Swami ji’s Sandesh… “हमैं अपना पूरा ध्यान ईश्वर पर केंद्रित करना चाहिए…”

Swami ji said…

In our day to day lives- we come across individuals- who are committed to making an improvement in the quality of their lives. They seek peace- in the madness of the turmoil around them; tranquillity- amidst the chaos in which they find themselves submerged, and to gain a deeper spiritual understanding of life. In order to achieve this, they are willing to experiment with the latest practices- as they know it is only then that it will be possible for them to improve the quality of their life- irrespective of the circumstances in which they live. They believe in the importance of living in the present moment only- not dwell on the past that has gone for ever, nor, live in the imaginary, illusionary future. They believe that they must make the best use of the circumstances in which God has placed them.

Some say that we must focus on the body—its health, strength, and appearance. Many of us follow this path with great sincerity. We exercise in parks and gyms. We watch our diet carefully. We ensure that we do not consume even an extra grain of food. We regularly measure our weight and waist, hoping to see signs of weight loss.

Others say that we must become more learned and knowledgeable. For this purpose, we read many books, write journals, listen to intellectual discussions, and try to make our mind more aware of the world around us. Through these practices, we, earnestly and diligently, try to expand the horizons of our mind. Then there are those who advise us to return to the ancient traditions of our ancestors— yoga, meditation, controlled breathing, and, many other spiritual practices. There is nothing wrong with any of these suggestions. In fact, all of them are beneficial.
However, what often happens is that, though there may be changes in physical appearance or mental sharpness, the mind itself does not necessarily change. Outwardly, a person may appear improved, but, inwardly, he may remain the same.

For a spiritual seeker, this is an important lesson. A person may become so attached to the means that he forgets the end. One does not seek good health merely for the sake of good health. One does not seek knowledge merely for the sake of knowledge. One seeks these things because they are considered means to joy and happiness. But true joy and true happiness can be experienced only when one becomes one with God. This must be the focus of life.

The quality of our life, our thoughts, and our actions truly improve when we make God our real aim. It is better to meditate for five minutes with sincere focus on God than to meditate for an hour while the mind contemplates on the benefits of meditation itself and the reward that we expect from Him for focussing on Him. When we exercise the body- it should not be only with the intent of receiving admiration from others on our ‘physical’ appearance- but we exercise- so that the body remains healthy and does not become an obstacle in our spiritual journey of knowing Him, seeing Him and merging with Him one day.

Could there be a better habit than reading, learning, and reflecting? But, we should not allow knowledge to become a cause of pride. Rather, we should let the knowledge that we have been fortunate enough to assimilate- help us move closer to God. We need to be aware of the significance of
pausing and contemplating on God. We must unfailingly reflect on the teachings of our Guru. We must remember to make God a part of whatever we do.

One is often distracted by the ‘small’ successes these ‘practices’ bring us. And, more often than not, one is more devoted to one’s practice- than to God, Himself. This is self-sabotage for those seeking the path of enlightenment. When God becomes the centre of our actions, even ordinary actions become sacred. When God becomes the focus of our life, peace is no longer something to be searched for. It becomes something that we breathe and live.