but if you do not consider life as a path at all you will perceive life better.

Let me explain.

You have a white paper and if you put a dot on it and call it “LIFE”, there will be no past and no future. A dot is also a dimension and if you drag it back it is past; if you pull it forward it is future and that will be a line. Line is continuous dots. Now just consider what if the present moment is the Bliss you were searching for? What would it be if I am using this Bliss moment to the fullest instead of daydreaming about the future and worrying about the past.   

Nobody can train you to be spiritual since you already are! If you respect this capacity in you, you can learn to live for the moment. The ability of staying “in the rhythm” and the capability to say “I do not know” comes due to the fact that your innate spirituality regards the present moment as Bliss moment and it is indeed the threshold of wisdom. If I open my awareness to that Bliss moment, my obsession with plans, dreams, and memories fade away and I become the “Man of the Moment”.

And so saying the elderly man greeted the gathering with folded hands and there was a standing ovation for the old mans speech on life........!!!!!

488. Sannyasi does not renounce but develops sense of belongingness….!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/science-of-spirituality/sannyasi-does-not-renounce-but-develops-sense-of-belongingness

I have made an attempt here to spell out what I understand in the meaning of “Sannyasa” I may love someone or something because there is an affinity for that person or that thing in me. It is quite natural that such a person or a thing will definitely be a delight to me. I feel good to be around that thing or person, but in reality it is only a rediscovery of pleasantness in me and to know what a pleased person I am. That feeling of being pleased is a quality in me that I have superimposed upon that thing or the person and have completely forgotten. Instead I assume that I am pleased because of them. Foolishly I compliment them for being so special and wonderful towards me while it is me who am feeling special and wonderful in their company.

If I am wrong then consider this. If the pleasant feel was to be experienced because of a particular person or a thing entirely based on what it or he is or how it behaves or he behaves, then the entire world would be feeling pleasant because of that particular person or thing, which is obviously not the case. Pleasant feeling always emerges from the self, not from any object or person. So I can be pleasant always, it does not matter for me to be in company of some or keep away from some to experience it.

Our ancients have coined the four stages of life and for the last stage they have given the name Sannyasa. Who can be a Sannyasi? Yes, he who has renounced the world is the straight forward answer but here the sense of renunciation is to the material aspect not his responsibilities towards mankind. He does not discard his family instead he expands it to the whole mankind. He starts to feel that the pleasant feel which is called BLISS is within him and there is neither a thing nor a person who can make him happy or sad.  The moment this awareness is felt then one is a Sannyasi. There is this sense of belongingness towards the whole mankind which makes him a Sannyasi. Thus he overcomes greed that is projected by the world around. With equanimity he is indifferent to all the dualities in life. He has the capability to live in this tinsel world and in the caves of Himalayas as well, since he is aware that his pleasant feel is emerging out of his own self.


In this stage which is last among the Ashrama Dharma age is not and will never been criteria. There are very young people who live a life of Sannaysi even living among family members and also there are elderly people who are yet in Grihasta stage indulging themselves in self gratification that world throws at them. For a Sannyasi who can draw pleasant feel from within, solitude becomes a convenience but will never be a necessity. And the saffron or white robes does not make any difference if the Sannyasattva mindset which is ready to accept the sense of belongingness to the entire mankind is present. A Sannyasi believes in thought of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (world is one family) as his realm is not limited…This is why Swamy Vivekananda addressed the gathering in Chicago as “Brothers and Sisters”…. What say????

487. Karma, Bhakti, Jnana & Raja Yoga has helped elevate my Mind!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/science-of-spirituality/karma-bhakti-jnana-raja-yoga-has-helped-elevate-my-mind

I am not this gross body which consists of five sense organs and five motor organs, nor am I the five vital breaths. Then am I the mind? When I am asking who I am is it the mind which is asking “Who I Am”? This ‘mind’ of mine is an incredible power residing in the Self. It is the cause of all thoughts thereby when I ask “Who I Am?” even that question has to come from my mind. When there are thoughts there has to be mind. Hence projecting thoughts is the nature of mind. The world is in the form of my thoughts which are projected by my mind. When I am in deep sleep (Non-Rapid Eye Moment stage) there are no thoughts so the world is void to me at that time. But when I am awake or dreaming my mind produces lots of thoughts and there is a world.

The world which I see through the help of my five senses is Prapancha (Relative World) while that which I see in my dream is  Antarprapancha  (Fantasy World). Just like how the spider secretes the thread to form a web out of itself my mind projects the world out of itself and again resolves it into itself. When my mind comes out of the Self, the world is experienced. Hence when the world is experienced as real, the Self is veiled; and when the Self is experienced as a bright light the world is annihilated. When I persistently inquire into the nature of my mind then my mind will end leaving the Self as the only remainder.

