Practices for Attunement...

The Goal of Infinite Happiness is so alluring, that even the thought of a state so elevated feels ecstatic. We all feel like the little child leaping to ring the temple bell hanging from the top! We leap and leap excitedly, and even if my fingers brush against the bottom rim of the bell, i feel overjoyed!!

Just a brush with Reality, and sorrow ends, suffering is eliminated, delusion removed. What a state!!!

But, how to get there?

Realisation is not the result of any specific action. It cannot be. That which is the result of actions, is limited. Infinite can't be a result. Infinity is not an action either. Infinity has nothing to do with doing. Infinity is unconditional being. Just being.

But, to experience that which is all-pervading, ever-present, non-dual Reality, i need to be available.
Enlightenment is to be there - in the now, in the here. We need to attune our minds to the Higher. All of human life and every pursuit is only aimed at this divine attunment. Beyond this, words don't work, actions don't matter, feelings don't fit. Through great intense silence of the within a great intense Silence of the within is known silently. It is like being in love. How can any lover say how much she loves her beloved? She is so much in love, it shows on her face, in her body, through her eyes. She is so much in love, her heart beats for it, her breath moves for it, her life lives for it. She is so much in love, she can't stop talking about it, she can't help smiling about it, she can't, just can't not express it. But, she can't express it either! What a peculiar situation it is!!

Such is the state of Enlightenment. Words and actions work in the realm of names, forms and experiences. Truth is beyond. Thus actions become meaningless in the pursuit of the Truth. Yet, there are actions suggested to seekers. Tried and tested means of tuning the mind to the Higher are prescribed again and again and again. Not so that by these we know the Truth. But, so that by these we just stop looking at the untruth. The moment the attention turns inward, Infinity is here, now.

So 3 beautiful techniques of tuning the mind are...
1) Study the Scriptures - Texts like Bhagawad Geeta alone have the capacity and authority to tell us to shut shop with the ephemeral meaninglessness of worldly interests and turn towards the Divine Goal of Life.
2) Have Faith in the Guru - The Guru is that Shiva who holds the onslaught of the gushing and powerful Vedic declarations in His head, amidst the peaceful meditative silence of the within, letting out a small streak of the Gyana-Ganga (The eternal flow of Knowledge) into the world - fulfilling millions of those who faithfully come to take a dip in its sacred waters. Without faith and surrender to the Guru, the dip also has no meaning. And when with faith, one listens to even one word, one statement, one single instruction, it changes everything forever. Faith in the Guru is the greatest game-changer in the world.
3) Worship the Lord - We may make efforts all our life. But without surrender to the Lord and his Grace, nothing can happen. The final leap in Meditation is only a matter of Grace. Every Realised man is a miracle. Every seeker of the Truth is a proof that God exists. Amidst this delusory tempting glamorous world of objects and beings, how otherwise could any of our minds turn to the Truth? It is an impossibility from the Einsteinian view of rational laws of cause-and-effect. It is inexplicable causeless Grace that has brought us so far. And it is that which will take us further....

Such a one, who has lived a life of complete spiritual activity, who has purified his mind through devoted study and determined worship, accompanied by unflinching faith in the Guru, for such a person even Death is one of the myriad incidental unrealities of life. There is no more the fear of death. In fact, death doesn't even remain significant enough to be discussed about!!

A seeker needs to reach such a pure and sacred state of fearless love. Then, and only then perhaps, we can dare call ourselves "spiritual"! What use is our spirituality otherwise if all it does is reduce our negativities in small degrees? Such passive spirituality, cannot define a Seeker. A seeker lives a life of utter fearlessness, thorough love.

Make yourself a seeker today!

Practice: 
1) Daily read one page of Swami Chinmayananda's Holy Gita. I am not suggesting this because He is my Guru. It is REALLY the BEST commentary on the Geeta available today in the entire world literature on this Divine Dialogue between man and God.
2) At least once a week, chant the Guru stotram in front of your Guru or his/her Padukas/Picture. Disciples of Gurudev MUST chant the 108 Names of Gurudev Daily / or at least every Thursday.
3) Light a lamp in front of the Lord every morning after bath. And say a prayer every night before going to bed.

These are small daily practices which will make a big difference to our lives if applied. TRY. Please.

TODAY's REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 20

Unconditional Happiness

To enjoy the enjoyments is normal. To be happy in the company of people is ordinary.
But the spiritual person is he/she who is happy "anyway"!

The one who has realised Oneness has complete understanding that the journey of life is a silent lonely stride from alone to Alone. Such a person knows that companionship is an illusion - a belief which can't ever be taken too seriously! So, the wise one depends on none for his joy. When there is company, he rejoices. When there is none, he rejoices.

Dependency on people is one of the greatest dependencies of our lives. Try thinking of a life without ANYBODY. Most people may get into a sort of depression by the thought of such a situation. What will happen if I live alone? If there is nobody to talk to and nobody to love? The wise person knows that there is nobody even now. Companionship is a myth.
Such a person doesn't need anyone to be happy. He dances to the tunes of life - irrespective of whether he is amidst the crowded millions or in a lonely forest. It makes no difference to him/her. He has no longing to be with someone nor the insecurity to lose anyone. He is not a stone. He is LOVE itself. Love by itself seeks nobody but fulfils everybody. He can give endlessly, serve tirelessly, love limitlessly, and yet want nothing, seek nobody, desire no reciprocation, keep no accounts. Does the ocean keep accounts of how much water anyone takes away from it? Does the ocean become less wealthy when the Sun sucks away water from it? No, it doesn't matter to the Ocean. It is ever complete. Waters of all kinds from all directions flow into the infinite Ocean, and waters are taken out of it all the time. But the Ocean has no need to keep a count. It never gets overfull nor ever turns empty. It is full and fulfilled irrespective of everything. Such is the existence of a spiritual person - so complete, so full, so fulfilled.
If we become thus independent of dependency on people, can you imagine how free, how happy, how empowered it can feel? THINK!

A spiritual person doesn't bother about enjoyment or discipline. Either ways, his life remains a celebration. He needs no break, he craves to recreation, he longs no satisfaction. He is at peace amidst utter spiritual discipline. He is at peace amidst hectic activities of the world. He is at peace amidst exhausting entertainments. He is ever-free, ever-complete, ever-at-bliss.

The expression of that unconditional joy is captured beautifully in the words: नन्दति नन्दति नन्दत्येव
Meaning, he is only happy and happy and happy and happy and happy and happy....and happy!!!

Happiness is in fact the gauge of spiritual progress. Often we want to know how far we have moved in the journey. Sometimes self-doubt clouds us as to whether we are even progressing. At all such times, the best speedometer is "Happiness". A spiritual person cannot be a sad, grumpy, irritable being. (S)He is Happiness. To choose to be happy always and in spite of everything, is being spiritual. How Happy are you?

Quote: 
"There is nobody i can't live with, and there is nobody i can't live without"

"Refuse to be Unhappy" - Swami Chinmayananda

Practice: 
1. Count and smile at least 108 times in a day.
2. Every day, spend at least 30 minutes all alone.
3. Stop Complaining & Worrying.

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 19. 

Life of Vairagya

In the world we find even emperors sorrowing, the rich worrying, the powerful anxious, the man of accomplishment jealous....all are unhappy.
And yet, we see that the true renunciate....who has no comfort, no possession, no attachment, no belonging, walks through life's journey with serenity in his heart, a smile on his face, and flaming dispassion in his life.
In fact, Sureshwaracharya asks a rhetorical question: How can a true relinquisher not be happy?
The one who is complete in himself needs nothing to be happy. Infinite unconditional happiness within is accessed by this spiritual giant. He can lie down under the shadow of a nameless tree by a wayside temple and yet sleep more luxuriously than those fighting sleeplessness in their AC rooms and soft foamy mattresses. He may barely have anything significant to clothe himself, and yet walk around with greater fearlessness than the best of supermodels draped in rich designer wear. His sense of security cannot be violated by possession of enjoyment. He wants nothing. In him, there is no need of even self-control, because he has no urge for anything outside.
This sense of utter dispassion is called Vairagya. This kind of blunt and burning Vairagya cannot be attained by running away from things and people. It is not a sickly disgust for those around us. It is not even a painful abstinence. It is a joyous sense of fulfilment in which all needs and wants become completely insignificant. It is an intense self-sufficiency attained when we taste the richness within. Without insight into the Reality within, it is impossible to gather the courage to ruthlessly drop the enchanting outer world.
But once one finds access to the infinite bliss within, where is any need for anything outside? The purity of a desireless heart is the greatest luxury a human being can experience. His mind is free, his lifestyle simple, his dispassion thorough, his peace non-dependent, his attention inward, his joy unspeakable...
It is important that as seekers of the Truth each of us makes at least an attempt to live such a life of dispassion - not by running away from objects and people, but by re-kindling one's love for the Truth. Even such a sincere try at Vairagya can be more peaceful, happy and free than the greatest of possessions and enjoyments in the world outside. Try!!

