Why Meditation?

                                                     Why Meditation?

                     In today’s age where strife, terror, ethical breaches and corporate scandals dominate the 9’o clock news, at a time which echo of crime, war, natural disasters and diseases, in a millennium when familial ties and parenthood are challenged everyday, and in a world where common folk are made to bear the brunt of negativism, where social dilemmas and dogmas lead to so much discouragement, is it not natural for man to desperately seek solace and respite from  these overwhelming and alarming situations?

                    But  where ? And  how? One  underlying ‘truth’ prevails - that it is goodness  in the world that has helped to preserve  the human race from total destruction. Life is not easy and in the confusion that is rocking the world presently each soul seeks to aspire for a haven of hope; a refuse in stormy times. You and I are in search of an anchor in these troubled times of ‘darkness’ where there is so much negative noise. We need a daily reminder that  regardless  of what transpires in the world around us  we have a’ means’ or a ‘way’ that helps us to enrich our lives with meaning and progress, at both spiritual and material levels.

                   Therefore, man has come face to face a reality which urges him to evolve to a higher platform from which to divinity. Just possessing a human form does not make one a human ‘being’. To first become a ‘human’ human –being and then progress towards becoming a ‘divinized’ human being should be each one’s call. And for that we need to invest in a technique that will make us ‘mind healthy’ and provide us with spiritual health as well. Raja yoga meditation deals with such time-tested techniques which are immensely successful in helping to keep the mind vigorous, alert, stimulated and positive. Stephen Covey, a great motivational writer of our times recommends meditation by speaking thus – “…the spiritual dimension is your core, your centre, your commitment to your value system. It is a private area of life and a supremely important one. It draws upon the sources that inspire and uplift you and tie you to the timeless truths of all humanity.”

                  Daily meditation, for about thirty to forty-five minutes can help us to contemplate and understand some basic questions that play on our minds at some  point of time in our lives, such as: ‘who am I?’, ‘what’s the purpose  of my life?’ or ‘ what’s the secret of  contentment and eternal joy?’ It is only through meditation that we are able to establish connectivity with a Higher Source and able to successfully awaken the divine spark inherent in each soul. Covey further goes on to say that- “ it is good to be born in a religion but not to die in one”. Therefore one must let oneself grow and rescue oneself from the limits of doctrines and dogmas, rites and rituals, regulations and ceremonies which are so restricting and which fence our freedom for spiritual emancipation.

                In other words, meditation takes us to that juncture where churches or temples do not matter. In fact it shows us the ‘road’ that leads us beyond the churches and temples Revered Master’s  Master, Babuji* has lucidly put across the crux of the matter to us  - “God is not to be found in the folds of a particular religion or sect. He is not confined within certain forms nor is He to be traced out from within the scriptures. We have to seek Him in the innermost core of our Heart.” Deep within each soul lies the need to look for meaning, a craving for purpose - a longing to be of value. Most successful people will tell you that they take time for themselves each day. In silence only can we hear that still small inner voice that comes straight from the heart and it happens when  we put aside our  busy day to day activities and responsibilities. One needs to pause momentarily and voluntarily make a ‘choice’ – the choice to meditate. It is only if one gets still daily and delves into the deep essence of his \ her being through reflection or meditation that one is  able to find the answers to all questions and fulfillment. In meditation it is as if we are providing ‘oxygen’ to the soul.

                             Apart from this, when we re-connect with the inner self we help to bring about an ‘alignment’ between the two aspects of our life – doing (outer purpose)  and being ( our higher purpose).Our Revered Master* has put it across so beautifully-“As a bird needs two wings to fly, so a human being needs the wings of existence, the spiritual and the material to lead a natural and harmonious life.”

 

 Only then can the aspiring soul live a truly fruitful life which is full of achievements. So let’s step into the silence of the inner self and catch a glimpse of our own immortality.

 

·        ‘Babuji ‘ refers to  Shri Ram Chandraji of  Shahjahanpur  who the second guru of our Mission.     

·        ‘Revered Master’ refers to Reverend P. Rajagopalachariji who is the president of the Mission.                 

