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Swami ji said …

The joy and happiness that had filled our heart when we had finally received the toy that we had longed for as a child ; secured a bicycle as an adolescent ; bought a car or a house as an adult – is an emotion that we find very difficult to forget. We believe that life has blessed us with something that we not only desired but also needed. There is sincere appreciation for what we had and have managed to obtain. A child finds joy in playing with a toy for the first time, treating it with love and care. We feel that our daily commutes are much easier when we travel in our own vehicle. We feel a sense of empowerment when we are able to afford a holiday on our own, and , feel a sense of accomplishment when we buy our own house.

Yet, sadly, this contentment is short lived. The mind, over time, starts looking at what others around us possess and shortly comparison replaces contentment; and envy and angst replace thankfulness – and our happiness is short – lived. And, gradually, what we have – becomes irrelevant and what we don’t possess – begins to haunt our minds.

We begin to compare ourselves and our conditions with those of others. The mind is gleeful when we feel we are better off than others , and , seethes with jealousy on seeing those better off than us. There is no peace, and , the mind constantly flip flops in this extreme state – causing us unnecessary stress and tension.
Comparison, thus, not only kills all joy, but, needlessly also lowers our self esteem too. We need to put an end to this game of comparison that we love to play all the time – unless it inspires us to emulate the values and principles of others and become better and nobler version of ourselves.

We perhaps do not even realize it, but , the mind constantly assesses and compares us with others – our standing in society – as compared to where others stand. And while we might not be able to subdue such a thought process altogether, it becomes important for us to remain detached from the chaos it churns within us and stay unaffected by it. We need to put an end to this habit of constantly comparing between any two things that we see or visualise – be it day and night , salt and pepper , summer or winter – between children, between siblings. ‘ आनंद और अपनापन खत्म होता है…jab hum tulna karte hain bacchon ke beech mein, rishtedaaron ke beech mein.’

The best way to achieve this is by focusing on our own journey of life – rather than being consumed by what is going on in the other person’s life – his meteoric rise – his newly acquired wealth and status in society. We must cherish every little blessing that God has gifted us with and take joy in drawing out the most from those precious gifts – to our advantage. We must recognise that all that we have been given – is most suited for us, and, only when deemed fit by Him – shall we receive something else.

Yes, it is important to aspire in life – for a better career, more wealth, better health etc., and , it is only by observing others can we learn to aspire for more. But we must ensure that this does not lead to envy and stress. We must dream, and chase those dreams – but at the same time we must appreciate – that what we have in our life is what God expects us to utilize in furthering ourselves.

Does a ‘saccha sant’ , a self realised ‘ guru ‘ ever draw a comparison between his devotees ? He loves his devotees in equal measure and showers his Grace equally on each devotee of his without expecting anything in return from them. He understands the uniqueness of each devotee and accepts the differences – gifted to them by God – with open arms. Nothing matters to a ‘sadguru’ – neither his devotees’ status nor possessions ! All that matters to Him is the devotee’s eagerness to seek liberation from the cycle of birth and death and merge with Him and God.

Swami ji said…

The laws of ‘karma’ -कर्म – are understood intrinsically by most of us. We all generally accept that there is a certain truth to the fact that our ‘karma’ comes back to us. The fruits our actions bear – are most certainly received by us – sometimes instantly, sometimes over lifetimes.
It is this belief that often stops us from indulging in any wrongdoing – ‘पाप’ – and sometimes even inspires a few , and, compels others to do some good – ‘पुण्य’.

It is thus but natural that most of us try to do good ‘karma’ – good actions. Sometimes, it could be simply because we happen to be good hearted individuals ; sometimes in the hope of receiving special blessings from God; and sometimes to be ‘seen’ and ‘perceived’ as a good doer – even if within hearts of hearts we’d rather not – as we try to figure out – what would we ‘gain’ by being charitable. ‘ ‘Galat kaam’ ya ‘paap’ karte huey toh hum ek baar bhi achcha bura nahi sochte hain, toh punya karte samay hum kis soch vichar mein pad jaate hain ?’
Despite the sometimes questionable intentions behind our ‘punya’ – it is still better that people perform good ‘karma’ instead of bad or wrongful actions. However, our intent always has an effect on the nature of our actions, and, the results of good actions will continuously depreciate if the intent behind them is not equally noble.