7 Habits for Highly Dispassionate Living:
1) Satsang - Regular Satsang is a very powerful way to cultivate Vairagya
2) Simple Living - At least 10 days in a year, one must spend living in utter simplicity
3) Reflection on Texts Like Bhaja Govindam - Reflect on what you read. Without reflection, knowledge remains undigested and makes our personality stink without unnecessary ego of knowing!
4) Lives of Saints - Reading about the Lives of Saints & Sages is extremely catalytic in enhancing our Vairagya
5) Contemplate on the Truth - When we spend time in Meditation & Contemplation on a Daily basis, the mind becomes introvert
6) Moderation - Live a life of balance and discipline - not too much or too less of anything is good.
7) Live Away from Home  - At least once a year, live away from home, in an Ashram for 5-7 days. Home is a great source of attachment.

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 18. 

Value Knowledge

How to get to that so-called goal of life?...How to be enlightened?
Are spiritual practices like charities, religious vows, pilgrimages enough?
Then why doesn't everyone who is religiously ritualistic reach the Goal?
Why are even the greatest ritualists sometimes unhappy within??
Are rituals then meaningless? If not, why are they necessary even?

Pilgrimages are beautiful "journeys within". They are not spiritual holidays as understood today. The purpose is not to gather some sacred memories and freeze them in our click-click-clicks!! A pilgrimage is an opportunity to walk into the Palace of Divinity within, to unravel the mysterious planes of spiritual awakening in ourselves, to kindle in our hearts the courage to walk alone the Path that can only be walked alone. When a pilgrimage is undertaken with such an attitude, it uplifts the mind and accelerates one's climb upon the steep mountain of spirituality.

Religious vows consist of conscious decisions to withdraw from certain dependencies of the mind and/or the senses, so that one slowly gains enough self-control so as to be able to sit quietly and meditate. The greatest obstacle in meditation are our own attachments and aversions. Spiritual vows help in neutralising both of these. In fact, every seeker must attempt some sort spiritual vows at least twice a month or once a year for 30 days.

Charity is not to give away to the needy what we any way won't use. Charity is to offer something we are attached to. Charity must be hard and uneasy. When one overcomes that unsaid hesitation and gives oneself out completely to another, that is charity. Hence, we always offer $101 or $1001 in Dakshina. That extra 1 is to remind us to stretch a little more than what we are generally comfortable giving. Charity is an extremely powerful antidote of selfishness. Thus, one must perform acts of charity - not because others need the help, but because we need the cleansing.

Each of these practices is very powerful in making the mind introvert, unattached and selfless. Only such a mind can experience the Truth within. But, very often, many seekers fall into the false-notion that these practices alone are enough for liberation from sorrow, anxiety, suffering.

This cannot be. Break the myth that the darkness in the room can be removed with a broom. Break the myth that the ignorance within can be cured with any practice. It shall never happen. Ignorance has only one answer, and that is Knowledge. Knowledge of one's own Self, knowledge of the path, Knowledge of the goal - Knowledge that I am Infinite Happiness - that alone is the solution. Don't imagine getting free to be a result of religious rituals. Rituals can cleanse the mind and prepare it. But Knowledge alone will free us forever.

A seeker must never confuse the means with the goal. Practices are the means, Knowledge is the Goal. Value knowledge.

Practice: 1) Commit to Knowledge. Study & REFLECT on spiritual knowledge regularly. Consistent effort to Know Thyself is all we need.
2) Don't treat spiritual books like novels. They are not casual read or light reading material. They have hidden in them what it takes for us to experience our Highest. Take every word seriously, make copious notes, think over what is said, apply the instructions, live the Knowledge. This is not ordinary knowledge, it is Self-knowledge - that which can liberate me.

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 17. 

Take up Tapas….

And finally today, we move on to the next topic in Bhaja Govindam - Austerity or Tapas.
When we walk the path of serious spirituality, it becomes essential that the mind is calm, the intellect clear and the personality free from desires, anger, delusion, false-pride, jealousy, greed or any other pollutant. How does one do it? The answer is: Tapas.
Tapas is a self-inflicted discipline where a seeker forces himself to break out of one's own comfort zones and prepares the mind for independent living.
It is not a pointless attention-seeking self-torture. It is a choice to push one's own limits, raise one's own standards and lift one's own mind.
When we put ourselves through difficult situations, we choose to be strong. When we challenge our own dependencies, we choose to be free. When we decide to go against our comforts, we choose to step ahead… That is Tapas.
Tapas thus is a conscious choice to expand beyond what one is. Tapas is not necessarily to starve oneself of food, or wear a certain type of clothes, or quit non-vegetarian food, or live a particular lifestyle. One may do all this. But if one remains dependent on desires from within, no amount of these external austerities can help. They may still rank better than blind indulgence in pleasures. Yet, they won't be of much avail to the seeker's needs.
On the other hand, one cannot really give up Tapas in its entirety, because without it, it is impossible to rise on the spiritual path or even in the world. If someone has to become a super-model, she has do the tapas of eating right at all times, working out daily, training one's body. Similarly, if someone has to become a spiritually sound person, one has to do the tapas of living in sense-control, doing satsang daily, training one's mind!
So, one cannot give up Tapas. But we see many of us, who live as though amidst great Tapas, but deep within have so much of desires, weaknesses, temptations, bitterness. How is it that Tapas is failing such people? Well, tapas can't fail if done as Tapas. Tapas loses its efficacy when done without understanding.
Tapas has to be conscious and consistent. Here the word consistent is also extremely important. People who climb mountains, don't reach the peak one fine moment. No. In fact, they climb up step by step moment by moment. Every day, challenge your own comfort zone. Yes, every single day - in some way or other, make yourself do things that will raise the bar for you, break your thresholds of tolerance and discover the infinite power hidden within.
Tapas means "that which scorches like fire". Tapas can't be comfortable. Tapas MUST be painful and difficult. Only then it can be called Tapas.  It must scorch us and burn down our dependencies. Such should be the fire of our tapas. And remember: fire makes pure gold.
Many people feel that life itself has enough discomforts by default, and so that is already Tapas and thus more Tapas is not needed. But that cannot count as Tapas because it is choiceless. Tapas is a choice. When I have AC at home, but decide to sleep without turning it on in spite of the summer heat, it is Tapas. But if there is no electricity, and I put up with it, it is endurance, nor austerity. If I am alone all day and do not talk, it is endurance. But when I have people around me, but choose to still stay in silence, it is Tapas. When there is salt at home, but I choose to have food without adding any salt, it is Tapas. When I hate reading, but I choose to read for 20 minutes every day, it is Tapas.
Thus, at this point, Totakacharya is hinting on us to do tapas and do it meaningfully. Tapas is an opportunity to rise. Don't do it mechanically. Do it because it matters, and it may just change your life forever. Tapas will tone up the mental muscles, build the intellectual strength and add to our spiritual stamina. Saints like Swami Tapovanji Maharaj lived all their lives in tremendous Tapas. He would sit bare-chested in the cold windy Himalayas. He would often tie up all the food cooked for him in a cloth, dip the cloth in the Ganga waters till all the salt and spices were washed out and the food had become soggy and tasteless, and then He would eat it!
Gurudev too lived in Tapas amidst everything available to Him. Every single morning, for 40 years, without a single holiday, He woke up at 4am to write letters of love, knowledge and joy. It was Tapas. With 16% heart functioning, He gave talks on Geeta every day. It was Tapas.
Those are the standards our Masters have set for us. They are the very epitomes of Tapas. Let us walk along their footsteps and reach those silent peaks of Meditation were conscious and consistent Tapas has eliminated even the trace of desires.  Try!

Practice: Try Tapas. Do something totally uncomfortable. Push your own limits. Regularly choose to not access a certain comfort and watch the mind become stronger.

Quotes: 
Don't let the passion of comfort kill the hunger of your soul - Rumi
Comfort comes as a guest, stays as a host and then completely enslaves us. - Swami Chinmayananda


TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 16. 

Get ready to grow old

One of the skills that almost everyone wants to learn in life is "Age Management"! So, Totakacharya now addresses the reality of ageing.

Age is inevitable. Like it or not, it will take over. We can use all the anti-aging cosmetics and hair-colours in the world. But, we cannot really prevent ageing. We can at best postpone it a bit. But, finally, no matter how much we cover up and deny, we all are constantly ageing. 

From 10 to 20 to 30 to 40 to 50 to 60 to 70…the journey seems so rapid, that often we just do not know where our lives have gone! And interestingly, nobody likes to age. The entire cosmetic industry thrives on this fact! Yet, all their chemicals together cannot help it. 

The hair greys and goes, the stamina fades, the diseases infest, the senses become weak. It happens...to some at 20, to another at 60, and to yet another at 80. But it happens. 

Ever-green hero Dev Anand too could not really stay ever-green! 