My mind always triumphs in the association of something gross like my senses, without them it cannot stay on its own. Hence the senses have to be disassociated with my mind. To disassociate my senses I take the help of Karma Yoga (Selfless Action). When my senses are put to work constantly, my mind will never get associated with them apart from the subject of the work. When my mind is not in contact with the senses it will start to project thoughts on its own and now I need to engage my mind in this position I take the help of Bhakti Yoga (Unconditional Devotion). When my mind is observed in Bhakti my intellect can have its domination and it can venture into the obscure subjects with the help of Jnana Yoga (Eternal Knowledge). By Jnana my mind understands that it is very too small compared to what is inside me. It gets introduced to Absolute Consciousness, it is here that my mind realizes that it is not the boss and it is just the reflection of that Bigger Boss who is inside.

When my mind has comprehended this truth it remains inside and becomes Antarmukhi (inward facing) and occasionally it comes out to get in touch with the relative world. When my mind is inside it is practicing Raja Yoga (Supreme Contemplation), which helps my mind to remain quiet so that there is insight wisdom. When my mind is quite it in the vicinity of Self. When in Self my mind comes to know that it has been in bondage for many past births and has to be liberated. Now the mind which is elevated to higher level of thinking starts to inquiry “Who I am?” “What is the purpose of my Life?” When the answer to this mystic question is got even that thought will also get dissolved just like how the logs which are kept to support the burning pyre gets burnt at the end......so my mind is annihilated, i am not the gross body nor the five sense nor the five motor organs nor the five vital breath nor the mind...... "Who am I?" ..... this question does not rise at all......but that will be after the end of this lifespan.......What say????? 

486. Let's Welcome South-West Monsoon Rains with Open Arms…….

http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-blogs/seekers/mysticism/lets-welcome-southwest-monsoon-rains-with-open-arms

The arrival of South-West Monsoon (“Mungaru Male” in Kannada) sets India's agricultural economy wheel rolling. The peasant class in India waits for the cloud to form with hope of prosperity in the near future so the arrival of monsoon is like arrival of life and they wish that the Rain God would open up and shower abundance to them. The sight of the clouds gets the place moving with agricultural activity like tilling and sowing seeds. The South-West Monsoon also brings enthusiasm to the cattles, as they get more water to drink and fresh green grass to munch to fill the stomach and produce plenty of milk. The Sun hides behind the veil of cloud and the summer heat waves subsides. There is cool breeze and this South-West monsoon does not just bring in rain but it brings a lot of joy and people of India starts rejuvenating.
 
It is quite interesting to know from where this South-West monsoon clouds come to our country? 

 

This South-West monsoon travels thousands of miles from its place of origin off the Madagascar coast. It is from here it gets deflected to India and move towards Tibet in September to get back to its final destination in Madagascar again. According to meteorologists the land in Indian subcontinent heats up in the month of May due to summer heat while the ocean surrounding does not heat up as fast as the land. The hot wind over the land mass rises creating a low pressure area. The wind from the high pressure area will rush to fill the void created by the low pressure. The jet stream formed due to the difference in wind temperature brings moisture laden clouds from high pressure area to India, hitting from South-West direction starting from Kerala, the Gods own country. This is the reason why the monsoon is called “South-West monsoon”. The entire Indian plateau gets rain till end of September.
 
However, by September the clouds loses most of their moisture and as temperature starts dropping in September, a high pressure area gets formed over Tibet, known as Tibetan High. Then the anti-cyclone movement over Tibet pushes the winds along with the condensed water vapours coming from Bay of Bengal to assume an easterly direction, creating an easterly tropical jet which takes the clouds back to the coast of Madagascar. The entire cycle of formation and departure is going on for thousands of years.

Once a foreign tourist asked a Sadhu in Himalayas as to why Indians revered Ganga so much. The Sadhu replied Ganges water was that which Lord Brahma used to wash the foot of Maha Vishnu when he assumed the form of Trivikrama. Ganga water has the touch of the Palm of Brahma, Foot of Vishnu and while coming down to Mrtityuloka (Earth) it fell on the Head of Mahadev, so it has the divine touch of the Holy Trinity, hence it was sacred for every Hindu. The foreigner smiled at the reply and said that episode happened many many ages back and do Indians believe that water that washed the foot of Maha Vishnu still remain in Ganga. The Sadhu replied that in India among Hindus there is strong belief that the water that washed the foot of Maha Vishnu is still in the Ganga. Even though the waters of Ganga merged into ocean they recollect as clouds due to evaporation and transpiration. It is the duty of Vayuputra Hanuman, the son of Wind God to see that the water collected in the clouds is redistributed to the same catchment area. The Cauvery basin gets rain from the clouds formed from the water of Cauvery, Krishna basin of waters from Krishna and Ganga basin from water of Ganga. Hence we consider that waters of Ganga are the same even though they are of ages.

