A Path To Take

Hari OM

Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!

The Narada Bhakti Sutra is our guide for a while… the nature of Love (with the capital 'ell') and a full exploration of it. As always, you are encouraged to seek out the full text from Chinmaya Publications (links in side-bar); but for those who prefer e-readers, this version is recommended. Whilst awareness and interest can be raised by these posts on AV-blog, they cannot substitute for a thorough reading and contemplation...and practice!
 

Chapter 4, Section 1, The Practice of Bhakti.

Sri Narada now launches forth eloquently on the benefit of bhakti-marg over any other path to the spiritual goal of unions with the Higher.

ANySmat! sael_y< _a´aE.58.

Anyasmaat solabhyam bhaktau ||58||

Than all other paths, devotion is readily available (attainable).

A straightforward statement. There are many ways to approach spiritual life and within Sanskrit tradition they are clearly defined, but of these, the path which many folk find most amenable is that of devotion. That it, within its definition, also has the variety already discussed, it is clearly a spiritual tool to suit all types of personality and social position. Indeed, bhakti is perhaps the primary tool for one who is stuck in tamas and seeking to raise themselves out of its hold.

If we look again at the other paths and what is entailed, this ease of use according to the sutra will be more readily understood.

Those who follow jnaana-marg, the study of Vedanta, with serious intention, must develop the saadhana chatushtaya for daily living; viveka, vairaagya, shamaadi-shat sampatti and mumukshutvam. All the study of texts and contemplation of them will amount to nothing if there is no physical application of the principles laid out within them and it is the saadhana which provides this opportunity for the eager shishya. However, it is no simple task, this constant self-observation and adjustment. It requires quite some dedication.

Then there is raja-marg, the path most people refer to when they use the term 'yoga'. It is the path of the mystic and encompasses hatha, tantra, ayurveda and other aspects, all of which pertain to perfecting and purifying the physical entity - making a temple of the body. It requires a certain level of already good health, a conducive environment and is, on the whole, the domain of the moderately well off for there are costs involved in such maintenance. There must also be the desire to become a flesh pretzel!

Karma-yoga is the fourth path. In this the practitioners must have the eagerness and willingness to take action, but in that action loosen all sense of 'doer-ship'. Karma-yoga is the surrendering of all our thoughts and deeds to the will of the Higher, dropping the ego and any expectation of the fruits of those labours. The instant we allow any thought of "see what I did" to enter, or have any expectation of recognition, even if it be a simple clap on the shoulder, our ego is setting itself up for disappointment. Certainly when accolades arrive, they must be absorbed and acknowledged, but again, without ego.

None of the paths is mutually exclusive, but it can be seen that of the four, bhakti does not require of its adherents anything other than devotion. Love with the capital 'ell'. The most egoistic personality, when it comes to spiritual matters, is capable of at least some of this, whilst the other three paths would be a major challenge. The lowliest worker and weakest thinker in the world may not be able to act appropriately, exercise or eat well or apply correct cognition to benefit from jnaana - but that person can Love the Lord! This is why temples and rituals became necessary. Everyone has the right to live a spiritual life and that there are many ways to do so is a wonderful thing. Even better, bhakti can be practiced even whilst following the other margs and, what is more, they are enriched for the presence of the Love Divine… Love is recognised by all, in many guises and even when it is in the mean, small, human way of 'love' of things and people, it is still, when all is said and done, love and something to work with.

This is explored a little more in the next sutra.

Great Love

Hari OM

Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!

The Narada Bhakti Sutra is our guide for a while… the nature of Love (with the capital 'ell') and a full exploration of it. As always, you are encouraged to seek out the full text from Chinmaya Publications (links in side-bar); but for those who prefer e-readers, this version is recommended. Whilst awareness and interest can be raised by these posts on AV-blog, they cannot substitute for a thorough reading and contemplation...and practice!
 

We now move on to Chapter 2, Section 1, which has three sutraani giving rationale as to the greatness of Bhakti. The first two are very closely linked, so will be given together here.

sa tu kmR}anyaege_yae=Pyixktra.25.

Saa tu karmajnaanayogebhyo-pyadikataraa ||25||

)lêpTvat!.26.

Pfala-ruupat-vaat ||26||

That (Supreme Devotion=Bhakti) is indeed as a technique, even superior to the paths of action, knowledge and disciplined contemplation.

(Because) it is of the nature of the fruits of all yogas.

The four yogas/paths for attainment of spiritual perfection are Karma (action), Bhakti (devotion), Raaja (aka Hatha - keeping body disciplined) and Jnaana (Knowledge). It is generally accepted that each sadhaka must find the path which suits their circumstances and temperament best. Each yoga, quite naturally, will put arguments forward as to why it may be considered better than others - but this can only be true if the seeker is fitted for it. Any worthwhile and dedicated seeker will actually give all a chance in order to find the best fit for themselves - at no time is another to be considered greater or lesser, actually. The goal of all paths is exactly the same, only the means differ.

