A week of discipline… December 2, 2008
Posted by tharinid in Self discipline.4 comments
Spirituality needs discipline. This is a known fact. And over the course of this last year, I have seen just how much I lack in it. A resolve once made, has always evaporated into thin air, at the very next opportunity that it was challenged. So much so, that I have stopped taking myself seriously. And this lack of gumption to see something through is slowly eroding whatever is good and latently good within me. And I really need to get a grip on myself, and come back to the path that I long to be on.
The first of the many challenges, has to do with diet. I need to lost at least 20 lbs and soon. I am 31 now and getting into middle age. And I want to get back in shape before lower metabolism levels take over and make it tougher than it is. I have resolved many times to myself on some of the changes I wanted to make. Simple, basic things for a diet overhaul…like, no coffee and tea, more water, less dairy, only the occasional dessert, and 1 hour of exercise at least 5 days a week.
And everyday, I have failed. And I am tired of failing. And I realise the only way to get what you want, is to go after it, mindfully while asking for grace along the way. Plus, I need to firmly commit myself to change. And that is what I am doing here, right now. So starting tomorrow, for the next 1 week (yes 1 week alone)….I want to institute these changes with determination and strength. And I want to see how this one week impacts me. If at the end of it, I feel good about the changes, then perhaps, I will have the energy of positive impact to carry me into the next week, and the next and the next. For now, it starts with tomorrow.
God grant me the strength and bless this resolve of mine.
Say no to strangers… October 2, 2008
Posted by tharinid in Divine Inspiration.3 comments
Last evening, R took Winkie to his karate class. It was parent participation night. They were showing a video on how to deal with strangers. Some of the parents were called upon to play a stranger in different situations, and the child was supposed to demonstrate what to say and how to deal with them.
For instance, if a stranger came upto you (a child) and said…Hey, do you want some candy?….you are supposed to say NO. If he says…do you want to get into my car and show me the way to the police station?….you say NO. If he says…get in the car, I am a cop…you say NO and ask for a badge.
This is to keep yourself safe. Its an awareness training to identify potential threats from strangers and use your discrimination and act accordingly.
R came home and told me about the class. And how it set him thinking. These lessons to kids, were life lessons for all of us. We also face strangers in our life everyday. Every once in a while, greed comes knocking and asks….Do you want more of this?….The ideal answer is NO, but many a times we do not manage it. We come face to face with anger….and let it completely take us away in that car, without asking for a badge….without saying NO first. Hatred makes our acquaintance and we take its hand and get embroiled in its grip. Jealousy works in much the same way and we are hopelessly trapped. All because of our inability to identify them as the strangers to our divine soul, and use our God given intellect to say NO.
As we chewed on this clear thought, it finally dawned. That there was in effect, only one true STRANGER. The mind. That part of the mind that fostered divisiveness. That fed into the duality of existence, denying the oneness of all creation. That part of our mind, led away by the senses, was the one true stranger that created all these other sub facets of it. If we could learn to observe the inner workings of our mind, we might just find the key to saying NO.
Laughter – the spiritual medicine September 18, 2008
Posted by tharinid in Divine Inspiration.1 comment so far
This was in yesterday’s Nithyananda newsletter. And I want to remember this for longer than today…
————————-
When was the last time you had a really good laugh?
Most of us have forgotten how to laugh. Our laughter is only an extended smile, a social necessity. We are usually laughing at someone, or simply fulfilling a duty. And laughter has been replaced by giggles and sniggers.
In an office, the boss tells a joke. The whole team starts roaring with laughter, except one lady who sits looking bored.
The boss asks: What’s the matter? Why aren’t you laughing?
She replies: I don’t have to. I am quitting next week!
Laughter has tremendous potential that we have forgotten how to use. It is an excellent way of connecting with people.
In fact, the most radical ideas, when presented in a humorous manner, can easily be got across to people.