The foreigner might have thought it to be ridiculous but as Indians and Hindus it is time to ponder on the words of Sadhu, does not wind pressure causes the South-West monsoon clouds to open up in that very particular catchment area every year? It may be noted that many of our rivers merge with Bay of Bengal. …. So what the Sadhu must be talking is scientifically, geographically and logically correct....isn't it?….. What say??

485. The Era of Instant Coffees and Mid-brain Activation……

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/mysticism/the-era-of-instant-coffees-and-midbrain-activation

A young mother took her school going son to Jagadguru Sri Sri Sri Bharati Thirtha Mahaswami the 36^th and present Acharya in the linage of Sri Sri Sankara at Sringeri Sharada Peetham. She asks the Jagadguru to bless her son to get promoted to the higher class.

“Mother, I can only bless the child to study well since to get promoted to higher class, it is how he studies that matter.” said the Pontiff.

Further he explains the intricacies of how things happen and how we perceive it and why we get disturbed if things do not happen as we want it to. He says there is no Kaarya (Effect) without a Kaarana (Cause), for that effect to happen there has to be Srama (Effort). But there is no guarantee that the efforts put in should yield the exact expected Phala (Success). There could be cases of success achieved without much of effort for which Yoga (Fortune) is the answer. But the Yoga with Yogyata (Deservance) is appreciated since success without sweat is never sweet. Now all he can do is bless the child to study well which would act as motivation for him. He says his blessings cannot do magic to get him promoted if the boy has left the answer paper empty.

In this era the expectation is that everything has to happen in a jiffy and most importantly without any efforts. Is it possible?  Yes, in the outer world it is likely to some extent, we can have instant coffee as against brewed coffee. But is it possible for the inner world too?? Off late the parents of the children around the age of 10 to 15 are restless to admit their ward to Midbrain Activation Programs imported from Malaysia and Singapore. Even this is something to do like instant formula but related to mind and memory.

What exactly is this Midbrain Activation? I was told that Midbrain comprises of Pituitary and pineal glands and a part of central nervous system associated with sight, listening, alertness, sleep and wake. The Midbrain Activation program is to activate the Pineal Gland which is also called “THIRD EYE”. How is it done? It is done with Music and Sound audio. When I contacted some students who attended the course I was told that the music was to stimulate the central cortex maybe like “Ummmmmm”.

There is nothing wrong in admitting kids to these programs but the intention are not right. Any child can be told to chant AUM at home, but it is not so the parents want the child to get admitted to the course and become brilliant students. Milk can go on to be yogurt or clarified butter but a learned person acknowledges the essentiality of both equally though they do have monetary disparities. A child may show interest in art and creativity while the other could have good memory and score will in academics.

Marketing sector does have the inclination to market any product vigorously, first they marketed memory boosters in the malt based health drinks for kids and now it is Midbrain Activation. Midbrain Activation might make the kids to overlook the depth to understand the subject they study instead adopt skimming through books to score good marks. Moreover we Indians are very well aware that nothing can be achieved at snap of fingers, yet there are some parents who forget this and want their children to do well by wave of a magic wand. Hard work with a little smartness and passion to comprehend the subject will do the trick……. What say?????          

if interested to know about "THIRD EYE".......

http://memyinnerthoughts.blogspot.in/2014/01/377-multidimensional-perception-with.html

484. Be a Lifter or a Loader according to the Situation....

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/be-a-lifter-or-a-loader-according-to-the-situational-demand

 

Before the advent of the digital scales which display the weight of the commodity when placed on the single pan, we had balancing scales which had two pans on both side and a needle in the middle to show balance. The one we see in the hands of the blind women depicting justice is just the one. To balance the needle either we have to lift from the pan which has more or add to the pan which has less.

Lifting and Loading are the two acts which have to be selected as the situation demands. One need to be a lifter for those who have burdened their lives with distress, all we need to do is to unburden their sorrow and stand with them at the crisis. But in most of the case we become loaders at that time and put more burdens over them. One successful way to be a lifter is by offering words which help them ease the stress and strain of living and help elevate their self-esteem.