We are all either on our way or already there. Old-age is a reality. But the reality of an unprepared old-age is uglier than we can imagine. It is not really the grey hair or the aching limbs or the wrinkles or the poor eyesight that is the cause of pain in old-age. That is still bearable. What is really miserable are the desires. 

Yes, very often we live under the myth that desires will fade with age. But Bhaja Govindam ruthlessly shatters that assumption. The desire to enjoy, to control, to own, to indulge, lurks in the heart of the old as much as in the minds of youth. The youth at least have the scope and capacity and energy to experience these. What about the old? They have none. 

Imagine that miserable life when the senses crave but the body doesn't permit, the mind longs but the circumstances don't support. It is not to say that the aged cannot enjoy. But how long? Nature snatches away all capacities sooner or later. What then? 

Prepare. Fore-warned is Fore-armed. Get ready for those times when still young. Know that the mind must be trained to live with and without anything. Reduce the cravings and eliminate them. Sublimate all desires for the world outside when you still have capacity. Don't say that since it is temporary, let me enjoy it now. When it is not there too, the craving won't end. If it is on your mind, it will torture you from within. That is what causes age-related depressions and disorders.

Get ready. Live independent. Be ready to drop anything at any time. Mentally detach from the world in youth or as early as you can. Then, old age is graceful and peaceful. 

Quote: They bleed less in war who sweat more in peace. 

Story: A retired Army General asked Gurudev: You are 70+ and so am I. How can you be so active and enthusiastic, while I am weak and dilapidated? 

Gurudev replied: Because when you were young you drank rum. When I was young, I drank "Ram"! 

THINK. 

Practice: 

1) Make a list of things that you are dependent on which you may not be able to get at old-age. Eg. Eatings sweets after every meal, having lots of friends and social life, always looking prim and proper, travelling a lot, eating out 3 times a week, attending all social functions without fail, reading without glasses, sitting long hours on the floor, etc. 

Value your gifts. You may not have them someday. Respect old-age. You will be there someday. 

2) Mentally prepare yourself to live non-dependent on anything or anyone external. Anchor your mind in the Higher. That is the best anti-ageing technique.

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 15

Stop the Treachery!

Down! Down! Down!
Down with the treacherous and the deceitful!
This is what Padmapadacharya says next in Bhaja Govindam!
Why is he talking of such people? Because he sees them all the time, all over the place.

….People who seem to be donning great roles, being inspirations, appearing noble-hearted, pretending spirituality, but deep within, being sickeningly sensuous, lowly and may be demoniacal!
We too see them all the while…journalists and politicians and doctors and judges and sages…everyone of them! They know there is a higher way, a nobler choice, a diviner path. They are not ignorant. They are talking and flaunting it all the time. But, deep within, they have failed…failed to live up to the image they have created of themselves, failed to meet the standards they have set for others, failed to be all that they seem to be.

In fact, the condition of such people is less condemnable and more pitiable. Each of them is like an eagle, who flies higher than most birds, but has its eyes on rotting dead matter on the ground. How miserable can such a life be! How disgustful! It destroys them and the faith of all around them.

One wonders why such people even pretend to be good. Because they "know" that the good are respected, loved, helped, supported. To fulfil their own hungers - sometimes physical, sometimes emotional, sometimes social - they gamble away the most precious part of themselves - their conscience. They know what is right and they know it so well that they can make themselves appear like epitomes of righteousness. But the real person in them is lurking with painful moral-ulcers left unattended for lifetimes.

True, we feel duped and deceived. But, my question today is: Are all of us really different from them?
Don't each of us do exactly what they do - just in different degrees? May be we do not do it publicly. May be do not do it deliberately. May be we do not do it to the extent of getting caught. But all of us are somewhere doing exactly this.

Calling ourselves noble, spiritual, good citizens of our societies, we conveniently cover up our inner demon with white-collared good-conduct and well-dressed decent-behaviour. But is that enough? Are we really living up to the ideals we appear to be believing in? THINK.

We talk of Bhaja Govindam and Shankaracharya. Great ideals. But fail to make small sacrifices in life. Shankaracharya left home at the age of 8!! Do you think that child would have never felt the need to just hug his mother? Do you really think that 16 year old would have never felt the pang for a relationship? But he made a choice. And so he rose.

We all want to rise high. But want to let go of nothing. Literally nothing. How are we less deceitful then? We are seen in Satsangs, we read great books, make profound Facebook posts, share inspiring messages, but live animalistic lives!! Then, my dear friends, the disgust of Padmapaadacharya is not necessarily for the man or woman who is caught being deceitful. It is for each of us who live ugly private lives with impressive public images. THINK!

So is this meant to make us feel miserable about ourselves? No.
It is to bring to our notice that we "know" the higher, but "do"the lower. The ignorant can be forgiven. Not the wise who act stupidly in spite of the wisdom. So what may be done now?
Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam! Choose always the higher, the better, the nobler way over what is convenient. Live uncompromisingly. Muster the courage to sacrifice and suffer for the sake of Seeking the Divine and Serving the Lord. Be the Hero that you are meant to be.

If we manage this, we need nothing more. Life's best unfolds before such courageous spiritual-soldiers who can slash their own weaknesses, temptations and attachments with ruthless swords of discrimination. Live such a life that when you walk out into the world, you have nothing to fear, nothing to hide, nothing to show. You are what you are. Not an insignificant fool in the ocean of the masses. But a man/woman who has the courage to have the highest of ideals and live up to them. Stop the Treachery! Lift your standards. Sacrifice your comforts. Live your best!

Quote: 
"To give up the Higher for the lower is compromise. To give up the lower for the Higher is Sacrifice"
- Gurudev

Practice: Live What You Believe. Every Moment. Raise Your Beliefs. Every Day.

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 14.

The Boat of Satsang, the Storm of Worries

How to cure the worry-disease?
Treatment always begins with diagnosis. So why do we worry?
Because we all want to BECOME HAPPY! Yes, this is the greatest paradox of life. We worry because we want to BECOME Happy!!!
And why do we want to BECOME Happy? Because deep within we feel that we are not happy now and here. This sense of incompleteness that haunts every person living on this planet, is called Bhava-Arnava (The Ocean of BECOMING)!
And this is so enchantingly poisonous, that drunken in delusion, intoxicated by desires and over-dosed on sense-pleasures, we keep drowning deeper and deeper into it every day. In such a situation, to expect from ourselves not to worry, would be meaningless!
But this seemingly impossible upward trek of the Spiritual journey has only one hope as though…Shankara says, "Sajjana Sangati" - The Contact with the Truly Noble.
Nobility is contagious. Bliss is infectious. Peace is transmissible. So, Shankara says that the Contact & Company of the Noble is one of those infallible boats which is sure to take us across this unfathomable Ocean of Becoming. Hence, dear friend, wait no further, come on, hop into this simple-looking boat, enjoy the ride, stay untouched by the waters and reach the other shore of Everlasting Peace.

Satsang is no guarantee against tragedies of life. Sitting on the boat doesn't ensure a storm-less ocean. But Satsang ensures that we will not drown in any storm, that the waters may splash on our face, but won't manage to engulf us in their force, that we will safely enjoy the slight toss and turn but won't get overturned by even the biggest waves! Satsang empowers us from within.

We eat right diet, take supplements and exercise regularly so that our physical immunity & strength is maintained. If immunity becomes low, we suffer from many diseases. Satsang strengthens our spiritual immunity, and makes us strong against the winds of life.

Satsang is the anti-dote of worry. And haven't we all experienced that the heaviest of sorrows seems to become as though manageable when we have the company of a good friend? If the company of a mortal being can do this to us, what to talk of they who are Divinity itself!
Hence, once again Shankaracharya urges us to approach a saint, sit with a Guru, spend time with the noble-hearted, and just be in their company.

Is just company enough? We often see that people who seem to hover around saints and sages, are brutes within. But, if they are thus in spite of Satsang, imagine what they would be without it? Snakes don't become non-poisonous because they hang on to Shiva's neck!! But yes, they are much safer than the wild cobra in the jungle!!!

So, the efficacy of Satsang is unquestionable. A vicious dacoit Ratnakar became Valmiki because of contact with Naradji. An ordinary Narendra became Vivekananda because of contact with Sri Ramakrishna. It is in Satsang that we see someone who lives ever without worry.

And do you know another secret? Humans are great mimics. Whatever we see, hear, watch, we automatically start doing. So, if you have a colleague who uses foul language, even in spite of being the most decent man in the city, you end up using some of those words invariably! Similary, when we see, hear, live with Divinity, our behaviour, vision and life becomes divine.

Anecdote:
A person once told Gurudev: Don't worry Swamiji, all the work you have given to me, will be done.
Gurudev drew him close by the collar and said: Have you ever seen me worried? :)

He never worried. NEVER. Can you imagine a life like that?
In His company, we come to LIVE such a life.