By extension the same can be said of each religion. As long as the focus is the Higher, whether we choose to worship in a church, a mosque or a temple is irrelevant. The importance is that faith, hope and charity flourish. In applying these, each individual can raise themselves spiritually. Even, it may be said, those who proclaim agnosticism or atheism, if they apply the highest human principles which can still be said to be the three (ie faith - in the basic good of human nature; hope - that all the human race can improve itself; charity - caring for other humans around one), can benefit from the teaching of Narad-ji. For you see, the one thing which underpins all of these is capital 'ell' Love. Let us think a little more…

Karma - this path is not only within Hinduism; in every community we find that those who act selflessly are revered. Awareness of one's activities and dedicating them to the betterment of one's family/community/nation is Karma. Do we not all know people like this? Do we not measure ourselves against their actions? Whether or not they proclaim a faith structure as the anchor for their actions matters not. What is important is that they had the Love inside to act selflessly.

Raja - no doubt keeping the physical being as healthy and fit as possible, treating the body as the temple, enables our actions, frees the mind from worry about health and is a very visual indication of dedication. Again, this is not just an Indian thing - all cultures value physical fitness, is it not? Not always unselfishly though and there is danger of it becoming very selfish, in fact. In and of itself, it benefits only the practitioner - however, if they are feeling well, they are more likely also to be feeling happier and that is generally better for those with whom they socialise. The greatest benefit from Raja, however, is when the love for the physical is practiced with, and transforms to, Love for the Higher.

Jnaana - where in the world is knowledge not considered worth the having? Nowhere. The term 'jnaana', however, is rather specific to Hindu tradition in that it refers to capital 'k' Knowledge of the Self. In working towards that, all other knowledges will accumulate. The Sanskrit tradition is that complete Knowledge was given in gurukula and there was no separation. Somewhere in history, the material knowledges (science, art, engineering etc) got separated out as being of more value to life. The science and art of living became something of a casualty. Jnaana-marg requires that we reconnect with the original purpose of study and to do this we require an element of Love for the Higher possibilities in life.

Bhakti - Love, however, stands alone. It is present in each of the preceding when they are working at their best - indeed it could be said that the first three are empty and pointless without the presence of Love - but Love Divine can be present without the other three. Each of the first three are saadhanas which require specific actions, tools, methods, understandings and so forth. Love only requires to 'be'. Love has to be present for selfless action, for applied dedication of the body and for the subject being studied. Love is therefore already present and waiting to be taken up; Love must remain for full benefits to be obtained; and Love continues even when the other three are done. Love is an expression of Higher Self.

This is why Narad-ji argues Bhakti is the greatest after all. Even the heartiest atheist cannot argue against pure, unselfish, no-ties, unconditional, all-encompassing Love!

$ñrSyaPyi_amanÖei;Tvat! dENyiàyKtTvaCc.27.

Iishvarasya-apy-abhimaana-dveshitvaat dainyapriyak-tatvaat-cha ||27||

Also because of God's dislike for egoism and because of His love for meekness.

The Guru furthers the argument with the authority of the Divine itself. Iishvara is the name given to the god-principle with which the majority of the world is familiar - the God with human-like qualities and therefore having preferences for our behaviour. However, even if one does not accept a theist view, the concept of ego versus humility is not difficult to accept as a guiding principle for our own behaviours. The minute we allow ourselves to become vain about the good actions (…"after all I've done for them!"…), over-proud of our physical disciplines (…"see how many reps of gym I can do?!"…), or possessive of our knowledge (…"what does s/he know? I have so much better understanding"…) we are in trouble!

It is not that we cannot have a sense of worth and value in all these things. We must. However, the moment we start to feel the pricks of competition, jealousy, arrogance and so on enter our thinking with regard to what we are doing, we are lost to our ego. Egoism doesn't have to mean bullying and boastfulness - it can be the inverse, whereby self-esteem plummets and we are all the time thinking everyone else is better than us. It is still seeing life as a competition allowing our ego-self to dictate our nature and, from the psycho-spiritual perspective, this is very unhealthy. 

Love Divine does not wish this upon us. Love Divine can bring us out of such bleak behaviours. All that is required is surrender of that part of the ego which seeks to separate us from living fully in the shining light of Love.

...And So We're Told.

Hari Om

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

During this week, Chinmaya Mission You Tube has been broadcasting live sessions with Guru-ji giving talks on Yoga Vashishta Sara SangraH; his own distillation of the massive Yoga Vashishta into an 'essence' of 86 shlokas only. The absolute highlights, if you will, of the teachings of the Guru Vashishta to an unnamed shishya. The focus of the teachings is given, as always, in the mangala charana (first shloka) and it is clear that this is a text of some advanced level, for it goes pretty much directly to the key goal of the spiritual seeker... attainment of The Knowledge of Truth of the Singularity of Existence. 