Most of us are afraid to laugh, especially when we are with strangers, because laughter exposes us. Laughter exposes the innocent, vulnerable You hidden inside you.
Those who find it difficult to laugh have no idea what a gift they’ve lost. Believe me, there is no business more serious than the business of laughter. It is seriously important to be able to laugh!
Learn to laugh at your problems. At least you’ll have something to laugh about!
People who can laugh at themselves are truly blessed, because they have found a way to go beyond the ego.
Laughter is simply an overflowing of health, of abundant energy. It blossoms as a natural result of being at ease with our self and surroundings. That’s why happy, smiling people are usually the most spontaneous.
Laughter has great therapeutic value. Today, the healing effects of laughter are being acknowledged by doctors and psychiatrists worldwide. And that is why so many laughter clubs have mushroomed worldwide; to teach us how to laugh!
The deep, chaotic breathing induced by laughter produces positive vibrations in our body, relaxes the belly and improves digestion. Laughing also cleanses the manipuraka chakra, the subtle energy center in our navel area, which is the seat of worry and depression. The simple act of laughing has the power to unlock deep-rooted psychological suppressions. Laughter is a natural healing power that nature has gifted to us.
Laughter is the highest spiritual path. It is the royal route to enlightenment. It is the easiest and most powerful way of connecting with the boundless energy of Existence.
A sign of more to come… August 3, 2008
Posted by tharinid in Uncategorized.8 comments
A nice sunny afternoon and I had left the kids home with the in-laws to go watch a movie with my sister. Kismet Konnections it was to be. A movie outing is always a cheery prospect and with my sister for company, its like the best treat in the world! I was in great spirits and so was she.
Aps is a very new devotee of Swami. She came into his fold with curiosity after hearing about His amazing grace from all my experiences and was investing a little bit more of her devotion with each day. And as our conversations often do, it veered around to Swami this time too, in the auto and being in the playful mood that I was, mentally asked Swami to give me some tangible signs of His omnipresence. I don’t want any regular God pictures, I told Him in my heart….It has to be a clear sign that is is YOU.
I told her of my request and we began looking out on the road and passing billboards etc for the said sign. For awhile, nothing happened. And I was wondering if I was being too cheeky, and if this was His way of treating that, when suddenly my eyes saw a sign and the inner voice in my heart confirmed that it was indeed from Him. Sign-o-rama…a shop name said.
It took a while to sink in, the significance of that first sign, and when it did, I chuckled out loud. It seemed like a typical sign of His sense of humour, the one I had heard so much about in the Geeta Ram Mohan talks. I pointed it out to her and she gave me that Oh my God, I don’t believe it…look.
I kept my eyes tuned for more….I was greedy for more. We passed by many street paintings of various Gods, and I rejected all of them, telling Him…no no…not this stuff, it has to be different.
My mind began to wander and I started thinking about the movie we were going for. It was in Sathyam Theatre, and just as I came to that thought, my mind did a double take as I realised what the second sign was. Sathyam. His very name (Sathya Sai baba) merged in it. Told Aps. Oh my God, she said, out loud this time. That was good Swami, I congratulated him mentally. Very good. And how foolish that I did not see it before now???
When it rains, it pours. And our Sai showers were just beginning. Right after this second sign, we saw a huuuuge billboard which read Royal Sundaram. Whoa!!! This was a big time sign, what with Sundaram being the name of Swami’s ashram here in Chennai!!!
We got thoroughly into the groove now and signs just kept coming our way now….we saw another billboard which read…This is a sign of more to come…That was utterly cosmic, that sign. It had our hair standing on end and we had to hand it to Him…..it was totally different from all the usual signs I have received so far!