Practice: 
Maintain an Inspiration Journal. Write down little things you learn from any Satsang in it. Not general theories. But things that touch and inspire you…which are close to your heart. It may be a quote you liked a lot, a poem that stirred your within, an SMS that lifted your mind. Document your Satsang. Whenever you are worried, read your inspiration-journal, and you will see how you are instantly lifted! That is how Satsang makes life worry-free. :)

TODAY's REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 13. With this verse, we complete the bunch of 12 verses + chorus, which are originally composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya. Coming up next are 14 verses composed by Disciples of Shankaracharya in that moment of utter inspiration after listening to the melodious discourse of their Guru...

Don't Worry!

AIDs, Cancer, IBS, Diabetes, Cardiac-diseases, Hypertension, Chronic Back-pains, Adult-Acne, Sinus, etc are epidemic lifestyle diseases across the world today. But from a Higher standpoint, these are all only symptoms of a much bigger epidemic called "F.A.S.T."!
F.A.S.T. - Fear.Anxiety.Stress.Tension!
Body is susceptible to diseases. That is physical and natural. But, how much that disease manifests and affects us is directly proportional to how much we suffer from F.A.S.T.
So, today Shankara says "Why Worry?"
The first thing to note is: Worry is not a response. Worry is a habit.
We are not worrying because of the economy, the job, the relationship, the person, the maid, the car, the obesity, the wrinkle, or anything. We are worrying because we can't not worry! That is why we see that even after retirement, when sometimes there is everything one can ask for, one still worries! If there is nothing to worry about in one's own life, one worries about neighbours, country, news, everything!!
We are in fact so used to worrying that if everything goes alright, we get worried as to why there is nothing to worry about! I remember that right before a mega-event when I told someone that everything was done and alright, she said "oh! that's strange! i feel worried now…!"
You see, how ingrained this worry-syndrome is in our system? And when we worry, we not only harm our physical health, but we adversely damage our spiritual strength too!
A person who worries has no rights to call himself/herself an atheist or a devotee. One who knows that the Lord exists, will never worry. Think!
So, Shankara reprimands such ridiculously thoughtless people amongst us by rhetorically saying, "My dear mad fellow, Isn't there a God for you?" "वातुल किं तव नास्ति नियन्ता"   
This is one of those expressions that each of us must keep in our hearts at all times. It is like the ultimate lift-me-up for all of us who live a life infested with F.A.S.T.
After all, what are we worried about? The family? The money? The society? The world? The Future? Are we really responsible for any of these?
Do we even realise that we are not even taking care of our own body by ourselves? Who digests the food in the stomach? Who ensures that the heart beats? Who even ensure that the blood clots when we get a cut? Me??? I can't even run my own body, and I believe I have to run the family, the office, the life, and so I am worried!! God must be laughing at such stupidities.

Story: There was an old woman in a village who owned a rooster-cock. Every morning, the rooster would crow at sun-rise, and the whole village would wake up hearing it. One day, the old-woman had a quarrel with the villagers and decided to leave from the village forever. When the villagers heard this, they got WORRIED! They couldn't sleep or work or eat, and suffered terrible anxiety. Finally, they had a peace-meeting with the old-woman asking her not to go, because: If you take your rooster and leave, how will the sun rise in our village!!! :)

It is funny, but how are we different from the Villagers? THINK!
We too believe that every sun-rise in our lives, whether it is the new job, the promotion, the relationship, the property-issue, or whatever, depends on some or the other rooster in the world! Not realising that the Sun and the Skies and the Earth are all illumined by Him, who made the rooster!! THINK!
It does't mean we have nothing to do or that we can sit back in idle faith. Our intelligence and abilities are His gift to us. So Act Intelligently. Put your best foot forward always. But then, sit back and watch what happens!
It is important to realise that we MUST do our best in every situation. But having done our best, we MUST also leave the rest to Him. Finally, it is He who we and our world belongs to! To worry in spite of Him is to insult Him. THINK.

We teach our Balavihar kids a song which is also my personal favourite: "My God is so great, so strong and so mighty…there is nothing my God cannot do!!" 
He who makes the Sun rise, the birds fly, the children grow, the breath function, will he not be able to handle our little problems? Why worry?

It is said that in the Mahabharata War, there were total 18 Units (called Akshouhinis) of warriors - 7 on the Pandava side and 11 on the Kaurava side. If we calculate the technical figures of each Akshouhini, we realise that there were almost 3.8 Million Warriors on that Battlefield! Can you imagine that many people assembled in one single place? Even a gathering of that magnitude can be stressful!! And this wasn't a pleasant gathering! It was a WAR. Just think of the tension afloat in the atmosphere. Amidst such a situation, there was only one man in the entire battle-field who was smiling. It was Krishna!!

He never worried. Why should we?
If I see even a trace of agitation, stress and anxiety in my personality, it means my anchoring in the Higher is weakened. It means my faith is losing grip. It means I am forgetting Him who smiles as my very own Consciousness in my very bosom.

What to do and how to get rid of the worry habit?
Shankara will answer that tomorrow!

Quote for Today:
"Without God, I can't. Without me, God won't. God + Me = We Can, We Will"- Gurudev
"After we have done all we can to Make It Happen, we need to then just Let It Happen." - Guruji

PRACTICE FOR TODAY:
1. Take any old visiting card and write on its blank side: "वातुल किं तव नास्ति नियन्ता"
Keep it in your wallet or at your altar or work-desk. Read it every time you are getting into F.A.S.T.
2. Every day, light a small lamp in front of the Lord of your heart, and resolve not to let worry overshadow your faith.
3. End your day with a short bed-time prayer, leaving all worries in the hands of God and SLEEP PEACEFULLY.

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON VERSE 13 OF BHAJA GOVINDAM. 

Seek Now, Evolve Today….

When we sit in an aircraft which is flying at the speed of 250 miles per second, we don't even realise the movement. Time too flies…at an unimaginable speed! And we who are carried around in time, foolishly believe in stability!! So Shankaracharya lifts the window shutter a little, so that we get a glimpse of what really is going on…
Silently, time is passing and engulfing an entire lifetime. We do not realise when we grow up. We do not realise when we grow old. We do not realise how hours turn into days. We do not realise how days turn into months and months into years. And one fine day, it will be time for each of us to say goodbye!
The idea of mentioning the temporariness of life or the momentariness of time, is not to turn all of us into some pessimistic philosophical idlers! But, the point is that yes, Time is powerful, fast, and unpredictable. Time is a bad motorist. It rarely signals before taking a turn. So this is an alert! Beware, Time is passing! Understanding time must allow us to value it.
How do we value time? By knowing that there is no unimportant day. Yes, never. This day is what will be your week, your month, your years, your lifetime. Each day is an opportunity to evolve. And how do we spend it? In mundane and meaningless pursuits, in ephemeral entertainments and engagements, in drab desires and empty cravings, in inappropriate attachments and noisy broodings, we spend an entire lifetime, ending up exhausted and empty at the doors of Death. What use is such a life?
And do you know why so many lives are thus wasted? Not because we do not know what better can be done. But because we feel that can be done "later"!!! We wait the entire week for the weekend, we wait the entire year for the holiday, we wait entire life for Happiness.
We keep feeling that there are other urgencies and emergencies to handle, and that life can wait. Spirituality can happen later. Evolution can be taken up when everything else is done with. But everything else never gets done! Life gets done! THINK!
One must do duties, enjoy life, take care of others, see the world…all this is important. Shankaracharya is not denying you anything. But Shankaracharya says something simple: Don't lose what is most important for what is just important.
:) Hope we know the difference.
Right now we are all mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, friends, students, employees, employers, citizens etc, who are also spiritual seekers. Shankara is asking us to just reverse this identity. Let us be spiritual seekers who are mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, friends, students, employees, employers, citizens etc, and that will make all the difference! Today, now, shed off the lethargies of the mind, renounce all ordinary living, and get committed to seek Your Best, Your Self. Why delay? Roll up your sleeves and tie up your belts. It is time to walk the Path.
Seek the Eternal! NOW. TODAY.


Gurudev writes:
Life is at Time's mercy …In not recognising this, we desire to enjoy the sense-objects, strive, sweat and toil endlessly to acquire, to possess and to aggrandise - to hope, to spend… And death snatches away everything in a moment. …We are compelled to leave everything here - and with painful bundles of vasanas acquired in our desire-ridden selfish life, we miserably depart. How sad! Indeed, how tragic!!
THINK!
Life steadily ebbs away, but desire fed by the sense-gratifications only grows the more and more. Body decays and becomes infirm; it has grown to have no more strength to enjoy, but the (wo)man hungers all the more for sense-enjoyments. Death crawls behind; disease and decay accompany him/her. Piloted by worries and anxieties, this mournful procession reaches the edge of the grave….Still the (wo)man wants the joys of the pain-ridden objects. Be wise. Give up desires. Seek the all-satisfying Reality that lies behind the mental show of change and sorrow. The Infinite alone will satisfy you. Seek it with a mind withdrawn from the fever of all passions.