This can seem a grandiose and mighty claim. However, by presenting us with the Sara SangraH, Guru-ji has truly brought big concepts down to a level for even moderate readers of Vedanta. The second shloka, according to tradition, advises what type of student is likely to gain the greatest benefit of the text. It is so clearly defined, that it could, in fact, stand for the entirety of Vedantic study.

अहं बद्धो विमुक्तः स्याम् इति यस्यास्ति निश्चयः| 
नित्यन्तमज्ञो नो तज्ज्ञः सो$स्मिन् शास्त्रे$धिकारवान् ||
aham baddho vimuktaH syaam iti yasyaasti nishchayaH, 
naatyantam-ajno no tajjnaH so'smin shaastre'dhikaaravaan.

He is qualified to study this scripture who has an understanding of "I am bound - let me be liberated"; (also) who is neither totally ignorant nor a Knower of Truth.

This is being brought to light on today's post as it is such a good general-purpose verse. Firstly it addresses those who, at some point in their own journey, have stopped and raised their hands to the sky and wondered deeply, meaningfully, with ardour and intent..."Is there not more to life than all this which drags me down?!" The recognition of being caught up in so much which holds no lasting joy and that there is surely another way of living is what underpins the philosophical search.

Further, there is again the hint that if one genuinely desires that liberation (or at least has a curiosity about it), it is going to require some brain power. This is not a 'pay and play' bit of software! The info-bytes need not just to enter the storage area of the mind, but be pulled out by the intellect and thoroughly examined and tested. Such enquiry requires thinking. Controlled and applied thinking. There is also the suggestion that an absolute beginner may find themselves out of depth if they do not take the correct steps. No skipping texts! There is a strong and logical progression of the knowledge dissemination within Vedanta. Sure, one can read any text and get something from it. However, the fullness and depth will only unfurl with correct approach and preparation.

Conversely, there are those who are highly educated in  many areas. It is an ego hurdle for such folk to go back to learning appropriately and not letting the "I know..." part of them block appropriate inculcation of the philosophical subtleties. Having a high level of literacy is not of itself a passport to the mystery of Vedanta. If at all any of the following are present, in the view of Vedanta, one is 'ignorant';
 - thinking that "I am the body, I am tall, I am fair, I am handsome..." and so on
 - thinking that "this world I see is real, there is no truth or Lord beyond the perceived world"
 - thinking that joy is obtained from objects (external world), thus building a craving for the obtaining of such objects
 - thinking that the goal of life is to 'eat drink and be merry', resulting in seeking to indulge thus, by fair means or foul.

It is in the 1st Mundaka Upanishad (dated approx 500BC) in chapter 2 that we find verse 8;
"Living in ignorance, the deluded ones think they are wise. They lead others as well, like the blind leading the blind." 

Guru-ji says, "There can be a tendency to downplay spiritual study as being for the retired or the retarded!" Thus, the 'knowledgeocracy' are creating walls against their own advancement. 

Having the ability to apply one's little grey cells, but also being able to swallow ego and take on board the challenges of gathering truth, to let go of preconceived notions and destructive habits... all this and more are required of the ardent seeker of Truth.

Which all implies something else. Courage. The determination not to be pulled any further into the mire. Such a seeker is called in Sanskrit as 'mumukshu'. One who knows that they do not know and wish to do what is required to actually know, with courage and determination, is called 'jijnaasu'. Those who are at early stages and working towards a state of mumukshatvam or jijnaasatvam is still considered to have spiritual courage and determination and are referred to as 'saadhaka'. The process of dedicating oneself to applying the learning and using its principles to guide daily life is known as saadhana. 

Daily reading here, meditation upon what you read, counts as saadhana.

We shall eventually be exploring the whole of Guruji's text - but if you wish an advance glimpse and also the experience of listening to a true Guru, you can find the recordings of the broadcasts on the CM You Tube channel.

Let Not Your Aim Falter

Hari OM

Monday is AUM-day; in search of meditation.

On Saturday, we saw the parable of the foolish fellow who thought he could have everything at once… the warning was that each and very spiritual seeker must also understand that there is no such thing as the 'fast track' to yoga, the union with Self. That said, there is the direct path, which is going to be quicker overall than the circuitous and multi-junctioned path that might be taken. One of the basic lessons of life is that the shortest route between A and B is the direct line!  Many folk, though, are easily distracted. If we use the analogy of making a mountain trek, then, clearly, an absolutely straight line is very nearly impossible, due to all the precipices and unstable ground which may be encountered. However, the summit is the aim and, provided that summit is kept in focus, the slight detours will be only that and not obstacles or total wipe outs.