CRAVING

CRAVING

The dictionary meaning of the word ‘craving’ amounts to –‘ set one’s heart (or mind) upon something or to hanker after, pine for, or covet …It is used in association with a person desiring something as a devotee or as an aspirant or a seeker. In Sahaj Marg, the dictionary meaning applies impeccably. Each abhyasi is a seeker, so he /she literally ‘set’s his/her heart upon achieving the goal i.e. mergence with the Master. The question which now arises is this: can this ‘craving’ or yearning be used as tool to shape ourselves into perfect beings. If we use it with dynamism then it can help us in being more obedient to the Guru and the prescribed system and further, it can help us to identify with the Master and try to emulate Him, thereby reaching the goal more easily. Also, craving becomes a manifestation of one’s love for Him-the one who is Love Incarnate. This craving or yearning springs from our deepest, innermost self and it becomes the basis or platform of our sadhana. It helps to fortifies the foundation of one’s sadhana.

Craving is the overt aspect of a covert intensity of the aspirant’s longing for the Guru- the latent divinity which is present in everyone’s life. Due to this intense craving ‘Constant Remembrance’ becomes second nature to the abhyasi. It becomes a 24 x 7 activity! It also becomes the measuring rod or barometer in judging the sincerity of one’s sadhana. With craving in one’s heart the practitioner will leave no stone unturned to reach his Master. Moreover, he/she will want to overcome all odds to be close to the One whom he/ she holds close to the heart. Without craving the aspirant’s sadhana is like a body minus it’s soul- a house without inhabitants. Bereft of craving the practice becomes just lip- service…..hollow.

Craving also happens to be that propelling force for the shaft (arrow) of the aspirant’s sadhana taking it straight to the heart of the Master and it is only due to this craving or longing that we become the beneficiaries of His divine love and benevolence, which may be compared to a celestial shower in the desert-land of our day to day routine or prosaic lives. Our craving helps us to catch His attention and become the recipients of His boundless love. It becomes a two- way exchange. In being focused on Him we catch his focus.

Master has said in the book- ‘He, Hookah and I’ (Informal Conversations) “that only with a sense of purpose does ‘will’ come into play”. Therefore, we may consider ‘craving’ to be the strengthening force ( as it helps in creating a strong will) which makes us single-minded about our practice thus making our sadhana purposeful.

In conclusion, one may say that only through sincere craving or a deep yearning is the sadhak (the adorer) able to accomplish the end result of his sadhana - what he set’s his heart upon - and win over object of his/her adoration – the Beloved , the Master.

Neelam Sethi

Gurgaon

25.4.’09

POEMS – A TRIBUTE TO MY MASTER

 

 

1. Garment of Love

 

His Garment of Love she wears

Each time she closes her eyes and prays

Vertical ‘seconds’ interwoven

With horizontal ‘minutes’ of today

      ‘Hours’ wherein form patterns

Of a flowing blissful array;

This fabric becomes her shroud-

Day and Night, Night and Day !

 

 

 

2. Awakening

 

From the deep crevices of   Darkness

My soul did arise one day

Seeking a new Awakening…..

 

Only to find that which had lost itself

In this cold, callous world of material dreams

 

 

An inner beacon of Light beckoned it then

Showing the illumined Path

And in a Flash…the soul found itself

Like a mighty Star…suspended within Nothingness

      Transcending Time - in the Universe of His Eternity…..

 

 

3. Divine Deliverance

 

He pervades in Silence

The Temple of my Being

As smoke arising from incense

Permeates the air

Hollow and light I feel

An empty reed…..

 

Shall He turn me into a flute

For tunes of his Delight…..expressing  cosmic ecstasies?

 

 

4. Maze of Life

 

 

      I stand before Him-

to thank Him …

For each trial, each tribulation

            Each sorrow, each disappointment

            Each pain, each despair…

            And tighten my clasp on Him… gratefully, for

            Weathered and strengthened

             I sense His presence in this Maze of Life

            

         

 

 

5. …..I found Him

 

In the beauty of the garden ,

In the chirping of the birds and insects…I found Him

In the patterns of a butterfly’s wing ,

In the colors of the rainbow…I found Him

In the smiles of children,

In the sweet voice of a friend…I found Him

In the simple acts of kindness,

In the angst of the righteous…I found Him

In the most mundane situations,

In the most profound scriptures…I found Him

In the hearts of all around me … I found Him

Always apart and outside of myself I found Him

 

I plunged into my innermost recesses of my-self

In desperation and despair

And then as time stood still

In one eternal moment

Within my heart……………………I found Him.