Practice:
1) Consciously refrain from useless activities which have no meaning in your evolution and life. Eg. Gossiping, Watching Idle TV Serials, Cribbing, etc.
2) Get organised. Research shows we waste almost 1/4th of our lives searching for things we don't remember where we have kept. What a waste! Save that time! Get organised: A place for everything and everything in its place.
3) Strictly do not procrastinate. When we procrastinate in our daily life, the mind gets used to putting off things for later. Such a person will end-up procrastinating one's own evolution too.
4) There is no unimportant day. Don't let a single day pass in such a way that you would regret if you do not wake up the next morning. Each day is a new opportunity to head forward on the divine pilgrimage into our Self.
5) Every day, do at least one act of prayer, one act of love and one act of wisdom. Minimum one of each.

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 12

Pleasure, Prestige, Power

Spiritual Masters and Business Leaders all over the world have agreed that the most stubborn block between me and my Happiness is Ego & Attachment. Various techniques, methods and approaches are given to overcome these most difficult-to-overcome obstacles of the sacred pilgrimage of life.
Here Shankaracharya gives a solution: Think, Discriminate, Know

So Shankara points out the 3 commonest factors which feed the ego and attachments of our lives:
1) Pleasure - enjoyment of wealth and all that which it brings with it - THINGS (Dhana)
2) Prestige  - popularity, control and love of people - PEOPLE (Jana)
3) Power - personal power which comes with age, capacity and strength - ONESELF (Yovana)

The more of these makes us greater, happier, more celebrated. The less of these makes us lost in life.
Achievers and non-achievers are graded on these scales. But how reliable are our scales?
Shankara says "Barely"!
One wink of an eyelid and it can all be snatched out of our lives! And yet, how conveniently we depend our happiness, peace, self-respect on these ephemeral fancies of life.
Often we watch in the society that the rich become poor, the young get old, the famous infamous. They who have, lose. They who don't, achieve. Power, pleasure and prestige have no permanent address. Dhana, Jana, Yovana have no loyalty towards anyone. They will leave us any time - often without a notice. If life is merciful and lets them stay on with us, Death will snatch it all away in a wink. We may be devotedly wedded to them, but they belong to none at all. We all know this. But somehow we believe that ours will stay ours.

These become the source of our self-worth. People feel devastated, get into shock, become clinically depressed and commit suicide when they lose these. Why? Because we forget that these are "permanently temporary".

We can say all this in Satsangs. But the world only values those who have these. How can we not achieve them? Shankara says: Achieve, achieve, achieve. Just don't get attached. That's all.
The world may respect those who have these, but the world remembers them who live well.
Finally, how peaceful i am in life, how undisturbed I am at death, and how happy I am always -  depends on how detached i am NOW.

Focus on living well. Think of the Higher, the Permanent. Develop non-dependency on these fleeting parades of pleasure, prestige and power. Achieve them and yet be detached. Never depend on them. They are like the modern-day house-servant/domestic-help... You never know when they will ditch you for a better owner!! Show them their place! Be strong enough to live amidst these but free of these.

One interesting thing is that this sense of dependency on power, pleasure and prestige has nothing to do with the the fact whether i have it or not. Story of Janak Maharaj and Shvetaketu vividly reveals this. Janak Maharaj was unperturbed even when his entire palace was so-to-say on fire. And Shvetaketu ran in despair in search of his begging-bowl lying in some corner of the palace! What an irony!! THINK.

Practice: 
Write an autobiography of 200 words - describing yourself without any reference to your personality(talents, skills, physical/emotional/intellectual qualities), achievements (what you own, what you have earned, what is bought and what you have), people (family, friends, social life, popularity, staff, control). Think who are you without any of this!!! TRY! :)

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 11. 

Make the World Disappear!!

So far, Shankara was talking to us about ourselves, and that remains His main concern.
But, today he tells us what to do with the world that causes us so much pain, agitation, sorrow, disappointment. So what is Shankara's solution?
Shankara teaches us Magic!! Yes, he tells us to Just make the world disappear!!
Whoa!!! How? To know that, we have to first understand the World, as Shankara means it.
Shankara is not teaching us to make the trees, the mountains, the people, the buildings disappear. That's cheap trickery! No, let them be because they are not the cause of sorrow. That is God's creation. It is beautiful and beneficial. It is called Jagat - this wonderful world.
Shankara tells us to make "our" world disappear - that which is called Samsara - the painful personal world each of us lives in. It is the relationship I establish with the Jagat. It is my own attachments and aversions with the objects, people and situations of the Jagat. It is the world which exists only in the projections and perceptions of of my mind. It is this inner-world where I operate out of. It is this Samsara which is the cause of my suffering, never the Jagat.
A man swimming in the Ganga spotted a beautiful silver-coated walking stick floating in the river. He swam towards it and caught it immediately. As he swam back to the banks, he got caught in a terrible whirlpool and almost died. The stick slipped his hand in the midst of the struggle and went away with the flow of the river. Finally he managed to save himself somehow and swam to the bank. Having reached there, one could here him weeping bitterly till late in the evening in sorrow of the lost stick. The stick was, is and will be in the river. By itself it is harmless and innocent. But having considered it his own and then gotten attached to it, the man suffered. This is Samsara - it is my own personal world. The stick is never the problem. My Samsara built around the stick is.
Shankara tells us: Make this Samsara, this intricate personal world, disappear.
How? With clear thinking and Self-knowledge. There is no other way to end this Samsara-trap. It will engulf us totally and leave us drained and dissipated. The only way to safety is clear thinking.
When Knowledge arises that this Samsara is a product of my own mind and has no power other than that rendered by me, the Samsara gets disempowered. When a kid enters his room and there is no light, the ghost in the room scares the kid so much that he feels he never wants to go back to the room. But when the Mother comes and switches on the lights and the child sees clearly, the ghost and all its powers disappear. And the kid sits in the same room and happily plays.
Similarly, till the light of Knowledge is not brought, the darkness of ignorance makes us suffer the ghost of Samsara. But when the Light of Knowledge is lit and I see clearly, the Samsara-ghost disappears and its power to make us suffer is gone forever! We can then just play in this world (Jagat) happily ever after.
Knowledge thus is the antidote of the suffering. Knowledge will make me aware that objects, people and situations by themselves can't cause me sorrow unless I make them a part of my Samsara. Suffering is caused by my false projections of joy & sorrow on them.
Vedanta is not against the world or living in it. Vedanta says let it be. Don't get attached to it nor let it become the cause of your suffering. Think clearly and destroy the Samsara.
When the vigour of youth is gone from a person steeped in old age, lust has no sway any more. When the water has dried up to the last drop, there is nothing left to call a lake. When there is no wealth and power, there is no popularity and social life. And when there is KNOWLEDGE & CLARITY, there is no more the scope of Samsara. Samsara is the dirty stink coming from the dustbin of ignorance. Remove the trash within. Ignorance is the trash. THINK!

Practice: 
1. For every person, situation and thing that causes you hurt, fear, stress, sorrow and anger, think what he/she/it does to a stranger in another part of the world. If it doesn't affect others but affects me, it means there is no suffering in it, but it is in my mind.
2. Every night, spend 10 minutes consciously thinking of everyone and everything that form a part of your Samsara and consciously distance yourself from them.
3. Situations are a part of Jagat. Suffering is a part of Samsara. Samsara is a par of your mind. Every time you are suffering, remind yourself that this suffering is a product of the mind. And you can use the same mind to withdraw the projection also!
4. Study Vedanta. It is the only Science in the all of the world's spiritual literature that gives us the kind of Knowledge and Clarity which teaches us to make peace with the world by falsifying it and without running away from it.

QUOTE: 
"You are not lost in a dream, but you are dreaming that you are lost. Stop dreaming!" - Gurudev
THINK!

TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 10. 

Satsang…

At this juncture, the compassionate teacher in Shankara can as though feel the restlessness in the hearts of all sincere seekers who have been reflecting on his instructions in Bhaja Govindam. One common cry in each heart is, "You are absolutely right O Guru, but how do i do it?"

The steep rise of the spiritual path, the practices suggested, the transformations indicated seem rather impossible for us to scale. We are not super-humans. We are ordinary people, with little selfishness, lot of ego, mundane attachments, worldly desires, silly expectations, massive limitations and full of ignorance. We don't even have enough purity to consistently appreciate and walk the rocky road shown by spirituality. Irrespective of the clothes we don, irrespective of whether we live in an Ashram or at home, irrespective of how many shlokas of Bhaja Govindam we can sing from memory, we all have our set of apparently unsurpassable restlessnesses and unsurmountable resistance. To transform into a person so noble, so pure, so selfless, so devoted, so detached…seems only imaginary. And this desperation kills the seeker in us every day. We start feeling like it is impossible for people like us to accomplish this magnanimous journey in this life. Silently we surrender to our own weaknesses and limitations saying "Better Luck Next Life!"