We reached the movie hall and were amazed to find all the Sathyam employees oozing warmth, courtesy and such a ready smile. Like they adored you. Aps told me it didn’t usually happen that way. This day was really one of a kind. The movie, in itself, was so full of these cosmic sign moments, that it will be hard to capture and describe each and every one of them and the effect they had on us. the story, in itself, was a low fuss one, with the hero being prone to bad luck all the time, until he meets the heroine who is Lady Luck herself. his life changes when she is around and then of course, the usual love story follows with some problems thrown in to keep the plot moving. There was this one point when his luck is about to change, but he does not know it. But as a viewer, we get to see it, because right behind him is a tall building, and a huuuge poster is slowly being mounted on it, as he is thinking about his life. The poster….an ad for Gita sermons, with a beautiful picture of Lord Krishna, and as you see it being hoisted up that building….as more and more of the picture becomes visible, and with the changing tempo of the background music that ensues…..and in the charged spiritual climate that is swirling within you….that moment is just tooo much to take. It is an experience that cannot be imagined or described.
We heard a song, it seemed to be the perfect one for Him, singing all his praises, when in fact, it would have sounded like a typical love song on any other day. A sign of more to come…promised a billboard on the road. Little did I know that it echoed the promise of the Lord Himself, when only minutes before I had foolishly asked him for a sign that He was there with us. A sign that had to be different and novel and not the regular, usual stuff . Even this silly request asked so cheekily was granted with such love and aplomb. Why?
Because it was asked with faith. Full and complete faith that He was indeed that and that He would deliver. No wonder they say….faith came move mountains. It was not said lightly.
Why fear when I am here? June 29, 2008
Posted by tharinid in Divine Inspiration.2 comments
I was at my parents’ place and about to set out to go someplace. My mom tipped me with info on how much I would need to pay the auto-driver for the distance I would be covering. Not more than Rs. 40, she said. And don’t take any autos from the nearby auto stand, take one from the next street.
I stepped out and since I was short on time, went to the nearby auto stand and signalled one of the drivers. As he drove his way over, I was mentally bracing myself to drive a hard bargain of the said 40 rupees and no more. My face was stern, my demeanour rigid and there was a little bit of unconscious stress building up into my system as he approached me. I told him the destination and then asked him the big question….How much?
40 rupees…he said.
I stopped in my tracks for just a second. The fight I was about to put up died within me. 40 rupees is all that he had asked for?
My shoulders slumped in relief and I happily got into the auto feeling a good sense of not having let him down by bargaining and moreover having struck a deal which made both of us happy. I got in, sat down and when I looked front, that’s when I noticed it. A bright, sharp picture of Shirdi Sai Baba greeted my eyes, and next to him were pictures of every deity possible neatly arranged and taped to the front glass.
Seeing that picture there was the point of instant connection. And it reminds me of one of the things I have read Swami say, which made such an impact some time earlier…Why fear, when I am here?
This has now become a mantra of life, and everytime a worry, big or small surfaces, this one thought rises surely above it, instantly defragmenting all the related stress, leaving no more fear…and only a feeling of being in the HERE.
Joining the local Sai Center – 3 March 17, 2008
Posted by tharinid in Sai Center.7 comments
Once we reached the Home, I got out and walked along with Jaya, the lady whose car I was following. She introduce me to another devotee there and together they explained to me briefly about what would take place. Devotees who had gotten to some of the residents of the Home from previous visits would go in to their rooms and wheel them in to the activity room on the ground floor. The activity room was a mid-sized hall with tables and chairs. Residents were sitting at the tables either on the chairs or on their wheelchairs and when we went in, there was a little exercise session in progress. They were all feebly raising their hands up and down, swaying their foot side to side and getting a little workout. It was my first time in an old age home, and this was the first sight that greeted my eyes.
Everything looked and felt so strange at first, and I felt a deep sadness looking around at all these old old grandmotherly figures, who did not have any family to care for them, or whose families did not want to care for them anymore. My heart cried for all these people and I fervently prayed that I wouldn’t do anything to hurt them in anyway, through my efforts to be of help. It was a paranoid thought, but I was nervous. All the devotees came in one by one, and the pleasantest thing to see was that each and every one of them brought their kids along. There were children ranging from 5 to 12 years and all of them looked at home and relaxed. Whichever adult caught my eye, looked at me and smiled a warm welcoming smile, that put me more and more at ease.