 

 

6. Soul  Healer

 

          He mends my broken spirit

            Bruised and so raw

    He heals me from within- the dark soul

 

He gives to me of Himself

He treats my torn ‘inside’ with the soothing balm of Prayer

          -He makes me whole again.

Renewed and laughing I rise again

With zest like a phoenix

 Flamboyant, upright, strong

 I live again……                             

 

 

RELEVANCE OF MEDITATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY - FOR A NEW AUDIENCE

RELEVANCE OF MEDITATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY

If we study the history of man we see that early cave man first worshipped the forces of nature, as he was totally dependent on the natural world and his existence was completely integrated with nature. It is difficult to know whether or not he possessed a deeper understanding of his earthly existence, as there are no recorded writings of spiritual knowledge of the time.

After the discovery of the wheel and the development of agriculture, people began to live a more sedentary life. They were still dependent upon the natural world for their livelihood, and so continued to create images of various god and goddesses and worshipped these. A deity or god was created for each need e.g. a rain god when rain was needed. People today have evolved from these early beginnings to a highly urbanized, sophisticated, materialistic lifestyle, but we find that often we still resort to forms of worship that lead us to externalize God. To seek Him only outside of us is to deceive ourselves. It separates us from our own divinity as well as from the rest of nature. It allows us to see ourselves as separate. Therefore, it is no wonder that we humans become capable of heartless and heinous deeds. Even in primitive times, people performed animal and human sacrifices before idols, in order to appease the Gods. In today’s world, people go to war in the name of God, with one religion fighting against another. We need to change our approach towards the divine principle, that we call God, Truth, Reality or the inner Self.

In order to truly uncover divinity, we have to adopt a centripetal approach rather than a centrifugal one - inwards rather than outwards. We have to graduate from an external, religious approach to worship to an internal, spiritual approach through meditation, inner reflection and prayer. Great saints, masters and teachers have spread the same message throughout human history, in order to teach people that inner transformation can occur only if the self turns inwards.

A Muslim saint has expressed this so beautifully: ‘Tu khud hi to khuda hai.’ Translated, this means, ‘The Self is only God’.

So, the lower self becomes the basis upon which the higher Self is established. For a spiritual person, the lower self is used for this purpose.

“God is not to be found within the fold of a particular religion or sect. He is not confined within certain forms nor is He to be traced out from within the scriptures. We have to seek for him in the innermost core of our Heart.” [Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur]

In addition, unless we are able to turn our focus within, towards our inner Self, eventually we will not be able to deal with our external lives in a balanced way. Human beings are made up of body, mind and soul or spirit. If these are not in balance, eventually the imbalance will express in dis-ease of some sort.

“As a bird needs two wings to fly, so a human being needs the two wings of existence, the spiritual and the material, to lead a natural and harmonious life.” [Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur]

Therefore, I would urge you all to adopt a spiritual approach. Religions divide, we know that for a fact. Over the ages, religions have caused wars, bringing death, devastation and so much human suffering. The current century has seen the ugly head of terrorism rising over nations. In contrast, spirituality unites. Spirituality is universal and is open to people from all religions, cultures, walks of life, levels of education etc. It creates oneness. The basis of spirituality is a daily practice of meditation, also called “sadhana”, and when such a means is available to us then why should we not use it?

So it is the need of the hour that we pick up our courage and boldly face the harsh reality, which is staring at us so closely. Let us decide together to put an end to the power-games that are played out in our homes, and also at the level of communities, nations and regions. We have to take the first step in a new direction and work towards the construction of a ‘New Earth,’ as Eckhart Tolle has called it, where people will relate to each other as human beings, not in terms of caste, creed, color or religion. Let us make that our aim, and to achieve that we can turn our minds inwards daily in meditation, so as to connect with the inner Self, where we are all the same. Then, perhaps, we will ignite the divine spark existing in our hearts.