It is said that there are many paths to Self Realisation; to some extent this is true, however, the thing they all have in common is that one must climb and that the direction to climb is up, not across.  Many of those paths emphasize the view at one or more of the lower levels along the journey to the top. Some folk get lost along the way, for there are very often shelters which can seem so pleasant there is no incentive to continue the journey. Others find the climb so challenging, disliking the process of self-discovery, they fall by the wayside, perhaps even dropping even further down than the place from where they began.  For the folk who come to meditation with a view to it helping in their healing, they can become disillusioned when they find that they must put so much 'work' into it… It's a tricky business, this Self Analysis!

For those who have taken the appropriate preparations, though, who are ready to work systematically, dealing with their relationship with the world, with their senses, with their body, mind and intellect; for them the summit is a reachable target and one which can be attained sooner rather than later.

To say that this is a shortcut would be misleading, but it is certainly the most direct route. Neither does it mean that there is one organization, institution, teacher, tradition, or method that is the single way to enlightenment. Rather, it is the way in which one travels the journey, and the commitment not to stop at some pleasant plateau with a nice view, which makes the difference.  The teachers and traditions may vary in which line they provide, which map is given, but the summit remains the summit, ever-present, ever-changeless.

It is the dedication, determination, sankalpa shakti, to keep on keeping on in a steady, straight line, into and through all of the levels of our being, which is the way of Yoga Meditation.

In short, never give up!

SAADHANA

Keep practicing what has been given to you thus far during the AUM-day posts. It is a daily commitment, a practice only you can make...

What Do You Want?

Hari OM

Monday is AUM-day; in search of meditation.

We have flown a little high, lately, as we've investigated some of the deeper meanings and practices of OM meditation.  Remember 'OM' is a mantra. Not the meditation itself.

This is a frequent and common misconception. Sitting in aasana, breathing rhythmically, chanting, pondering matters of a spiritual nature… none of these is meditation per se. They are physical discipline and mental discipline with intellectual contemplation. They are rungs on the ladder towards meditation. Meditation (ध्यानम्  /dhyaanam), in the purest sense is to be suspended from thought and to sit in full awareness.

That said, let us not become too 'precious'. As long as there is serious intent towards attaining a meditative state, then one can be said to be practicing meditation.

The main point in that sentence was 'serious intent'. It is imperative that you define what you want. This is important. Lots of people these days are attending 'meditation groups/classes/sessions' because the medical profession has now ratified the physical benefits - lower blood pressure, stress management, anger management etc etc etc. Valid enough. Then there is the peer group thing - "such and such is 'doing' meditation, I better make sure I am too"! It has become trendy.  Much of what is touted as 'yoga' is little more than an alternative exercise class. Some such are outright money rorts and hold dubious health benefit. It is as important to vet the credentials and 'parampara' (teaching lineage) of any yogaacharya as you would the mechanic of your car.

Assuming you do check out your mechanic's credentials! Sometimes we surrender our control and power in such matters simply because folk have letters after their name or make claims which jibe with our desires and we fall foul our own wish to be absolved of responsibility. However, there is a tendency to become lax in attendance when we have done this, when we have not established a commitment and understood there is a goal beyond our selfishness. Physical posturing without a deeper purpose, like a balloon, bursts. Then we blame the 'yoga' for not helping us, missing the point completely, that we ourselves must make efforts.

Genuine spiritual pursuit, and make no mistake, even physical (hatha) yoga is a spiritual pursuit if it is being genuinely presented, requires of us that we have, at the very least, some inkling of a goal. At first, that goal may simply be to improve our flexibility. If that is all we want, though, then we might as well attend swimming or pilates sessions. At yoga, we ought to find that not only our bodies, but our minds, are being exercised. Each posture has a physical value, yes, but there is a strong philosophy feeding each aasana also.

This is referred to as अष्तण्ग-योग /ashtanga-yoga, the eight-limbed path to union. If you are serious about 'yoga' in a physical sense, this is what to look for.

Here at Aatmaavraajanam, 'yoga' is jnaana (gyaan); the path of knowledge. Part of that path is to contemplate deeply on the teachings of the Upanishads and other shruti. To meditate.

The important thing, though, is to have a daily practice through which your focus is shifted away from the nonsense of the world and focused on the causative factors, the spiritual connection of everything and sorting out your rightful place within these contexts. One of the ways to do this is to have what might be termed as a keyword. If you go looking in a library index for a certain text, you require to know at least the title, but knowing also the author and perhaps the ISBN all help in locating that very text with minimum fuss. Locating Lord requires that we have decided how we are going to call Him; Yeshu, Rama, Bhagwan, Brahman… we all have names for that numinous power, make one of them your keyword. This is both your title and your author! What might the ISBN be?  The mantra. You have one already… OM.