The service at this Home takes place once a month, and the activities involve doing a little bit of craft work followed by group singing. In the middle of all this, the devotees move around and talk with the residents asking after them and being pleasant and loving. Some devotees become attached to 1 or 2 residents and mingle more with those residents to keep up the personal touch. I found this aspect very lovely. Its like making a friend in there and coming back to that friend every month to catch up with them.
The craft work this month was a printout of a shamrock in accordance with St. Patrick’s Day. The residents could colour on them on their own if they liked, or with our assistance. So once all the materials were set up, we moved from table to table handing out the supplies. The very first table I went to had 3 old ladies sitting. When I approached their table and asked if they’d like a craft paper, one of them piped up warmly saying…yes, of course…that would be nice. It was the first real interaction I had had, and I looked at her gratefully for being so welcoming with me. She said she couldn’t colour, and I promised to come back to her table to help her out.
Once I had distributed the papers out, I came back to my first table. Now would be a good time to introduce the wonderful people that sat here. The person who had first spoken to me was Audrey. Mext to her was sweet sweet Alzada. I do not know the 3rd person’s name because one of the attendants had wheeled her away by the time I got to her. She hardly spoke and looked very serious and quiet. I helped Audrey colour the shamrock, all the while talking to her. She wanted to know my name, and all about my family. And when she heard about little Thambi, her interest was piqued and she wanted to know all the things he got up to, when I mentioned how naughty he was. There was a sweet indulgent smile playing on her lips as she listened. I guess I should have told her to check out my blog sometime. *wink*
She mentioned that she was almost blind and could not make out colours, hence her request that I do the craft for her. I asked her of she could see me, and she said that since I was sitting close, she could. Alzada was a very interesting person! For one, she had very defined tastes on what colours she wanted to use on the paper. We had given out a selection of greens for the shamrock, but she wanted some nice bright colours, she declared…like some reds and oranges. Yes Ma’am! I got her a nice assortment of colours, and she wanted me to colour hers too, because she wasn’t able to get some colour in. To be fair to her, she had tried to colour, but because of her inability to press the crayon, no colour was coming through on the paper. I held her hands and we coloured together.
She had such long fingers. It must have looked very beautiful in her younger days. They were still very well manicured hands, and I was soo… mindful that I shouldn’t apply too much pressure, because what if it hurt her fragile hands? We finished colouring, but she was still not satisfied. She asked me to put stickers there, there and there, mentioning the exact placements, she directed me on what colours to use where and once I did, she was very happy with the outcome. She had me work on the paper that I had given the 3rd lady, whose name I do not know, and she kept all 3 artworks with herself, even Audrey’s, who gave hers up willingly to her friend. It was sweet.
In the meantime, the singing had begun. A 12 year old girl played the flute and how! And then one of the devotees, an American named Jeff, picked up the guitar and he and all the kids together sang beautifully…I can’t remember the names of most of the songs, only that I had heard them before. He tried to get in a lot of Irish numbers on occasion of St. Patrick’s Day and Oh Susanna was one of them. There was this extremely simple and haunting song called Kumbaya, my Lord. Kumbaya is an African word meaning Come by here.And since this song is so so beautiful, and I found an amazing version of it on youtube, I will link it here.
