Hari
OM
Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!
By
now your little workbooks ought to be expanding! Noting all the technical
words, keeping track of saadhana, … charting the vices and virtues and how they
play their part in your life. Maintaining the workbook (or spreadsheet or other
such recording mechanism) is part of Self-care. The whole basis of spiritual
practice and philosophical exploration is Self-care. The little self may stamp
its foot and protest the need for such an exercise, but the Self which is the
true observer, the actual you, will thank you for the care.
It
is trusted that you have been applying appropriate mananam to each of the items
given thus far; taken them and held them up to your own intellectual light,
turned them, 'tasted' them and tested them. This is mananam.
One
thing ought to have become clear. The
greatest hurdle to happiness is the personality… or to put it more correctly,
the mind. From next week, we shall be taking up the fundamental principals of
Vedanta (guided by the book 'Kindle Life') and in due course, the make up of
the mind will be approached. (This is where it would be truly useful for you to
have a copy of the book in your possession… check back to the Friday 14th Nov
post for links for purchase of one.)
Today,
though, a video to bridge the gap.
Swamini Vimalananda here presents a clear and entertaining discourse on
what is mind and how it rules us. Some
of the facets already covered here at Aatmaavrajanam will be spoken of, so there
should be a sense of familiarity. It is
hoped that you will at times go "oh yes I recognise that word, or oh yes
we noted that…" At other times of
course, it will seem foreign and esoteric.
This is as it should be in a learning situation. It is no good the student coming along and
saying, 'oh I know all this'! Even what
you think you know, if you are listening carefully, can be advanced and
strengthened.
This
is of one hour and eighteen minutes duration. If you cannot sit right this minute to listen,
then do please use the 'watch later' function. Give yourself the care, and
swami-ji the respect, of listening the full length. It is a practice of shravanam. Take notes if you wish. There will be new
technical words along the way. Don't worry, we will cover them later. There are
also some mutterings in Hindi; swami-ji always makes clear her point so do not
be distracted by this.
Most of all, enjoy the lively presentation and take on
board this notion….....
"Mind is mine alone to master".