CHANGE YOURSELF FIRST

To change one’s own self first is a difficult task but that is how we can effect a change around us. By expecting others to change themselves without taking any step to change oneself will result in dissatisfaction and unhappiness.

For making a change, you have to act in this world. Think of the reality (Brahman) and do whatever you want to do. Change comes when you move from self-centeredness (inability to accommodate anything beyond your own interests) to unselfishness and then finally to selflessness. The formula of success is to move from selfish desires to unselfish desires to selfless desires. By your own acts, make your home become a centre for happiness. Then the world will compliment you.  You are the architect of your fortunes. You are the architect of your misfortunes. Eradicate your Vasanas (Unfulfilled Desires) so that mind and intellect is absorbed in the truth. Then you merge with the reality. If you are determined to be healthy, your mind will think about being healthy. Mind and intellect get absorbed in this reality and you merge with the truth. We could be called “Brahman - proof”. Brahman is a word for God. Brahman is Allah in Islam and Jesus in Christianity. God is beyond human conception. He has no birth and death. You cannot perceive god. You can only become God.

Human – Desire = God.

You have got to use life to find the truth. For this to happen, Change yourself not the world.

Tell yourself “I will change myself every day in every way”. If told with Bhakti and devotion, you will find a change in yourself and further notice the changes happening around you. Whatever happens in life happens with a reason. God wanted to teach me a few lessons. I believe in hard work and God. I know god is always with me and I think of him wherever I go.  “What is the difference between school and Life? In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson”.

President John F. Kennedy in his inaugural address in January 1961, mentioned to the fellow Americans, “Ask not what your country can do for you – Ask what you can do for your country”. JFK told the fellow citizens of the world, “Ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do to the freedom of man”.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “You must be the Change you wish to see in the world”. We should remember; where there is Love there is Life.  Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. In order to bring about positive change in the world we need not only engage with the outer world but also engage with our inner world. If we want to see greater awareness in the world, we have to cultivate awareness. If we want to see greater harmony and less strife, we need to learn to become more adept at handling our emotions and learn to respond to frustrations with more patience and kindness than we do at present.

Meditation helps us to recognize unhelpful emotional patterns and to develop the mental freedom to choose responses that are more helpful. Among the virtues that Lord Krishna mentioned to Arjuna, at the foremost was, ‘Never hate anyone’.  The cultivation of love and kindness helps us to find alternative and more compassionate responses. Meditation helps us to be the change we wish to see in the world. The thought of Change comes from within. When you have understood the benefits of Change, you have to do Nidhithyasanam and be an example for others to follow.

We should know that nature cannot be changed because what cannot be changed is nature. Wisdom or intelligence is preparing the mind to accept the choiceless or helpless situations without any resistance. Success is not conquering the whole world. Success is accepting everything you get as a gift from God. By repeating to ourselves (meditation / Nidhithyasanam) and repeating to our mind that I am willing to undergo the choiceless situations, we get freedom from stress. Examples of choiceless situations are old age, incurable disease, separation from someone etc. The only one who can be changed by me is myself. Pray to the Bagawan, “O Lord; give me the courage to change what can be changed i.e. myself. O lord give me the serenity to understand the difference that others cannot be changed and that I should only change myself”.

Begin with yourself and be the change agent. You can set an example for others to follow. This positive approach will definitely yield good results.

The following words are said to be written on the tomb of an Anglican bishop in the crypts of Westminster abbey in London, England.

“When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change –

So I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country, but it too seemed immovable.

As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.

And now I realise as I lie on my death bed, If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country,

And who knows, I might have even changed the world”.  

Let us be the factor of change. Change yourself first, and see the change in the world around you thereafter. Start with yourself and you can find your life peaceful and joyful. It is difficult to change but not impossible. Every human being can make a life for himself.

Be blissful

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

MEDITATION – A MENTAL EXERCISE

Meditation is a mental exercise and has several benefits.  Meditation can be used in several areas including the health of a person. The sixth chapter of Bhagavad Gita analyses meditation as a spiritual sadana as prescribed in the scriptures. In the spiritual context, meditation is not for the attainment of Moksha. Moksha is our very nature. We do not have to attain Moksha through any effort including through meditation. Secondly, meditation is not meant for getting extra ordinary powers or extra ordinary experience. According to our scriptures, extra ordinary powers or extra ordinary experiences have nothing to do with spirituality or spiritual growth. On the other hand, extra ordinary powers or experiences become obstacles for spiritual growth. A serious spiritual seeker must go far away from extra ordinary powers or extra ordinary experiences. Third misconception to be negated is that meditation is not meant for getting spiritual knowledge. For attaining knowledge, one has to go through spiritual education program under a spiritual Guru (Mundaka Upanishads) say the Scriptures. Guru starts teaching systematically the spiritual education program. In the second chapter of Gita Arjuna wanted spiritual education and Lord Krishna starts to teach spiritual education in a systematic way.