They ended the singing with Amazing Grace, a song amazing in itself. Throughout the course of that morning, I had been having a feeling of being utterly blessed and in bliss. I looked around the room, and saw nothing but a sea of faces with God’s spirit imprinted upon them. In the beautiful ecstasy of that moment, I could see through to the God that was the indweller in each and every one’s heart. I felt so much love, and so much of gentleness and compassion. I looked at the kids up there in the front of the room, singing so beautifully and comfortably, and felt so proud of them, for being such beautiful carriers of today’s message of God in tomorrow’s world. I looked at the faces of the devotees, all soft and lit up with love, tending gently to the residents sitting at the tables, speaking softly, putting an arm around them, bending down deferentially to hear what they had to say, and when any one of them caught my eye, they had such a beatific smile of welcome and warmth, I felt immensely lucky to be in that circle of God’s love. One of them, an older gentleman, complimented me on how well I was colouring for the friends at my table, and for a first timer like me, those were such encouraging words.
Truly, there is something magnificent in devotional singing. Be it the traditional India bhajans or the light English hymns. The songs had power to transform, and power to accord bliss. Everyone there in that room was bathed in a glory of peace and brotherhood. And thus…there I was…touched beyond any words, and the song of Amazing Grace begins to play….and as I look down at my songbook and sing the words, I realise that it is MY words of gratefulness to the Lord for his compassion on me, for showing me the path, and for helping me tread it. They were my words of gratitude and thanksgiving…every word of it….sharing it here to add more meaning to my narrative…
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me….
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
T’was Grace that taught…
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear…
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares…
we have already come.
T’was Grace that brought us safe thus far…
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord has promised good to me…
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be…
as long as life endures.
When we’ve been here ten thousand years…
bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise…
then when we’ve first begun.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me….
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
Tears came in my eyes as I sang this song, and I sang it with feeling and sincerity. I wondered the kind of impact it would have on all these old people, at the very fag end of this lifetime on earth…would it uplift them? Would it give them hope? Would it put a spring in their step for the rest of that day? It had to….because that’s how beautiful it was. Jeff had a fantastic voice and a gentle smile that was a direct mirror of the Lord’s love.
All too soon, it seemed, the music ended and one of the more active residents, spoke out loud on behalf of all the rest. She said how much they all enjoyed the group coming in once every month, and how good it made them feel. Please come again and again, she said, because we really look forward to it. Hearing that was such a motivating feeling. There are no bigger rewards here than bringing joy to the life of such old people, sitting far away from their real homes, in this old age home. At that moment, I felt that once a month was too infrequent and once a week would have been nicer. But I guess, with all things, you start with baby steps and once the foundation is in place, you build up on that more and more and give of yourself, more and more.
I took leave of my two friends Audrey and Alzada. I could see they were a little sad to see me go, but I promised to be back next month, and made them promise that they would be there too. Audrey said to bring my whole family the next time, and especially Thambi. I was determined that I would and told her so. And with that, I took my leave and we all left the Home.
….to be continued…
P.S – Audrey mentioned her birthday was on March 25, and Alzada’s on July 16.
Joining the local Sai Center – 2 March 17, 2008
Posted by tharinid in Sai Center.2 comments
I reached the center, which was actually the home of a devotee, at about 9:20 AM. I parked outside the house and noticed that there were no cars parked anywhere. It was strange to be sure, for I was counting on that as a indicator that I had indeed reached the right place. I knew something was up….was this week’s group meeting cancelled? Darn! I should have called and checked with the Center President before coming. Anyways, I dialled the number of the resident of the house and when a lady picked up the phone, I asked her if it was the Sai Center. It was an Indian voice that replied, that it indeed was, and when I told her that I was waiting outside thinking there was a group session today, she hurriedly went on to apologise profusely and explained that every 3rd Sunday, the Center congregates at an old age home to render services there, and then meets back at the house at 11:30 to continue with the study circle. She asked me to come into the house so she could explain further. And I did.
She had a very welcoming smile and an apologetic manner, when it had been my mistake, all along in not checking the schedule first. She was genuinely very happy to see me, a new devotee, and said I could accompany her to the home and involve in the activities if I wished. I said yes, I would like to and followed her in my car. All the way, my mind was a tumult of thoughts, mostly excited ones, and some nervous ones.