It is this sense of burning desperation in us that Shankara is addressing now. He knows that what he has spoken is fully accepted by all of us, but perhaps wholly implemented by none. Not because we respect the knowledge any less, but because we just don't know "How to do it"! So Shankara introduces now the MOST POWERFUL technique in spirituality, which is sure to bridge the gap between knowing and doing. And that technique is "Satsang".

Yes, this may sound really too basic to even speak about. But this is Shankara's solution to our desperation. Satsang means inspired companionship. It is not just sitting next to a Guru and staring unto Him. It is being in the companionship of His/Her teachings at ALL TIMES. But that also surely is not easy. The inspiration we receive in the companionship of the Guru and His/Her teachings fades away amidst the onslaughts of life's situations again and again...

Yes, that is why, I need "Inspired Company" which is also Satsang. Regularly being exposed to intense inspiration through a spiritual talk, a class, a book, a discussion is very important. But what is MOST important is consistency. Be regular. Choose one way of being connected and pursue it at any cost.

But why Satsang? 
1) The inspiration of a noble person (a Sadhu) is contagious. When you keep meeting, serving, listening to such a person, the inspiration in him/her gets invariably rubbed into you.
2) Someone who is devoted and commited to a spiritual life develops a certain strength of mind which can act like a crane and lift our minds also to great heights of inspiration
3) When we watch someone live the knowledge, our conviction becomes stronger. Conviction alone translates into action.
4) The vibes of the presence of a Spiritual person act like a fortress which can protect us from the various attacks that our own weaknesses and limitations constantly make on us.
5) In such Inspired Companionship(Satsang), one slowly detaches oneself from the old patterns of behaviour (Nissangattvam). When we begin to thus let go of old mental habits, we are able to understand ourselves and our lives better. (Nirmohatvam). Such a person who has no wrong notions about himself/herself can become calm and balanced. (Nischalatattvam). And when we thus gain such an inner equipoise, we are able live a life free from sorrow, anxiety, suffering, stress forever. (Jivanamukti).

Thus Satsang is like an automatic elevator. You just have to take the first step, and on its own it reaches you to the top!!

Something to Reflect On:
1. Those who say they have no time for Satsang because they are too busy with their own lives is like someone saying they have no time to fuel the car because they are too busy driving! THINK!
2. Gurudev went all the way from Kerala to Himalaya for getting the Satsang of Tapovanji Maharaj. How far are we willing to go?

Practice:
1. Start giving priority to Satsang. Know that the very secret of your transformation lies in Satsang. Make time for it. Never reject it.
2. Commit to some form of regular Satsang. Don't make it dependent on your mood.
3. Whatever you learn in a Satsang (Inspired Company), make sure you diligently live it without any compromise. Make Inspired Company into Inspired Companionship.
4. Pray for Satsang. That is a truly rare blessing. If I get Satsang, I will be empowered to get everything else on my own. And Satsang cannot be achieved without Grace of God.
5. Lastly, Whatsapp isn't enough. Nothing can replace a live face-to-face spiritual meeting. Seek Satsang, dear friends! Don't settle for the meagre. A phone can't ever do to me what the eyes of a Guru who looks into my soul through my eyes can do! THINK!!!

(TODAY's BLOG IS BASED ON VERSE 9 OF BHAJA GOVINDAM)

Life Examined...

Today Shankaracharya asks each of us a simple question: What is your life all about? 

Simple, but if you think about it, very very very pertinent and profound. 

What is each of our life all about? We pause, breathe and say "Ahem! Depends", which actually means "I don't really know!!" or "Haven't really thought about it yet!!"

If we analyse our lives, we realise that life has been all about…having fun, loving people, facing fears!!! That's all!!! And the problem is not having fun, loving people, facing fears. The problem is "That's all". 

Shankara draws our attention to the way we are spending our most important resource "our life"!

Childhood days pass "having fun" with playthings and playmates! And yes, in that sense, many of us remain children all life…having fun, playing around, passing time! Youthhood just goes away in meeting, mating, lusting and loving people/things/jobs/dreams…! And no matter how much we want, nobody can stay in this stage forever. Old-age catches up sooner or later. And then, the rest of our lives is spent worrying, whining, boasting, blaming, remembering, reiterating and constantly struggling to face our greatest fear "death"! Have you ever thought if this is all that can be done with something as precious as a life? 

Buddha thought. When he saw the old, the sick, the dead, he asked, "Is this all?" and life was not the same for him ever again. 

Shankara is not against enjoying life. He is not interested in snatching the toy from the kid, the toyota from the youth or the tensions from the elderly. He understands that these are natural engagements of life. All he says is "Do something meaningful too!"

How? Have a purpose, a mission, a goal. Seek Perfection, Seek Divinity. Bhaja Govindam! Don't walk by this planet just in birth, growth, decay, death. Even animals do that. EVOLVE. 

Learn, grow, serve, seek, think, know… Being born human is alright. All of us are born human. But accomplish the journey. Don't die human. "Die Divine" That's is the main reason you and i are put in here. That's the main program. Rest of everything is just the advertising! Watch it, enjoy it, but don't miss the program for the sake of the ads!!

Story: A saint saved a drowning boy's life. The boy was filled with gratitude and said, "What can I do for you?" The saint replied, "Make the life which I saved worth being saved!" THINK. 

The breath that goes out comes back into our body. The junk we shovel into our systems in the name of food gets digested every time. Every night I sleep, and every morning I wake up. Each of this is a miracle in itself. Our life is a miracle. To waste a miracle in mundane living is to use a diamond as a paperweight! THINK. 

Water is being wasted, fuel is being wasted, electricity is being wasted, money is being wasted…we are all concerned. What about life being wasted in mundane living? Anybody bothered??

If we have to organise a birthday party, we plan, make lists, schedule everything perfectly to ensure that the party goes on well. Life too is a party, what's your plan? How are you going to ensure it all goes on well? We plan our holidays, our projects, our finances, everything. But live life without a plan or a purpose. THINK.

Planning is not to know that one will marry at 26, have kids at 30 and retire at 60. That's not a plan!! You will do this anyway. What is the main thing you are going to do with this wonderful gift - Your Life? What is your purpose? Decide before it is too late… 

Practice: Take time to think and write down in clear words: The Mission of Your Life, the Motto of your Life, Your Highest Priority. Write what you really mean, and live by it for the rest of your life. 

Quote: "An unexamined life is not worth living" - Guruji 

…Body-Worship!

Interestingly, the topic discussed next in Bhaja Govindam is: Body-Worship. 

Shankara condemns this tendency in the humans to become totally attached, identified, engrossed and engaged with the body. Even the nearest and the dearest, even your own life-partner, dreads and discards the darling body of the beloved spouse, when once life has ebbed away from it - points out Shankara. 

Even those dearest to us - for whose body we seek the best of comforts - AC Rooms, ICU, health food, etc - those dear one’s bodies are burnt or buried as soon as there is no life-factor in it. The body by itself is such a worthless bundle of flesh, blood and bones!

Just because it is packaged well, we get totally attached to it!

To spend one’s entire lifetime in sheer bodyworship, in earning more so that this futile worship may be made more elaborate, is one of the abominable intellectual stupidities into which humanity readily sinks. This body will not remain forever, nor will it serve with equal efficiency for all times. It will perish, and it must. 

Keep it clean and beautiful, feed it, clothe it, wash it. To sweat and toil, to fight and procure, to feed and breed, to clothe and shelter the body - are all in themselves necessary, but to spend a whole lifetime in these alone is a criminal waste of human abilities. For, ere long it is to grow old, tottering, infirm, and, in the end, die away. 

Idea is not to make us pessimistic about life. But to ensure that we don’t fall for the exaggerated value and attention that we give to the body. 

Take care of the body, use the body for service of humanity, divinize your journey in this body, but don’t consider it “the” whole personality. Don’t brood and contemplate on the body. 

Many may say, who does that? 

May be we dont directly do it. But many of us spend so much time choosing clothes & jewelry, deciding creams & perfumes, discussing diets & diseases!! Why? It is because the body is dearest to us. It is not wrong to learn and follow a right diet, wear good clothes, use cosmetics. But let them have utility value. Don’t make them a part of your self-image. Let these not determine the state of my personality. Do you know: more people die of depression caused by obesity than those who die of obesity itself?? One pimple makes us stressed! Every polished surface we see, we make sure we check ourselves out and style our hair ONE MORE TIME! An 80-year old is told she can’t walk, and she is so irritated, she becomes suicidal! But wasnt it always meant to be like that? Body WILL decay? We know. And yet,...we can’t get it! Why is oldage and death still a surprise? Why are we still shocked when someone we know drops the body? Why does a disease still pull down my morale? It HAS TO happen. We know. Yet, we react like it is grave injustice! Weird, isnt it? 

We are not saying neglect the body. Take care. Be well. Stay beautiful. Exercise a lot. Eat well. Drink plenty of water. Take right medical support if needed. 