A question arises as to why this blessed meditation. It is for a smoother purpose other than those three mentioned above.  Meditation has an important purpose. Meditation is for refinement of mind before exposing to spiritual education program. It is for receiving the teaching and retain the teaching. (Gnanayogyada prapti). It is called preparatory meditation. It polishes the mind. It is a fitness exercise for the mind like a fitness exercise for the physical body. Only the mind receives the knowledge and not the “Athma” or the “Body”. Mind has to be refined to receive the knowledge because the spiritual knowledge is extremely subtle. “Athma” is the consciousness principle.      

Consciousness alone is elaborated in the Upanishads. The five features of consciousness are as under:

1.    Consciousness is not a part or product or the property of the body (inert). Moonlight is not a part of the moon. Moonlight is not the attribute of the moon.

2.    Consciousness is an independent principle, which pervades and enlivens the body. Sun pervades the moon and makes it bright. So also, consciousness pervades the 11 anathmas and enlivens the 11 anathmas. 

3.    Consciousness is not limited by the boundaries of the body and extends beyond the boundaries, which is all pervading (just as sunlight pervades the entire sky) but invisible like space.

4.    Consciousness will continue to exist even if the body or matter disintegrates. It is eternal. It is an independent principle and survives the death of the body.

Consciousness, which is surviving, is not accessible to us. After the disintegration of the body, the surviving consciousness is not experienced by us. It requires a medium for its experience. (Not for existence). This consciousness principle is called “Athma”. Another name of athma is ‘SAT’ (Sathu). Whatever exists in all the three periods of time without undergoing any change. Any material will constantly change. Its appearance and disappearance. Birth and death. Consciousness principle is changelessly permanent.

The important purpose of meditation is refinement of mind before the spiritual education program. Meditation in spiritual context is preparatory meditation. It is of many types like fitness exercises, which are countless. The four types of preparatory meditation are in the form of relaxation meditation (train the mind to relax), Concentration meditation (train the mind to focus), Expansion meditation (train the mind to expand) and Value meditation (train the mind to value life).

Preparatory meditation should precede spiritual education program. First do Upasanam (learning/ listening to the teaching, preparation), then Shravanam (Learning from teaching) followed by Mananam (Clearing the doubts you have after learning from teaching). Another type of meditation is after spiritual education program. Eaten food will not nourish. Only assimilated food will nourish. So also assimilated teaching will only nourish. Allocate some time after teaching. Teaching is about my higher nature. I have to learn to invoke my higher nature. I am the nature of consciousness. Body will go away/ perish but ‘I’ the consciousness principle is always present. Life is to be seen as playing a series of different roles like a cosmic drama. I should play the role but I should remember the role about the internalizing process, which is the second form of meditation. In Vedanta sastra, it is called Nidhithyasanam (Spiritual education program/ vedantic meditation). You do Nidhithyasanam after study (Practice what you have learnt after clearing your doubts). Study is sandwiched between Upasana dhyanam and Nidhithyasanam. In the sixth chapter of Gita Lord Krishna is focusing on Nidhithyasana Dhyanam, which is assimilatory teaching. Krishna teaches Arjuna in the Second chapter Viz. verse 11 to 25.  He talks about the nature of “Athma” and gives the description of “Athma”.  Krishna talks about Athma Dhyanam in a structured manner in the sixth chapter of Gita.

In the Sixth chapter of Gita, Krishna divides Nidhithyasanam into Five topics.

First Topic is on the general preparation to be undertaken by a vedantic student for successful Nidhithyasanam. We have to take care of our Lifestyle throughout the day. Bring a change in lifestyle by following meditation friendly lifestyle as told by Krishna. It is bhagiranga sadanam. We have to follow food discipline. Exercise has to be followed.

Second topic is about Antharanga sadana. It is about the specific preparation to be taken care of during the meditation. Viz. place of meditation, time of meditation, seat and posture to be taken during the meditation and so on.

Third topic is about the process or procedure of meditation. What should I do or what should I think? Emptying the mind is a misconception for meditation.

Fourth topic: What are the obstacles that will come when a person attempting to do meditation and remedies to get over the same.

Fifth topic: What are the benefits of practicing meditation? Atma dhyanam or Dhyana palam is discussed here. What benefits that a person can get by doing meditation.

I hope you will read the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad Gita and get to know the benefits of doing meditation. Enjoy reading …

Be blissful.

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com