A little digression here. For a while now, I have been thinking of volunteering my time and efforts in performing some service for society. There was a time when I even went online and did a lot of research into the local organisations and what kind of work they did, and what would be required of me. But somewhere, in that process, my good intentions were again lost and my mind began to conjure up doubts, as is its nature. Will I enjoy doing service in the long run? Will it take away too much of my family weekend time? Will I be able to give wholly to the people I set out to help? Will it hurt me too much to see how much of suffering exists? Do I want to leave the cocoon of my safe sheltered life to face the actual reality of the world? And so, as a result of these questions, I held back for the longest time, despite my heart prodding me in this direction many a times. End of digression.
And now, to think that of all the Sundays I could have chosen to show up at the Center, it had to be the 3rdSunday??? Over the last 2 weeks I wondered what game Swami was playing with me. What lesson was he trying to teach me by making me miss center activities 2 weeks in a row? Was he testing my steadfastness? Was he preparing me for something in this interim time? The answer to this last question is YES. He indeed was. He held me back from going to the Center for 2 weeks, so that I would finally end up going on the 3rd Sunday and be able to plunge headlong into a service activity. Such that I would have no time or chance to feed my fears, but instead would be placed in a position where I would have to act from the heart, and in the process realise that anything that flows from the heart, is a natural flow. One that requires no effort, because it is the living of simple truth. That day, He helped me discover that there was indeed love in my heart, and it was of the purest kind, in that pristine state as when He had first put it there. He showed me that when you act with this Love, there is no fear of doing wrong, there is no question of whether my time is well spent away from the family, there are no doubts about whether I am doing it in the right spirit. Because at that moment, there is no ‘I’ in the picture at all. The ego is completely killed and only God’s Love flows through our beings as His instruments. And being a receptacle of that, and being a transferrer of that love, really reformed me, and the way I regard service.
All my fears and doubts have vanished in this one encounter and I am so grateful to the Lord for wiping away such a big burden from my heart in one swift move. The world of possibilities this has now opened up in my life is now limitless. I love being alive, I love that He has given me physical health and strength. And I now see that in addition to using that to take care of my family, He has also shown me how to use it for the people who are not related to me.
With God’s grace, this blessing can only grow and transform, day by day….I will continue writing about the actual Center activities in my next post.
The Law of the Garbage Truck… March 16, 2008
Posted by tharinid in Divine Inspiration.1 comment so far
How often do we let other people’s temper affect our mood? Do we let a terrible driver, or a rude comment ruin our day?
The mark of a spiritual aspirant is how quickly we can regain our focus on what is important. One man learnt this experience while in the back of a New York City cab. Here’s what happened.
He was traveling in a taxi, on his way to Grand Central Station. All of a sudden, without warning, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of them. The taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded and missed the other car’s back end by inches.
Then, the driver in the other car, who nearly caused a huge accident, whipped his head around and started abusing the taxi driver.
But the taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. The startled passenger said, “Why did you take it so easy? The guy almost caused your car to crash and send us to hospital!” The taxi driver laughed and then related what he called, “The Law of The Garbage Truck.”
“Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of rubbish, filled with frustration, bursting with anger, and packed with disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump it all on you, don’t take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You’ll be glad you did. I assure you.”
The passenger started thinking how regularly he let garbage trucks run right over him? And how frequently he took his own garbage and spread it onto other people, at work, at home, or on the streets? It was that day he promised to himself, “I’m not going to do it anymore.”
Over time he learnt how to distinguish when a “Garbage Truck” was coming to dump all over him. He noticed the junk they were carrying and prepared himself to avoid it all being unloaded onto him. Like the taxi driver, he did not make it a personal thing; he just smiled, waved, wished them well, and moved on.