But at least STOP living as if that is all that matters! Diseases come and go. Body ages and dies. One day, this body WILL ditch me...in stages or suddenly. Let life be based on something more reliable & lasting! 

Practice: 

Refrain from any unnecessary discussion on body/body-related matters. What we talk of, we get attached to.

Visit a hospital once in 3 months - if possible, the cancer ward. Talk to them who are terminally ill. By helping them accept the FACTS of the body, you will learn to accept it yourself. 

Visit a cremation-ground at least once in a year. Watching the body being discarded is a powerful reminder to the fact that “THIS TOO will pass”

Keep the body fit. Do your best for it. Only when we are sure we have done all we can, we can let go. 

Don’t let diseases of any one overwhelm you. Cure it or endure it. But do not let it engage the mind too much. What you think about, grows. 

Reference: 

Read: VAIRAGYA SHATKAM by Bhartrhari Maharaj - Translation by Swami Madhavananada published by Ramkrishna Mission’s Advaita Ashram. 

Think to Evolve….

(As per popular request, starting today, we will be mentioning the reference verse for the post. As mentioned earlier, it may be a good practice to look at the verse and the commentary in the book while reading the post. It is not NECESSARY or COMPULSORY).

Today, Shankaracharya prods us to embark on the most significant and most neglected activity of our lives: TO THINK!
How is thinking a neglected activity? Are we not thinking all the time? Yes but the problem is that we use our thinking ability to make profits, play politics, concoct gossip, build plans, select vegetables, decide dates, manipulate people, etc. Our thinking is utility-based and gross. By Shankara's standards, this doesn't qualify as thinking at all. Thinking about people, objects, emotions, situations is not really thinking. Shankara says Think of yourself, your life, your purpose. When thinking is directed inwards, we evolve.
Shankaracharya says: Think to Evolve! That is called "Chintan"!

Shankara thus encourages us to think over the pivotal questions of life. Where have I come from? Where am I going? What is my identity? What is my relationship with the world around? THINK!

Many people ask: Why do we have to think so much? Just go with the flow!
We need to think so much because we are not animals!! Animals go by impulse, human beings by wisdom. It is only the human being who has the ability to think subtly and discriminatively. Let's not waste it in just thinking which dress to wear for the party or which share to invest in. That's ok. But...
Think with a purpose. Think with depth. Think with direction. Think to evolve.

The fact is most of us don't like to think. There are various reasons:
1) We are outright lazy! Intellectual sloth is a world-wide disease. People don't want to take the trouble to think and analyse their own selves, the world they live in, the God they pray to. They don't mind spending 3-4 hours everyday passively watching TV, but don't seem to have the time to spend 30 minutes daily thinking about their own lives. It is important we identify and shed off this intellectual inertia.
2) We are not motivated enough to think. A lot of us do not just see the point! Why the hell should I think? It becomes important we realise that our entire life is designed by our thinking. We consider stress natural, sorrows obvious, suffering mandatory, because we do not realise that on the other side of clear thinking is bliss infinite!
3) We love the comfort of our ignorance. For many of us, thinking is painful because somewhere deep within we know that if I start thinking clearly, I will lose all my wrong notions and false ideas, and sadly I don't want that to happen. It is important that as people we gather the courage to give up our old ways and live the best life we can because opportunities like a human-life don't happen very often. To renounce fallacious thinking is true Sannyas.
4) We lack intellectual stamina. We just have lost our ability to pursue deep thinking for sufficiently long for it to reach any definite logical conclusion. We start thinking, and then give up midway. How often we hear ourselves say, "I am tired of thinking so much"! The law of the mind is: Use it or Lose it. Study of scriptures is a powerful way to train the mind in clear and systematic thinking, and thus cultivate intellectual stamina.

Everyone sees apples fall. But Newton thought about it. Knowledge arose. Everyone lived as slaves for centuries. Gandhi thought about it. Freedom arose. Everyone saw the idols at Dakshineshwar. Ramakrishna thought about it. Love happened. Everyone was anxious about the war. Arjuna thought about it. Geeta flowed. Thinking leads to growth, learning, freedom, peace. Right, clear, meaningful thinking is the key to lasting Happiness & Success.

So, Shankara says, spend the day thinking over what really matters. Think with the help of scriptures, under guidance of a Guru, in a scientific manner. Think because when we Think, we evolve.

Quotes:
"Time can make us grow old. But it is thinking that brings about maturity." - Gurudev

Suggested Activities:
1. Write a blog or a journal! Writing forces the mind to think clearly.
2. Join/Form a discussion group and regularly meet & discuss life, identity, purpose.
3. Spend time in solitude. At least once a year, live alone for a week. Solitude is very conducive for right thinking.
4. Go for Nature-walks. Walk amidst the greens. Yes, research shows that exposure to nature helps inspire a person to think about oneself and is a great aid in evolution.
5. Wake up early. Early hours of the morning offer a charged ambience and have a magical impact on our ability to think & evolve. Early-risers are better thinkers.
6. Embark on systematic spiritual study. Whether spirituality inspires us or not, study of scriptures surely trains the brain. If you can, sign-up for a spiritual class or study-group. If you have no direct access, study online. Chinmaya Mission and several other organisations offer online/postal spiritual courses. To join a Chinmaya Mission online/postal course, go to www.chinfo.org

(TODAY'S POST IS BASED ON BHAJA GOVINDAM VERSE 8)

Productivity & Power

Topic for today is Productivity! Yes, it is our ability to contribute, to give, to earn, to support, to care, to be of utility value - that is being spoken about today. 

Life has various stages. 

It is said that in childhood, we have no money, no power, but enough time. 

In youth, we have no money, no time, but enough power. 

In middle age, we have no power, no time, but enough money. 

In old age, we have neither money, nor time, nor power!!

Funny as it may sound, fact is that productivity and power are deeply inter-related. When I am productive and can contribute in someway, I am wanted, loved, respected, listened to, accepted. But when I have nothing to give back, when age or circumstances incapacitate me, even the best of sons can come and spend a few hours with me as a duty, but I am not any more as powerful as I used to be. 

And this is one of the greatest causes of age-related depressive disorders. People go through terrible bouts of depression and even suicidal tendencies when they are rendered non-productive and thus powerless. No longer is everyone listening to us, no longer do I have control of any kind. All my loved ones are slowly coming to accept my powerlessness and moving on - but I can’t move on, I feel miserable that the same people who loved spending time with me are not around any more. What happened? 

Bhaja Govindam says: Don’t be shocked! THIS IS LIFE. 

Bhaja Govindam is not condemning the ways of the world. Shankara is only making us aware that these are not issues of any particular person, or generation, or nation. These are universal facts. People finally can care for us only so far as we are productive. Nature does snatch away our ability to contribute some time. Even if one works on after-retirement, how long? Shankara says, don’t bother. Do your best, knowing clearly that all the power, pleasure and prestige that has surrounded you is only for your ability to contribute & remain productive. The day i lose this capacity, I am useless for the society, even for the family!! They may care for me, nurse me, love me - but the power ends. 

I am no longer taken as seriously. I am no longer obeyed explicitly. Slowly I am no longer even asked for my opinions. I am no longer so powerful. So, don’t be too overwhelmed by what you have, how popular or loved you are, or how productive you are. Know that this too will pass. It will. 

Know that old age will come and snatch everything away, if on the way some mishap or disease or accident hasn't managed to do it yet! Be wise. Know this. Let them all go. Don't be disilusioned when the world kicks and rejects. Even the best of people have suffered from this. The world worships only the rising Sun, never the setting sun. Know this. Don't be surprised, or sad. Smile and say, Ï knew it! 

But work on... 

One asks, what is the use of it then? Shouldn't I stop doing my duties then? Shouldn't I stop earning, achieving, succeeding because it is all temporary? 

If the world won't value me later, if the children may move on when I am useless, why should I serve or love any one? Is there a need to take care and sacrifice so much for this world, this community? 

Yes! Not so that they will value me later, but because I am born strong! Remember, every bird leaves its nest and flies away into unknown skies some day. But, never does a mother bird weep over the fact that she has nobody to support her in her old-age! Live free! Live strong! But be aware of facts & stay focussed on the Higher! (Seek Divine - Bhaja Govindam) 

Gurudev says it best: 

“No doubt, let all the young men/women seek success in life. Let them strive, struggle, and adventure forth. Let everyone earn, save, give, and thus serve as many as possible around in the community and nation. But these are to be considered only as hobbies; the main occupation of life should be the art of self-purification, the craftsmanship of seeking Perfection. The real achievement is to be gained in one’s own personal inner contemplation, so that even long before the world comes to reject you, you can reject the world of activities and retire into a richer world of serener contemplation and more intense self-engagements." 

Practice: 

At least once a year, for minimum 5-7 days, just go and live in an ashram like a SANNYASI - without much to do with the world of activities. No phone, no email, no newspaper, no TV, no radio, no people. Just 5-7 days....Experience rejection!! 

