Hundreds of scriptural verses, thousands of Vedic texts, millions of inspiring satsangs may be undertaken. Yet, often we find that the seeker remains incomplete - struggling against his own mind in the realm of stubborn attachments, fierce fears and meaningless delusions.
This can be frustrating for the ones who are making a real attempt. And by the time one crosses the 23rd verse, after waiting months and months, and reading the same thing told again and again in different ways, sometimes a sincere seeker can very justifiably lose all her patience, and even get a little upset with the Teacher!
But that is the very test of the spiritual seeker. Bhaja Govindam says: Bhava Samachittah - Be Evenminded.
Impatience is the enemy of spiritual growth, because revolution happens overnight, but evolution is always slow and silent. Patience is the way of nature. Flowers bloom slowly. Sun rises slowly. Clouds move slowly. Grass grows slowly...
Sadhana is a journey of slow silent blooming. To replace the beast in by the best in us, is not easy. Consistent, dedicated, patient effort needs to be put in every moment. Negativities, false notions and attachments gathered over millions of lifetimes have to be slowly cleansed out.
We often complain that we are doing Satsang and Sadhana for 15-20 years and yet are not able to reach the Goal. What is 15-20 years of cleansing compared to the filthy grime of old vasanas and wrong tendencies seething and rotting in us for so many lifetimes? Be patient.
Nobody reaches the mountaintop one fine day. They climb up step-by-step every day. With great love, great faith, great wisdom, great clarity, great commitment and great consistency, one has to try to lift oneself everyday.
The higher we rise, the steeper it gets. As Sadhana progresses, every slip will become more dangerous than ever before. Walk with care. The only slip in Sadhana is to allow the mind to lose its Equanimity. That is why at this point, Bhaja Govindam warns us against impatience. That is why Krishna says in Geeta : Samatvam Yoga Uchyate - Equanimity is Yoga. That is why the only real Sadhana in life is Calmness, Equanimity, Peace.
Peace is too difficult a thing to gain and too precious a thing to lose. No matter what happens, do not lose your peace.
Everyone talks about "Keep Calm". That's doable. Try to "Live Calm" - amidst the maddening traffic, with the irritating spouse, in spite of the boring job, the killing mortgage, the awful breakup, the fat body, the disgusting neighbour, the bad business deal, the annoying mother-in-law, the stupid law-and-order, the irresponsible government, the insensitive society, the financial crisis, the crime, the corruption...the everything. Just LIVE CALM.
Living calm involves HARD WORK - every day of sweat, blood, tears. Living calm involves sacrifice - every day of letting go of pleasures, comforts, joys. Living calm involves a life of total commitment to just one thing: Sama chitta - calm mind.
Only a calm mind can be truly selfless and fearless. When all the disturbances in the mind have been eliminated, nothing more needs to be done. Happiness is here and now. Infinity is here and now. Truth is here and now. Divinity is here and now.
One instantly experiences the Absolute Oneness - the substratum of the entire Universe. the Cause of the infinite Cosmos, the Reality behind the Unreal Samsara!
Pujya Gurudev writes: "In order to develop the mental equipoise, one must strive to filter away from one's mind all the existing vasanas. This is accomplished through
1) dedicated action,
2) devotion to the Lord,
3) service to mankind,
4) contemplation upon the Highest, and
5) constant study and reflection. "
Let's try.
TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON VERSE 24 OF BHAJA GOVINDAM.
This can be frustrating for the ones who are making a real attempt. And by the time one crosses the 23rd verse, after waiting months and months, and reading the same thing told again and again in different ways, sometimes a sincere seeker can very justifiably lose all her patience, and even get a little upset with the Teacher!
But that is the very test of the spiritual seeker. Bhaja Govindam says: Bhava Samachittah - Be Evenminded.
Impatience is the enemy of spiritual growth, because revolution happens overnight, but evolution is always slow and silent. Patience is the way of nature. Flowers bloom slowly. Sun rises slowly. Clouds move slowly. Grass grows slowly...
Sadhana is a journey of slow silent blooming. To replace the beast in by the best in us, is not easy. Consistent, dedicated, patient effort needs to be put in every moment. Negativities, false notions and attachments gathered over millions of lifetimes have to be slowly cleansed out.
We often complain that we are doing Satsang and Sadhana for 15-20 years and yet are not able to reach the Goal. What is 15-20 years of cleansing compared to the filthy grime of old vasanas and wrong tendencies seething and rotting in us for so many lifetimes? Be patient.
Nobody reaches the mountaintop one fine day. They climb up step-by-step every day. With great love, great faith, great wisdom, great clarity, great commitment and great consistency, one has to try to lift oneself everyday.
The higher we rise, the steeper it gets. As Sadhana progresses, every slip will become more dangerous than ever before. Walk with care. The only slip in Sadhana is to allow the mind to lose its Equanimity. That is why at this point, Bhaja Govindam warns us against impatience. That is why Krishna says in Geeta : Samatvam Yoga Uchyate - Equanimity is Yoga. That is why the only real Sadhana in life is Calmness, Equanimity, Peace.
Peace is too difficult a thing to gain and too precious a thing to lose. No matter what happens, do not lose your peace.
Everyone talks about "Keep Calm". That's doable. Try to "Live Calm" - amidst the maddening traffic, with the irritating spouse, in spite of the boring job, the killing mortgage, the awful breakup, the fat body, the disgusting neighbour, the bad business deal, the annoying mother-in-law, the stupid law-and-order, the irresponsible government, the insensitive society, the financial crisis, the crime, the corruption...the everything. Just LIVE CALM.
Living calm involves HARD WORK - every day of sweat, blood, tears. Living calm involves sacrifice - every day of letting go of pleasures, comforts, joys. Living calm involves a life of total commitment to just one thing: Sama chitta - calm mind.
Only a calm mind can be truly selfless and fearless. When all the disturbances in the mind have been eliminated, nothing more needs to be done. Happiness is here and now. Infinity is here and now. Truth is here and now. Divinity is here and now.
One instantly experiences the Absolute Oneness - the substratum of the entire Universe. the Cause of the infinite Cosmos, the Reality behind the Unreal Samsara!
Pujya Gurudev writes: "In order to develop the mental equipoise, one must strive to filter away from one's mind all the existing vasanas. This is accomplished through
1) dedicated action,
2) devotion to the Lord,
3) service to mankind,
4) contemplation upon the Highest, and
5) constant study and reflection. "
Let's try.
TODAY'S REFLECTION IS BASED ON VERSE 24 OF BHAJA GOVINDAM.
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