Have you pondered why it is that OM is so readily accepted by so many, even who might otherwise be wary of Eastern practices? Intrinsically, we all, each and every human being, know at the very core of our being that we belong at [h]OM[e]. It calls us. Some search for that source in the material sciences. Others through the philosophies of the world. Some just know they are looking for 'something' but for all sorts of reasons resist the practices which will lead them there and seek it in materialism. All, though, are searching. OM is the very basis of existence. It is the deep and vibrant heart which pulses in our collective being.

If you are here, reading this, you are ready. Lock in your keywords!

As a little 'lightener' today, please enjoy this clip of the Legendary jazz musician Sunny Rollins. It was only discovered by accident here at AVblog that this great had actually attended Sandeepany Sadhanalaya under Gurudev himself in 1968! It was entertaining to hear him remark that there was little formal study - one suspects a level of freedom and privilege may have been afforded which the regular students did not have! Nevertheless, some very salient points are made here.

Experiencing the Inexperienceable

Hari Om

'Freedays' are the 'gather our thoughts' days; Q&As; a general review of the week so far…

Once in a (very long) while, a question pops up in from the email box... (you can do that folks!)... and this week one such came along. To be fair, it was not so much couched as a question, per se, rather it was a 'musing' and demonstrated that the sender had been reading with an 'open ear' (shravanam) then allowing it to revolve in mind and trying to work against already existing 'knowledge' (mananam). 

The point under scrutiny arose as a result of the post on AUMday recently which give some indication of the fullness of samaadhi. On Choose-day this week, also, the territory of advanced meditational practice was touched upon and reference made to that final 'yoga', the ultimate union and realisation of Self.

The struggle this reader was having was in marrying up the concept of THAT being not at all in the realm of objects, yet apparently being something to 'gain'.

Let it be plain. Brahman/Self is most definitely not an object. Neither, in truth, can it be 'gained' or in any way bought, borrowed, acquired ... The difficulty all teachers of this philosophy have is that, to convey the knowledge, they must use the tools at hand. Language is extremely limiting. In a study group once, someone said this is why all the saints utilised miracles; no words required ... our brahmaachaarya pointed out that even such miracles were a 'manifestation' and therefore of the physical world. Gurudev, in fact, refused to 'perform' (despite some first-hand accounts of his mystical strength) for he firmly believed that such acts diverted the mind from the true purpose. Folk get all caught up in the miracle itself thus it becomes an object of desire. Folk 'want' the mystical ability (known as siddhi in Sanskrit); they 'want' samaadhi... spiritual desire is still desire and this too must be dropped before the final success which is true yoga.

Miracles and even samaadhi can also be mistaken as something to 'experience' and as we have seen when discussing the tripartite nature of experience, this requires multiplicity.  In multiplicity there can be no singularity.

Even likening the spiritual pursuit to a 'journey' - indeed, even to call it a 'pursuit'! - intimates something external to oneself. Yet how else to measure where we were to where we are now in our understanding? Spirituality/philosophy is not of itself an activity, but is something which can pervade our activity, therefore manifesting in the physical world. Until such time as we exist in the realm of Self, until that final revelatory moment, everything remains plural. Until that moment, our only frame of reference is 'us versus THAT' and this inevitably leads to the misperception of THAT being 'something to be gained'.

There are few among us who can truly allow the pluralistic world to drop away and understand the illusion Maya creates. That doesn't mean that most of us cannot at least grasp the intellectual concept of absolutely everything being connected and that there is some kind of universal order.

Shifting from the intellectual stage of seeing the concept to the 'being in the concept' is what we are about in the study of spiritual philosophy. Only by being in it do we discover there is no concept. Just Reality.

...and all of these words mean nothing.

There is a truly wonderful (and personal favourite) verse in the Vivekachoodamani, #59 to be precise, which states that "before realisation, study of scriptures is futile; after realisation, study of scriptures is equally futile." Bhashya Kaara here clearly points out that all which is written/spoken/discussed/debated on the matter of the Reality can in no way convey that Reality; once the reality is 'known' - then all such becomes useless.

The simple fact is, THAT exists. We just need to tune ourselves to it. How we do this, if we are of the intellectual bent, is to study Vedanta, or similar and until we realise that we already are THAT, accept that even this is imperfect, confined as it must be to plurality.

What Are We Aiming At?

Hari OM

Monday is AUM-day; in search of meditation.

We shall look a bit more at the process of meditation very soon. Maintaining practice as given already in terms of aasana, praana and seeking to minimise interfering thoughts is all that is required at this stage.

A few posts back there was a list given regarding aspects of samaadhi - that state of internal stillness from which we can rise to the highest state of existence. Let us now take a look at the definitions given. This is done for the purpose of understanding that samaadhi itself is not the end of the spiritual road (and as we will learn much later, there are considered to be seven stages even within that condition), but that it is a 'thresh-hold' state. These are glimpses of the goal at which all true meditators are aimed.