Loading happiness is another act which is necessary to fill joy in those who are desperately in need of them. A spiritual talk of happiness is within and one need to look inside does not work at this juncture. When a person who is suffering and has not yet reached the level of understanding that pain is inevitable and suffering is optional, we need not sermon in front of them. The immediate action is to provide some solace to them at that very instant and when time is ripe they will know that pain is indeed inevitable. It is better if we are not loaders of happiness than being lifters of happiness. When an individual is down and low it is the time for some to pull him further down. It is like rubbing salt over the injury. It is obliging to let the person who is down and low for himself rather than causing more agony to him.   

To be in readiness to be loader or a lifter is to be humane. All of us need loaders and lifters in every stage. Yes, ultimately it is the Absolute who has to take care and is taking care of every single organism in this universe, but He is doing it through this loaders and lifters. That is the reason for us to call the one who has comes to our aid at the crucial time as GOD.

Now if we are acting on the direction of the Absolute, to be loaders of happiness and lifters of anguish then what about those who are loading anguish and lifting happiness? Who is directing them? Is it the Absolute who is instigating them? No, if I am doing such acts which is not acceptable by the mass I am not in connection with the Absolute Consciousness but am doing it with the concern of my Individual Consciousness. My Individual Consciousness has the support of my mind which is aided by my senses and my character {Tri-Gunas namely Satva (Serenity), Rajas (Passion) and Tamo (Ignorance)} it gets the orders from them. Not that its orders are always wrong, but if the Rajo and Tamo Guna is predominant the decision taken could be uncalled for. Even if that decision is consulted by the Buddhi (Intellect) which is always in connection with the Absolute Consciousness the implementation can be avoided.               

Be a Loader of Happiness and Lifter of Anguish………….!!!!

483. Never Fear Death, Anxiety over Death is that which kills you!!!!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/never-fear-death-anxiety-over-death-is-that-which-kills-you

Death is a Transmigration Process. Everything that we see in this world has to get transformed so is our body. Our body is just a mass of matter but the Soul which is the energy within moves on to take other body if it requires. Our scriptures advice us to know the intricate design of nature, in allowing matters to get transformed and energy to transmigrate. So either way the body or the Soul is just changing its positions. What I think is my body is today when the Soul dwells, will transform into something else as the Soul leaves it and the Soul takes up another body which suits it. When this process is happening since aeon why should I be anxious of Death which induces fear????

Clinging to life in this body is the cause for anxiety of death. This is not love for life simply because the one who love to live can accept any body to live on; it is clinging to life in this body which triggers anxiety which triggers panic attack in the fear of death. Anxiety and panic to a certain extent are a necessary part of our survival. However, when their level becomes high they weaken our thought process inducing fear in our mind. At the time of crisis Amygdala, a part of our brain gets activated and it controls the anxious response. In some individuals this Amygdala reacts to anxiety when there is no imminent danger, making it much more likely that they will experience high anxiety and panic attacks.

When we are given the signal to react with anxiety our body produces Adrenaline which is a hormone released by Adrenal gland in high stressed situation. Release of adrenaline into the system can raise the heartbeat, churn the stomach, sweat profusely and aggravate irregular breathing and all this are characteristics of a panic attack. Panic attack is caused by unwanted anxiety that can be avoided. How to not get anxious is not a crash course, off course!!!!!  

One morning Death was walking towards a town and a man asked, “What are you up to today?”

“I'm going to take 100 people.” Death replied.

“That's horrible” the man said.

“But that is the way it is and I do accordingly.” Death said.

The man hurried to warn everyone about the Death's plan.

As evening fell, he met Death again. “You told me you were going to take 100 people,” the man said, “But why did 1,000 of them die?”

“I kept my word” Death responded. “I only took 100 people. Anxiety took the other 900....”

Anxiety is and always will be a fatal disease since the beginning of it signals the end of faith. Anxiety intrudes on Absolute's compassionate ability to provide & protect us. When we allow our problems to overshadow Absolute’s promises, we unknowingly, doom ourselves to defeat. And that defeat was never part of Absolute’s eternal plans. By releasing the regrets of yesterday and refusing the fears of tomorrow one can be safe in His hands……..What say??????