“The whole idea of spirituality is to revive in us that which is sleeping in us, the true inner being - the Self.” [Shri Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari]

At this time in human history, we are fortunate to have a spiritual system of practice called Sahaj Marg, which translates as the Natural Path. Sahaj Marg is a practical, spiritual path based on inner experience through meditation. The goal of the practice is union with God or Self.

This modern-day form of raja yoga is practised daily by people from all backgrounds and all cultures around the world. The simple practice is easily integrated into a busy lifestyle, bringing balance, joy and spiritual growth.

If we consider a small example: we are going to undertake a journey and there are before us various means of transport to choose from. We will obviously choose a transport that will be fast and most comfortable. If possible, it should not be expensive and use unnecessary resources. It could be a cab, bus, train or an airplane. No city-bred, urban person would settle for a bullock-cart for his journey. So, in the same way, we can choose the means through which we want to reach the Divine. In my opinion, while religion can surely help one to get there, is it the most effective way, and after how many births and incarnations would we reach the destination? Perhaps hundreds or perhaps thousands.

Alternatively, we can try a faster way, by following a spiritual practice. All spiritual paths prescribe meditation and contemplation. These paths help us to seek God within. Buddha, Mahavir Jain, Kabir, Jesus, Nanak and the Sufi saints practised meditation as the method to uncover the divine principle within. It is the quickest and surest way to ‘Self-realization’ and has the least pitfalls. It also helps us to come to terms with day-to-day worldly life. The pressures and stress that people face today, in the corporate world, in school life, and in the hustle and bustle of our urban lifestyle, are immense. By devoting just an hour and a half out of twenty-four hours to spiritual practice each day, turning our attention inwards, we can achieve calmness and inner happiness and joy , so that the mind is tranquil and we thus feel rejuvenated and have a better focus on daily issues. My great Master, Shri Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari of the Shri Ram Chandra Mission has said, “Sit, Meditate,………Achieve.”

For further details log on to www.srcm.org

( Edited and quotations by Elizabeth Denley)

Relevance of Meditation in te 21 st century

RELEVANCE OF MEDITATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY


If we study the history of man we see that early cave man first worshipped the forces of nature, as he was totally dependent on the natural world and his existence was completely integrated with nature. It is difficult to know whether or not he possessed a deeper understanding of his earthly existence, as there are no recorded writings of spiritual knowledge of the time.

After the discovery of the wheel and the development of agriculture, people began to live a more sedentary life. They were still dependent upon the natural world for their livelihood, and so continued to create images of various god and goddesses and worshipped these. A deity or god was created for each need e.g. a rain god when rain was needed. People today have evolved from these early beginnings to a highly urbanized, sophisticated, materialistic lifestyle, but we find that often we still resort to forms of worship that lead us to externalize God. To seek Him only outside of us is to deceive ourselves. It separates us from our own divinity as well as from the rest of nature. It allows us to see ourselves as separate. Therefore, it is no wonder that we humans become capable of heartless and heinous deeds. Even in primitive times, people performed animal and human sacrifices before idols, in order to appease the Gods. In today’s world, people go to
war in the name of God, with one religion fighting against another. We need to change our approach towards the divine principle, that we call God, Truth, Reality or the inner Self.

In order to truly uncover divinity, we have to adopt a centripetal approach rather than a centrifugal one - inwards rather than outwards. We have to graduate from an external, religious approach to worship to an internal, spiritual approach through meditation, inner reflection and prayer. Great saints, masters and teachers have spread the same message throughout human history, in order to teach people that inner transformation can occur only if the self turns inwards.
A Muslim saint has expressed this so beautifully: ‘Tu khud hi to khuda hai.’ Translated, this means, ‘The Self is only God’.
So, the lower self becomes the basis upon which the higher Self is established. For a spiritual person, the lower self is used for this purpose.
In addition, unless we are able to turn our focus within, towards our inner Self, eventually we will not be able to deal with our external lives in a balanced way. Human beings are made up of body, mind and soul or spirit. If these are not in balance, eventually the imbalance will express in dis-ease of some sort.

“As a bird needs two wings to fly, so a human being needs the two wings of existence, the spiritual and the material, to lead a natural and harmonious life.” - Babuji.