Several of the terms given are differentiated only by semantics and therefore can be grouped together.

We begin with the more functional aspects as we approach the 'gateway';

"set; settlement; assent; agreement; adjustment;" - this grouping indicates that, once we have worked our way through all our internal impediments, we have still to steady ourselves in practice and also to find out the remaining vestiges of vaasanas withing. We have come to the junction between the world of plurality and the final road to yoga, union with Self. It is here that things can become unsettled once more and the hasty or careless 'traveller' may find that, after all, they are unprepared for those final steps. Obstacles will arise. The external world will raise its demands in order to not be forgotten. The courageous ones will set their sights on the True Goal; they will make settlement with the world that there is to be a compromise, permitting this shift; there will, perhaps, have to be the assent of close ones and an agreement that this seeker must follow this path… it takes a special ring of family and friends to support such 'high faluting' spirituality! This requires their adjustment to you, as seeker, being less available to them; but it is also a stage of huge adjustment for the seeker as it is discovered that everything experienced up to this point really holds not particular clue to this and what follows.

The next grouping relates to moving into the 'gateway';

"putting together; concentration of thoughts; setting to rights; justification of a statement; attention/intentness" - having recognised the falling away of the external, yet recognising that there is still some way to go, this is the place to correlate all learning thus far gained. Putting together all salient points, keeping the mind dedicated to this task alone, examining statements made to and by the seeker in light of the learning and 'setting to rights' anything which appears to be disjointed or incongruous. This is mananam at its best and can only come about with such intentness that is relentless.

This is followed by movement of the gate itself;

"concentration of mind; intense application of mind/contemplation of singular item; profound or abstract meditation; aggregate; proof; bringing into harmony" - When the body-awareness has dropped away (and it surely has at this stage), we are left with our antah karana, the mind portion of our physical existence. This is now honed and tempered and wrangled as it deals with what it thinks it knows and what it is now expected to know. Constantly each of the manas (feeling mind), buddhi (analytical mind) and ahankaara ("I" mind) will battle as the chitta (universal mind), which is within us all, seeks to dominate and bring about an aggregation of all knowledge resulting in the desired harmony.

Finally, there is breakthrough;

"deep concentration/meditation; absorption as if in trance; joining/combining with; completion/conclusion/accomplishment; whole; union;" - all sense of individuality merges with the Greater Reality and true bliss is attained. This is a truly rare condition, few rise to it. When in the fullness of samaadhi, practitioners have been known to go for extended periods of time (months sometimes) without moving. Their body is still alive, but all functions are reduced to absolute minimum. Such a one, who condescends to return to transactional life to shed the love and the light amongst all with whom contact is made, never again loses the Higher connection. At any given moment they can move freely between Maya and Brahman and remain untouched by the first whilst revelling in the second.

There are two definitions on the list not mentioned in the groups. These are both physical descriptions; one relates to a neck joint, which may seem strange, but when one considers how important gaining correct aasana is and that there is a strong connection of the upper chakras with the lower chakras through the neck region, it makes a little more sense. The other is 'sanctuary or tomb of saint'; as mentioned, when a sadhu has attained full samaadhi (the turiiya state), their body remains in aasana awaiting a return to function.  This place is itself called their samaadhi.  Further, when such an enlightened being leaves the body (reaching Maha Samaadhi - the Great Union), it may be interred by devotees as a token of their reverence as well as a focus for their own endeavours.

As you will note, all this is rather esoteric for the majority of us struggling with staying in aasana and breath-focused for even half an hour a day!  It is given as a carrot, a sign that there are 'places to be' other than where we are now and that they are desirable. The vast majority of meditation practitioners will not attain in this life. The attempts made now, however, will add to the next life of devotion and meditation. All efforts made are worthwhile.

Do not be disheartened. Even that half an hour a day of total peace is a tremendous gain! 

Sri Jagadeeshwara
Master of Meditation

Completing The Paths

Hari OM

Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!

We are now undertaking basic technical discourse on Vedanta. The text forming the basis of these posts is 'Kindle Life'. Please do reread previous posts using the labels 'Workings-days' or 'Kindle Life'.

Ch. 25; VEDANTA - LIFE AND ART OF LIVING, continued. 

Vedanta recognises, so freely, the potentialities of the human intellect that the children of the modern scientific age stand aghast at their own incapacity to live up to its full destiny and to make use of their entire birthright by exerting their individual intellect in the pursuit of seeking the good and the perfect.  Those who cry out that religion is empty, a hollow bundle of superstitious beliefs insulting to the intellect, are those who have not been initiated into the sacred freedom which Vedanta liberally gives to the intelligent.  Through pure reason one climbs the path of Vedanta and it ultimately leads us to discriminate between the Permanent and the ephemeral, the Real and the unreal, the True and the false.  It makes us rediscover ourselves, to be the True the Real and the Permanent. Godhood is the goal of Vedanta; it is the path of those who seek Reality through Knowledge (jnaana).