Wake Up! There is no time…

Today Bhaja Govindam has an alarm to ring! Life is too uncertain, body often attacked by diseases, mind infested with ego, world full of painful experiences...WAKE UP!!⏰ Imagine a tiny dew drop, shivering amidst the winds, hanging on for dear life and sitting on the slippery leaf of a lotus flower in a lake. Just a whiff, and it would be gone!!! Shankara says, our lives are exactly as uncertain as that!!! 

One wonders what's up with Shankaracharya! Why think such pessimistic stuff on a fresh & beautiful morning? What we don't understand is that Death isn't pessimistic. We feel it is a negative or pessimistic topic because we can't accept that it will happen to us, and ANY TIME. In Mahabharata, Yudhisthira says "The greatest wonder in the world is that we see someone dying almost everyday, but live as though we wont die!" Ok, accepted we all will die. But why worry over it now? Shankara isn't asking us to worry over anything. He is just doing a reality check! ✔He is asking us to LIVE READY. Always! 

Value life. Respect Death. Be in a situation that if we meet Death NOW, we can smile and say, "Cool! Let's go!" instead of bargaining and begging for some more time. Can we? THINK!

We all want to do something good, turn to spirituality, spend time with family, thank our parents, appreciate the spouse, connect with nature, pursue a hobby, meditate, study Geeta, exercise daily, apologise to friends, forgive enemies, help someone, think about God, give up anger, become fearless, live with a purpose, make life meaningful, pray, sing, love, learn, smile, share, give,...but later. 😣😳 Later? REALLY?? Are we sure that we will have a chance later? Shankara warns us right now: DO IT NOW, or it may be NEVER! 

Not only could death be waiting to meet us at any moment, even while living, life suffers with ego-centric desires, momentary pleasures, painful experiences and all sorts of diseases! Its not strange. Life is meant to be that way. SEE IT CLEARLY. 🔎 Don't waste time complaining. Grab the opportunity. Get a grip. 

Time is short. Opportunities few. Life uncertain. World pain-ridden. ⌛

Okay, so? YES, that's the question to ask. So?

1) Don't take anyone for granted. 

2) Don't take life for granted.

3) Don't postpone doing what is right.

4) Don't waste time doing what is wrong.

5) Don't be surprised by painful experiences

6) Don't complain about diseases

7) Don't ever despair 

8) Don't sweat the small stuff

9) Don't ignore the big stuff

10) Don't postpone your happiness and evolution ever!

11) LIVE LIFE TO ITS FULLEST NOW…you may not get a chance later!

Practice: 

1) Make a to-do list of 11 things you want to do before you die. Do it all NOW. 

2) Think how much time you invest into non-essentials(things that won't even matter if you were to die NOW. Someone said something they shouldn't, the car has a scratch, one more grey hair...!! Is it really worth your time when Death could be just round the corner? Let go of non-essentials.

3) Write your own obituary. If you were to die NOW, how would you like the world to remember you as? How would you like your obituary to sound? Are you living accordingly?? Think! 

Quote: 

"Don't add years to your life, but add life to your years" -GURUDEV

"Don't live the same year 70 times and call it a life." - Robin Sharma

"Many people are dead at 30 and are only cremated at 70. Don't be one of them." - Anon

Pleasures & their Pressures….

The next topic Shankara addresses is "Sex"

WHAT?? ...one gasps! What does Shankaracharya have to say on something so sensuous? Well, all he says is "Be Human"

Human beings are meant to be inherently intelligent and discriminative. That sets them apart and above all other beings in the entire creation. To indiscriminately indulge in any pleasure, to remain helplessly driven by our lusty cravings, to fall for every passionate impulse, is, very decently put, ANIMALISTIC. Human beings are supposed to be graceful, controlled, aware. 

To the Hindu Thinkers, sex is not a sin. We r the only religion in the world which has a scripture dedicated to this natural pleasure of life. It is called Kaama Sutra. NOTHING WRONG.

But the uncontrolled rage it brings with it, is dangerous. 

And honestly, Shankara is not discussing sex at all. By mentioning it, he is indicating ALL INDULGENCES...food, sleep, electronics, alcohol, talking, anything! Over-indulgence in such pleasures leads to diseases & dissipations at body-level, delusion & attachment at mind-level, and weakening of the discriminative ability at intellect-level. Will-power becomes ineffective. It dissipates the personality completely, makes us overly impulsive, leaves us with mere animalistic behaviour. THINK.

But Shankara doesnt ask us to refrain from Sex or any pleasure. No. All he says is "INDULGE INTELLIGENTLY" So the advise is to do chintan - think deeply, objectively, clearly. The idea is that we need to wake up to the fact that Indulgence is good, but it is limited. It wont give me the peace n happiness i am looking for by default. It will tickle my senses, please me for a while and go away. Hence, i must intelligently invest myself into indulgence, and save the rest of me for pursuit of some joy more lasting,...rather eternal. 

Enjoy, indulge...but also THINK. Be Human. Humans alone can think! Ready? 

Practice: 

Enjoy consciously. In and through all indulgences, keep reminding urself: True...It is TEMPORARY!"

Quote:

Who says there is no joy in sense-pleasures? ...but, it is temporary! -GURUDEV

Wealth & Dependency

Shankara then discusses about Wealth. What is wealth? "Worldly possessions"

So it isn't just the money and the house. Its EVERY"THING"!

But Shankara isn't telling us to leave it all or to give up the pursuit of wealth or to stop enjoying it. Not at all! In fact Shankaracharya says "Earn & Enjoy"!! 

But what Shankaracharya asks us to renounce is the insatiable craving for possessing wealth!! 

Why? 

Because wealth is never enough. It is important in order to live life. In fact, in our culture, we worship wealth in the form of Mother Lakshmi. But an insatiable lust for worldly possessions is also what causes stress, crime, corruption. 

Here some analysis would help...

Why do i want Wealth? 

To enjoy myself n be happy!

But if wealth takes away my happiness n makes me selfish and stressed out, is it still worth pursuing wealth?

Some of us educated people may say "I am not after wealth". But dont we all want the latest phone/car/dress/jewellery/etc? How is it different?

Our lifestyle becomes our identity. So much so, that if we cant afford the MacDonalds and the Dominos, or send our children to the best International Schools, we start losing confidence, feeling miserable n helpless...as if life otherwise is not worth even talking about!!!

For the sake of wealth, we sacrifice our Family, our health, our values, our peace of mind!!

We feel so deluded by wealth that we feel we can do anything if we have money.

Our dignity as human beings is determined by how much wealth we possess. So we talk of "class" and dont interact much with ppl of another class!! 

Loss of wealth sometimes even makes some people suicidal!! Can you imagine! 

"A place for Everything and Everything in its Place" they say. It is NOT WRONG to own wealth. But it is important we know its place. 

We need to keep wealth rightly placed. It IS VERY IMPORTANT. Without Lakshmi, even Narayana can't run the World. 

Desiring wealth also is not wrong. Why not? 

Artha(Pursuit of Wealth) is one of the 4 most important human goals as per scriptures. So yes, "Earn & Enjoy"! But DO NOT DEPEND. 

Dependancy Tests-

1) If all my wealth is taken away n i become a pauper, will i be able to smile and say "Its ok. We can do it again. May be not as much as before. But we can"? If i can, it shows that i know that human potential means more than money power.

2) At least once in a year, live in an ashram for a week - WITHOUT COMFORTS & LUXURIES - like ordinary people do. N watch how badly you miss the wealth. Then u will know how dependent on wealth you are.

3) During the month of Shraavan or any holy month, instead of not eating, try NOT SPENDING. Dont touch or transact in cash or card at all. See what happens!! We suddenly realise how much we depend on our "Spending Power"! It gives us all a great sense of security to be able to just spend! THINK

4) When you do charity, always force urself to give a little more than you are comfortable giving. That's the reason, in our culture they always add 1! So if u can give £100 or $100 or Rs.100, give 101!! The idea is to give a little more than what is comfortable. See yourself losing a little bit of that which the mind is attached to.

5) Share what you are attached to. If it is the house, offer it out for some community service (eg.a Satsang). If it is the car, offer it for some community use once in a while(may be to take patients to hospital). Idea is, when i share what i am attached to, i realise how possessive i m about it. A small scratch, a little misuse makes me hate the very person who may have caused it!! Think!

When we realise our dependency, it is important to make efforts and think clearly. Life is not to be taken for granted. Anything can happen at any time. If i lose my dear ones, what will i do with all this wealth n comfort? Will it still be worth it? Will my bank balance really matter to me on my death-bed? I wont be able to take along a single thing! Then why am i constantly living dependent and stuck to such stuff? 

Earn & Enjoy! But never be overwhelmed. Remember, Narayana can't run the world without Lakshmi, but Lakshmi is always at His feet!

Practice: List down 51 things that you have which money can't buy. Yes, it should be 51. Not lesser!!! Try.

Quote: The Most Valuable Things in Life are not Things - Guruji