It is thus important for us to realise that performing good karma’ is a ‘duty’ – something that should be spontaneous and done from our heart. Just like breathing air, drinking water or eating food is essential to the human body; performing good ‘ karma’ is essential for the human soul. Bad ‘karma’ holds us back, while good ‘karma’ frees us from this world. We ultimately owe it to ourselves – to free ourselves from the cycle of rebirth. We are not doing anyone any favours – but to ourselves – by trying to do good.

Why then do some of us feel superior when we perform a good act ? Why do we look down on the less fortunate with an air of superiority and make them feel insignificant and small with our looks and gestures ? Would ‘पुण्य’ – laced with pretence, lack of sympathy and genuine empathy mean anything at all ? The worst part is when we make a big hullabaloo about the acts of charity that have been done by us. Some of us are able to count on our fingertips the acts of goodness that we have done so far. It appears as though we expect to get something in return by doing the ‘पुण्य’ that we intend to do. Like a wealthy man showing off his wealth to those less fortunate; we also boast to others about how magnanimously we have acted – trying to make them also feel small in front of us. What difference then have we truly made to ourselves and to the world ? Doing good ‘karma’ is a blessing in itself – for it is the opportunity to do God’s work – on His behalf – in this world. We should simply be thankful that there was good meaning and a positive intent to, at least, some of our actions during our lifetime.

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ, said – ‘ Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.’ We must take this message to heart and follow it in principle.There is no need to announce to the world the number of good deeds that have been done by us. We must strive to overcome the need to seek admiration from the world for our ‘goodness’. This will be the first step in learning to lose the sense of false pride – the ‘ego’ that we develop – in doing ‘पुण्य’. We will gradually learn to enjoy good ‘karma’ – as the beauty of doing so touches our heart and makes us see Him in every one around us. We will realise that doing good – is the best for us – as it cleanses our soul and makes us feel pure – and that is solely why we should try to be helpful, kind or generous in the first place. And, when it comes to others – we will realise that it is not by admonishing them or by belittling them, but , by showing them the way silently with our actions – can we also stir their hearts into doing good. Our genuine joy and contentment in doing some ‘पुण्य’ will inspire them, too, to do good deeds before it is too late. Remember – ‘ Desist from doing bad ‘karma’ as it is wrong to do so – but nothing can be worse – ‘अगर पुण्य करते समय हमारे भीतर अहंकार की भावना जाग जाती है…’

Swami ji said…

Most of us find it a challenge to remain calm, composed and collected during moments of stress, difficulties and unexpected, disconcerting developments – and the blame game begins from the moment we stop being calm. We lay the onus on someone else or something else for making us lose our calm and composure. It is always easy to hold something else responsible for affecting us adversely ; why something irks us or distracts us – and makes us agitated and lose our focus. When we struggle with something – a difficult task or some other complicated issue – we often become snappy and crib about how things are not working in our favour, or , how unlucky we are. In times of struggle a sour, discomforting side of our personality is revealed.

Life as we know loves to throw curveballs at us.
That is the nature of life.Yet despite knowing this, we are often caught by surprise and seem highly put off – sometimes furious, sometimes crestfallen – in stressful situations.We convey our displeasure openly and invariably speak condescendingly to others.

It is during times like this that we should try to see ourselves through God’s eyes and wonder how He would feel on seeing us behave like this. He would surely wonder as to why are His children so weak ! Wouldn’t He ? He would most certainly feel sad and possibly be even ashamed of our deplorable behaviour.