To serve men of mixed psychology, who seesaw between the cooing of their heart and the call of their intellect, the karma yoga is advised. Here, the individual during his softer moments of emotional desperation walks the path of devotion while, during his intellectual phase, he runs out into the field of activity to serve society as a manifestation of the Lord of his heart.

A selfless worker is not a psychological wreck, diluting his potential, living anxiously and fretting over outcomes or imagined results.  To him the very field of activity is an expression of the Lord's kindness and his only demand in life is that he may be a true instrument of the Lord.  The very feeling of His blessing flowing through the devotee is sufficient reward, a thrilling divine experience, and a selfless worker refuses to demand anything more of the Lord.  This satisfies both the changing tides of the 'head' and the 'heart' in the individual belonging to this composite personality.

Those who belong to the last group, who have comparatively maladjusted 'head/heart' balance, would have been the despair of every prophet and not religion in the world could prescribe for them a treatment and a path by which they could complete their biological evolution, walking the path of spirit and redemption.

The acute intelligence, the highly evolved scientific knowledge of living creatures and their structure, the divinely sweet temperament of love and charity, the Godly urge to serve even the dullest - these whipped the Rsis to devise a subtle method of physical exercises.  This is a system of conscious self-control by which such an individual can slowly be awakened first to the full stature of man and thereafter be guided out of the labyrinth of his own misunderstandings to the sunny fields of self-discovery and infinite perfection.  The technique prescribed is called hatha yoga. It comprises the exercises which popularly go by the names of aasana and praanaayaama (sit and breathe).

With open eyes and wide awakened intelligence, these Rsis from the peak of their experienced perfection, observed man living in society and in their x-ray vision they could read how the mind and intellect of every individual reacts to the infinite variety of circumstances in life.  In the four paths described above, [NB; last week and this] the attempt is really to gain a greater control over the mind. Any practitioner in any one of the paths of this spiritual scheme will certainly come to have a greater mastery over his own mind… and the mastery over the mind ends in an intense integration of his personality.  The more one gets integrated in the mind, the more dynamic becomes ones' intellect.

Thus purified, the mind and intellect equipment gains a greater efficiency and a greater power of flight.  Making use of such a pair of wings, the individual soars higher into the brighter realms of spiritual perfection.

Thus ends chapter 25.  Chapter 26 is nearing its end on Choose-days and this Free-day, chapter 32 will be given. This leaves only chapters, 27, 28 and 29 of Kindle life to be covered.  These will follow on Workings-days and, note now, these pertain to some solid practice which can immediately be of use. The methodology is not to be considered 'foreign' and a theory only; what is given can be applied within whatever philosophical framework you currently adhere to.

Heart or Head, There is a Way

Hari OM

Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!

We are now undertaking basic technical discourse on Vedanta. The text forming the basis of these posts is 'Kindle Life'. Please do reread previous posts using the labels 'Workings-days' or 'Kindle Life'.

Ch. 25; VEDANTA - LIFE AND ART OF LIVING, continued. 

The exhaustive treatment as it is available for us in the literature of the Hindu scriptures, seems to consider the entire problem of man and successfully serves in pursuing all his possibilities.  Therefore, [the philosophy of] Hinduism can serve all people at all times.  However, the scientific method should be, in its application to new problems, related from time to time to suit the spirit of the current age and society.  It is merely a question of shifting the emphasis from one aspect to another, which is determined by the weakness in the mental and intellectual life of the people. This is the secret of the survival of Hindu philosophy from its many dark ages and in spite of repeated, unsympathetic governments in its native land.

 

[Gurudev, here, gives a paragraph directed specifically at those of Hindu birth, which bemoans a tendency for modern Hindus to forget the purpose of the multi-tiered approach contained in the philosophy and complain about it; in the same way a beggar complains, when being offered a chance to reside in the raja's palace, that there are too many rooms… then continues…]

In order to serve the four different types mentioned prior, the Rsis, desirous of helping all to gain complete integration of the individual personality, prescribed four distinct methods, which have come down to us as the four yoga traditions; karma - selfless work, bhakti - devotion, jnaana - knowledge and hatha - mysticism.  Of these four, bhakti is the path that can serve majority people the world over and at all times. Man is essentially a creature of emotions, sentiments, impulses and attachments. For this reason, we find that in almost all religions, the emphasis is on the path of devotion. Rarely is the path of self-less work alone seen as being a path to the divine, but it too exists everywhere. The importance, relevance and indeed the freedom of each individual to follow the yogas of knowledge and mysticism have developed almost exclusively in Eastern tradition.