482. I need to be sure there is no recurring deposit to my Account!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/i-need-to-be-sure-there-is-no-recurring-deposit-to-my-account

“Punya Phala Prapthirasthu” (May you be rewarded for the good deeds) says an elderly person while blessing an youngsters. This Punya (virtues) and Papa (sins) which are due to my Agami Karma* accumulate to will increase the account balance of Sanchita Karma Phala*. The maturity of which is very tactfully put on to my next birth. To relish the matured returns I need to come back and along with the opportunity of enjoy them, I make more deposits and this cycle goes on and on and on. 

When I was discussing this with a friend of mine he said, “I do not believe in this Punya and Papa business.” That is how he felt I thought, but in Hinduism that is how it works. Just as my friend did not believe in rebirth there was this foreigner working for a T.V channel who met the 68^th pontiff of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham His Holiness Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal (fondly called Maha Periyava) to get his doubt cleared. When he did get the opportunity he put forth his question.

“Swamiji, I understand the values that your religion preaches are commendable but your ideology of rebirths, punya and papa brought forward from past life and carried our again to the next life I do not feel comfortable with that thought. What we understand is that we get the rewards of what we do in this life itself. Good deeds bring in good benefits and so do the bad deeds get us miseries in this life itself.

Maha Periyava Swamigal who was getting ready for the sandhya pooja at this point asked the foreign journalist to do a favour of collecting some statistical information within Kanchi. He said, “Go to 10 to 12 maternity centers and collect the data of children born 2 days back. I am looking for the gender, health report, parents name, occupation, educational qualification and time of birth.”

The journalist had a car and with the help of a local person he went around and collected the details of 15 new born from 10 hospitals and returned back to the Kanchi mutt. Mahaswamigal asked the gentlemen how many were male and female.

“Swamiji, eight female and seven male” said the gentleman.

“What about their health?”

“Nine of them have no health problem, one is premature is in incubator, three have malnutrition defects, two have jaundice.”  

“What about their parents?”

“Two were the first child of rich couples while 4 were born to laborers and rest middle class parents.”

Now Maha Periyava Swamigal looked at the gentleman and asked him one simple question: “Gentleman, do you feel that this new born had gained punya or papa in the span of two days to experience so much difference?”

The Journalist did not talk.

Swamigal continued, “Now let us momentarily believe that there is no punya and papa and there is no rebirth, in that case all these new born should have been born exactly identical, instead some are healthy while few have health problems. Some are born to rich parents and some to laborers. Even if we adopt them all and give them identical environment and education they grow up to be different according to their IQ. We have to remember all are born in the same day, longitude and latitude is same and they share the same horoscope yet they grow up to be different individuals professionally as well as personally. It is here the concept of rebirth, punya and papa gets its relevance.  We all have taken birth according to our past deeds (karma) and the resultant punya and papa which we have assimilated in our previous births is the driving force behind this birth.”

Journalist started to contemplate on what he had heard and left the room.

“When we depart from this body, our mind should not waver; it should remain like a mountain” says Lord Krishna to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita. It is possible only if there is no fear of sin and rewards of virtues. If I do any work either of them gets attached to it and increase my account balance, is there a means to get redemption from these two? Yes, the one and only way is to do work without doer-ship by just surrendering the outcome to Him.

Now my friend asks me, "While accepting the above said "concept" do you say i need to stay neutral neither doing good nor doing bad?" 

I said, "Do not do bad but do good always, as we all know that as you sow so you reap the resultant of reaping the fruits of the good make you become the "Enjoyer"  simply because you did those action as a "Doer".... A doer always enjoys the resultant fruit. If you do not want your recurring deposit to swell in your account, just shun that Doer-ship."

"How to shun doer-ship" asked my friend.

"By channelizing the resultant fruits towards the Absolute. Hence we say "SRI KRISNARPANAMASTU" ( May this be an offering in dedication to Sri Krishna)."  I said. 

*

Interestingly the word "KARMA" has two meaning "Action" and "Resultant Fruit". Sanatana Dharma recognizes four types of karma operating in our lives simultaneously. They are:

1. Sanchita Karma - (here it is resultant fruit.) Accumulated resultant fruit from past several births. The burden in the account of individual which contains the fruits of both Good and Bad doings in the past lives which has to be exhausted in some point of time in this life span or in those which has to come in future.

2. Prarabdha Karma - (here it is resultant fruit) A part of Sanchita Karma Phala which has been activated in this present life and influencing the course of the life. Though the point is to exhaust them the nature of the actions performed now will decide if it is been exhausted or rekindled to create more to add to Sanchita Karma. 

3. Agami Karma - (here it is action) Karma which is done in this life span which gets accumulated to Sanchita Karma.

4. Kriyamana Karma - (here again it is action) Karma which is done and the resultant fruits is experienced in this life span itself.