Yes, situations can often be demanding and frustrating, but, giving in to them is not the solution. Remember, it is only the weak who surrender. Even when we fail to see light in the tunnel ahead, we must have faith in it and let it guide us. We must simply have trust and continue doing what we believe is right – with a smile – and have faith that we will come out unscathed from disasters. By doing so, our faith becomes stronger. We believe more strongly in our principles and know that they will serve us well even in the most difficult times.The comfort of this knowledge is what gradually makes us free from the stress of life. And when we find ourselves in ‘dire’ situations again, we, with a knowing smile are able to tide through them, simply curious to know – where is it that God is leading us in our journey and what delights He has in store for us after this.

A calm, stoic mind can be developed only when we make the effort to stay true to our principles ; a self realised ‘guru’s teachings – and humbly plough through tough situations – accepting them for what they are, and not losing our cool – as a ‘guru’s’ words give us the strength to remain immune to the ups and downs of life.The so-called ‘problems’ of life should be seen as ‘opportunities’ to see the efficacy of these teachings and principles. A disciple will truly appreciate his ‘guru’s’ teachings when he is able to successfully apply them in his own trials and tribulations. It is only when we learn to successfully face ‘problems’ and overcome them early on in life – that we are we able to remain unaffected by them later on in life. It is only then that we can say that we have ‘grown’ and are ready to face greater challenges in life.

So, the next time we experience the first signs of a panic attack over some issue that is not to our liking, we must take a deep breath and think – ‘ If I can’t face this, how will I achieve the bigger things that God has set out for me ?’ After all, God too could evaluate our response at a time of crisis ! Failure on our part to remain calm and composed would only mean that we are not yet strong enough to move on to bigger, greater and better things.

The spiritual practitioner must maintain a sense of calm while facing day to day problems and challenges.The hours spent in meditation will most certainly enable him to keep his mind clear and his heart at peace in the most demanding situations. Like the storms that test a ship’s seaworthiness; the ‘troubles’ of our life are truly God’s way of showing us how far have we evolved spiritually and successfully developed the ability to control our mind and thoughts by not overreacting to the struggles of life.

Swami ji said …

All things that live need nourishment to live and grow. Plants need air, water and sunlight. Some animals need flora, while others need to hunt for their intake of meat. And the type and kind of nourishment dictates the future of all. A sapling can grow into a hundred year old tree with uncountable leaves and branches if exposed to clean air, water, regular sunshine and fertile soil. But a sapling put in the desert will not last a day.

The same goes for our bodies – light and nutritious meals, lots of water make us look lean and feel good. Oily and fatty foods make us unhealthy. And we all are highly aware of this. Some of us even go on diets, take extreme precaution in our eating habits and even starve ourselves just to lose a few kilos and ‘look’ better and more attractive to others. For the sake of our physical well being we are willing to follow the most disciplined of lifestyles. The fact that we are willing to expend such energy and effort just for the sake of our physical appearance then begs the question – how committed are we to mainitaining the health of the mind ?

The mind is in a constant state of motion – ticking away all the time. It could be bursting with positivity one moment – only to find itself deflated with negativity the very next moment. If it is upbeat, motivated and enthused to achieve wonders one minute – it could be plagued with doubt, suspicion and lack of confidence the very next.
Thoughts are food for the mind, and who we are, how we experience life, our moods and attitude – all are guided by the kinds of thoughts we allow into our mind.

Thoughts of a negative connotation – such as those of anger, fear or jealousy make the mind unhealthy. As a result our perception of the world narrows down to one – that is filled with hate mistrust and deception. A mind filled with thoughts of anger makes us irritable. We constantly find fault with the world around us as we need some reason to blow off steam. Similarly, a mind filled with fear will never seize any opportunity – as it is convinced of a bad ending in all scenarios. It is thus important to monitor at all times what thoughts – conscious and subconscious – are going through the mind. Let there be no room for unkind, dishonest and hateful thoughts in our mind but instead we need to strengthen it with the bonds of self – belief ; faith in our abilities , honesty and love for all.