Religions divide, we know that for a fact. Over the ages, religions have caused wars, bringing death, devastation and so much human suffering. The current century has seen the ugly head of terrorism rising over nations. In contrast, spirituality unites. Spirituality is universal and is open to people from all religions, cultures, walks of life, levels of education etc. It creates oneness. The basis of spirituality is a daily practice of meditation, also called “sadhana”, and when such a means is available to us then why should we not use it?

So it is the need of the hour that we pick up our courage and boldly face the harsh reality, which is staring at us so closely. Let us decide together to put an end to the power-games that are played out in our homes, and also at the level of communities, nations and regions. We have to take the first step in a new direction and work towards the construction of a ‘New Earth,’ as Eckhart Tolle, has called it, where people will relate to each other as human beings, not on terms of caste, creed, color or religion. Let us make that our aim, and to achieve that we can turn our minds inwards daily in meditation, so as to connect with the inner Self, where we are all the same. Then, perhaps, we will ignite the divine spark existing in our hearts. Our Revered Master has said:
“The whole idea of spirituality is to revive in us that which is sleeping in us, the true inner being - the Self.”
At this time in human history, we are fortunate to have a spiritual system of practice like ours. All my fellow abhyasis from all backgrounds and all cultures around the world will agree with this. Our simple practice is so easily integrated into our busy lifestyle, and it does bring balance, joy and spiritual growth.

If we consider a small example: we are going to undertake a journey and there are before us various means of transport to choose from. We will obviously choose a transport that will be fast and most comfortable. If possible, it should not be expensive and use unnecessary resources. It could be a cab, bus, train or an airplane. No city-bred, urban person would settle for a bullock-cart for his journey. So, in the same way, we can choose the means through which we want to reach the Divine. In my opinion, while religion can surely help one to get there, is it the most effective way, and after how many births and incarnations would we reach the destination? Perhaps hundreds or perhaps thousands. Should we not try a faster way? So should we not adopt a spiritual approach to divinity in this lifetime-as Master has said : “HERE and NOW ?”
Babuji also pointed out to us that “God is not to be found within the fold of a particular religion or sect. He is not confined within certain forms nor is He to be traced out from within the Sciptures. We have to seek for Him in the innermost core of our Heart.”
All spiritual paths prescribe meditation and contemplation. These paths help us to seek God within. Buddha, Mahavir Jain, Kabir, Jesus, Nanak and the Sufi saints practised meditation as the method to uncover the divine principle within. It is the quickest and surest way to ‘Self-realization’ and has the least pitfalls. It also helps us to come to terms with day-to-day worldly life. The pressures and stress that people face today, in the corporate world, in school life, on the domestic front, and in the hustle and bustle of our urban lifestyle, are immense. By devoting just an hour and a half out of twenty-four hours to our spiritual practice each day, turning our attention inwards, are we not achieving calmness and inner happiness and joy , so that the mind is tranquil and we thus feel rejuvenated and have a better focus on daily issues. We are able to not only cope better but we also become the recipients of His infinite grace. Personally, I
have benefitted from it in various ways. The practise has infused in me a sense of self-worth and has raised my level of confidence. Being in SRCM is like finding one more family which provides support and understanding at an extraordinary level and a fantastic sense of belonging. Not only that, I feel 'right' inside, and live my life with the faith that my 'indweller', my Master, will guide me in all my judgements and actions. Therefore, I think we all should, with utmost sincerity and obedience follow what our great Master, has said:

“Sit, Meditate,………Achieve.”

On the window sill

ON THE WINDOW SILL

on the window sill of the living room
is a plant
watered each morn
weeded each evening
stroked late evening
with a wish
-to spread its fragrance of Love to all
wishing it goodnight
with a lip-less prayer
wind up another day
to fall into slumber

the Plant has a name - Stillness

thus nurtured
it is my sole (soul) offering to mySELF

Pauses......

Pauses .....at Dawn.....
and ..... at Dusk.....
pauses.....that punctuate
.....the intermittent day.....
pauses...... at meals
and .....betwixt activities.....
pauses.....late into the night........

Pauses.......providing
poignant punctuations
.....to Life Continuous.......