In His own inimitable way, Bhagavan also tells us:
“Be always saturated with Love. Do not use harsh words against anyone, for words wound more fatally even than arrows. Speak softly and sweetly. Sympathise with suffering with an unshaken faith.”
Adapted from “Let the Garbage go by…” By David J. Pollay
Joining the local Sai Center – 1 March 16, 2008
Posted by tharinid in Sai Center.2 comments
I have been searching online for locating a local Sai Center on and off now. I even sent email to the Region 5 email id, only to have it bounce back. I guess it was meant to be at R’s hand that some information finally came through, because not only did he send an email to the region id, he also sent one to the id where you could seek general information. And the very next day, a Saturday morning…a reply came directing us to our local Sai Center. They met every Sunday from 9:30 AM for a few hours. We were very excited. We made plans to go the very next day.
By evening, the monkey mind had started wreaking havoc to the good intentions. A lot of doubts kept popping up, and in the name of scouting the place and getting a feel of it, I persuaded R to go the next day. But come next day, he was running late and since he didn’t want to arrive there late for the very first day, he ended up not going. It was a big disappointment to me. Like a huge failure on our parts. For the next week, I decided to go.
Come next week and the daylight savings ended on the Saturday and we went forward one hour and changed our clocks. But we had forgotten to change the clock in the bedroom, and I ended up waking late as a result. Another missed week. More disappointment.
This time I didn’t make plans. I had a desire to go, and if the Lord willed that I go, He would make me do it. All of Saturday, I had a spattering of doubts. The center activities ranged from 9:30 to 1:00 PM, at the very least. That was a long time to be away from the kids. Little little things like that kept popping up in my head. But Sunday morning dawned and I was up by 7:00. There was ample time to get ready and leave at leisure. R supported me by volunteering to take care of breakfast and cooking lunch. And so I went today…March 16, 2008. And had an experience that will singularly change my life, and that of my family in the time to come. More about that in my next post…
It happens again… February 24, 2008
Posted by tharinid in Divine Inspiration.4 comments
…that little whisper from the universe, that you are not alone…that there is an answer. And the answer is provided.
For the whole of the last week, I did not read a single Nithyananda Newsletter that was delivered to my mailbox. Only right now did I get to them. The message in one was particularly moving and directly related to my recent state of mind. I am finally getting the strength I need to move out of this rigamarole. Here, are those potent words…
What moves you?
Which emotions control your actions?
Does your life revolve around hostility, aggression, and anger?
Are you frequently depressed for no reason?
Is it more important for you to love, or to fight?
Be honest with yourself!
You must first acknowledge your emotions – otherwise how are you going to transform them?
Very often, people who live in a hostile environment develop a strong affinity for the negative emotions. They need it; it is a survival technique for them. They get all their energy from their negative emotions.
Research has proved that in the time of war, the crime and suicide rate in society goes down drastically. Because people now have an open platform to express their negative emotions, they need not commit their crimes privately!
Even Hitler has said, if you want to make a country powerful, create enemies! The enemies need not even be real; they can even be imaginary enemies. As long as people are in a hostile situation, they feel strong. When they are rebelling, they feel powerful. All our energy has been channeled into negativity.
Even depression is nothing but anger turned upon oneself. When you express the emotion, it is seen as anger. When you repress it, it becomes depression. But both are the same negative energy.
When we focus on our negative emotions, when we nurture our sense of separateness, when we create an experience of ‘me versus them’, the ego feels very powerful. That’s why many of us enjoy situations where we can be in a fighting position.
The positive, softer emotions always make us vulnerable. Love, joy, compassion – these are very fragile states of mind. When we experience these emotions, the boundary between ourselves and the world becomes weaker. The ego feels less powerful. That’s why we are all afraid of these emotions. In a deeply unconscious way, we are afraid of love – because in love we have to surrender the ego.
But spirituality is nothing but the process of losing one’s ego. If you are afraid even to love, because it makes you feel vulnerable – how will you move inward into meditation?