Bhakti is most appealing to the generality of mankind; particularly to those who feel strongly the storms of life (lack of love, sense of being unappreciated, unrequited sympathies and such like). The emotional creature requires to hear the echo of emotion in return. Such an individual finds an ample field for loving the Lord, who Himself has Love inexhaustible, infinite kindness and endless sympathy. When a devotee thus directs his entire mental energies towards this infinite ocean of Love, all the love that he can gain is but a drop of what the Lord offers. The individual comes to depend upon that well of Love, returning to it again and again, throughout life's sorrow, bereavement, disappointment, rejection and despair.

To the man of the 'head', this method can hardly have any appeal.  To him emotion has no secret meaning.  He can enjoy emotion only when it is sanctioned and acknowledged by his reason.  He demands satisfaction for the 'head' and views and evaluates things from the crown of his intellect.  The soft silk-clad, bejewelled Flute-player [Sri Krishna] or the rag-clad, bearded cross-bearer [Sri Yeshu] is, to the intellectual, a mere mortal who might have achieved perfection in his day, yet is but a finite specimen as much limited in space and time as any one of us.  To an individual who entertains such an idea, the path of devotion is no inspiring avenue to gain any amount of self-integration. Perhaps, if he is forced to walk the path through social pressure or through fear of unhealthy criticism, he only wrecks himself and ends by becoming a much more disintegrated brute than he was when first he walked into the temple or church.

To cater to such men, nowhere in the world can we find a satisfactory philosophy or even a sufficiently subtle method except in Vedanta.

...conclusion of this chapter next week...

AUM Pursuit

Hari OM

Monday is AUM-day; in search of meditation.

Now we come to the seventh state of consciousness, which can only be known through continued practice of samaadhi. As stated last week, and demonstrated somewhat by the list of definitions, the sixth state is a place to be reached by all who are dedicated, but within samaadhi are many levels also. Only with prolonged and genuine intent to realise the Truth can one come to तुरीय/TURIIYA.

Turiiya as the condition of Absolute Silence.  After A, U and M there is a moment where the sound, the vibration, ceases before restarting. The term 'turiiya' quite literally means 'the fourth', referring to it being the fourth state of Consciousness. (Note that the transitional states are part of each which go before and after and are thus not used for reference to the consciousness itself.)

This state is all pervasive. Within, without. It permeates and therefore is the preceding three states also. It is that which was always present throughout our researches in A, U, and M; watching, waiting, till we can become clear and empty enough to sit within it. It is our saakshi, our witnessing self. It requires no sound, no breath, no description. Yet it is from here that we see all. The Truth of existence makes itself known. It is here that we know that, finally, we are 'awake'. Only when you stand atop the pinnacle of Everest can you truly say that you have reached the highest point of the world. Only in turiiya can you truly say that you are finally at the roof of your existence.

How do you reach a mountain top? Nowadays, many will hire a helicopter. Fine, they can see the sights, but what do they know of the joy of having made the climb? What have they experienced actually? They will meet others and say 'I have been atop that mountain, here are the pictures to prove'; then the true mountaineer in their audience will ask, 'Indeed, and who did you meet there?' To say pilot, or fellow travellers, would be to prove continued ignorance, photographs notwithstanding!

There is no technological method of reaching turiiya. There never will be. It only becomes real through effort. Then releasing effort.

It can be said that even reaching base camp on Everest gives a satisfaction, a sense of achievement and something to hold onto.  This is true.  Likewise, moving appropriately through A, U and M will yield much of benefit in daily life. Just because the peak seems to be something unattainable, beyond reach of the ordinary being, does not mean that one ought not to begin the trek!

In practicing with A, U and M, we are building the waves of Consciousness, grasping ever deeper meaning and sense of Self as our skill in meditation swells. We may not necessarily focus on the unmanii, the alaadanii or the samaadhi, yet we experience them. The focus in our saadhana must be the AUM as a whole, whilst understanding its discrete components. Meditation on AUM is to deconstruct and reconstruct until we know every aspect, feel every molecule, arriving at silence with ease.  If, indeed, we think of AUM as waves upon the ocean, it is in arriving at turiiya that we discover the water which makes the waves. Being involved with the waves, it seemed the water as a whole was forgotten, but now we come to appreciate that the water was ever present, never missing.

 

It is here that we can appreciate samaadhi is not of itself The Bliss of Truth (सच्चिदानन्द/ sacchidaananda); samaadhi still exists within the dual. Turiiya alone moves the soul into yoga, union with Self wherein 'aham brahmaasmi' (I am Brahman) can be claimed. It is a sacred space. As many as truly complete the climb of Everest there are in the world who truly reach this state. Here alone can it be said 'that one is a God-man'.

Something to strive for!

SAADHANA

Concern not about turiiya. Concern not about samaadhi. Concern only to focus fully where you can on A, U, or M. The level you are at is the correct level for you. Measure not against others. Meditation is not a competition. It is a vocation. It can lead to revelation.