The world, the ‘sansaar’ around us itself was borne of a ‘thought’ – a curiosity in Brahma to know who or what He was. We should thus never underestimate the power of even a single thought. It is said that ascetics meditate for long periods of time just to regain control over the mind – so that they think only of God at the time of death – and are able to escape from the cycle of rebirth. For any action to take place, there has to, first , be a thought. Even a mindless act is one caused by subconscious thoughts in the mind. Thus, if we plan to have any control over our lives, it first becomes important to control our thoughts.

It is only through meditation, focussing on God, and introspection – that we can begin to control the avalanche of thoughts that trigger through the mind. With practice, we can begin to see as a spectator – the thoughts in the mind, and, gradually we can learn to turn those thoughts off and on as we find suitable. We are then no longer enslaved by the outside world. Instead of simply being puppets in the world, we are able to first observe , understand and then act, instead of merely reacting to the world around us.

And just like fruits and vegetables make our bodies strong and provide us with immunity and strength – love and thoughts filled with kindness make us feel better. We develop congenial personalities and people enjoy our company. We are hopeful about life and make others around us also feel so. Good thoughts lead to even better action. If we learn to put ourselves in others shoes and appreciate their struggles and challenges, we develop compassion. Compassion in turn drives us to help others selfllessly. We then become free of jealousy and envy. Happiness in our brethren becomes the reward we seek. In such a scenario, we can do no wrong.

Swami ji said…

The cycle of ‘karma’ cannot be ignored or avoided. The circumstances and conditions we find ourselves in – good , or , not so good – is because of the choices that we had made in the past. The decisions that we took in the earlier years of our life reflect our mindset of that time period – the follow up process of which prove to be either constructive or destructive for us. What we need to understand and accept is that – whatever we are or wherever we have reached in life today – is a reflection of the ‘direction’ that we decided to head in during our younger days. While for some ‘today’ is great, for some it is quite the opposite – all because of the direction they decided to set sail on long ago.

But, in the midst of all this, do we at any point question ourselves – hold ourselves accountable for the ‘state’ in which we find ourselves… ‘जो ‘दिशा’ हमने स्वयं अपने आप की करी है… क्या उसके लिए हम स्वयं जिम्मेदारी लेते हैं ?” When things go bad for us or take an ugly turn – we more than happily – pass on the buck to everything possible under the Sun. ‘हम ग्रहों की दशा को हमारे हालात के लिए, हमारी दशा के लिए जिम्मेदार ठहराते हैं…’ At times, we
hold our parents, friends , circumstances – everything else – but ourselves responsible for the dismal state in which we find ourselves. We do this because it suits us. We fail to recall the number of times we slipped – the innumerable times we were unable to resist temptation and ended up indulging in wrong and sinful activities – resulting in the messy situation that we now find ourselves in.

Even now – the direction we are heading in dictates our future – in this life and even the next. Thus, we must always be cautious and wise in taking the smallest of decisions that shape our life.This, however, can only be done if we have the foresight and guidance to see where our path is taking us. Those who keep God in their heart find this the easiest to follow. Even though they cannot see where they will end up, just the ‘nature’ – the goodness or peril – in the direction they decide to take – is something they develop an intuition for – as God is guiding them. Thus, those who regularly reflect and meditate on themselves become acutely aware of where they are headed in life and what they must do if they need to change direction. They are able to observe and glean from the world around them how ‘karma’ seems to work and thus become very careful of what they do. Such is the manifestation of God’s guidance in the spiritual practitioner’s life.

On the other hand, those who are trapped in the illusion of this world, are unable to tell which paths, which directions or what actions are beneficial for them. Enslaved to their physical senses, they are unable to see or sense any of the long term repercussions of their actions done today.

In life we must strive to be guided by honesty and righteousness. A sense of duty and humility is what directed Shri Ram from His Kingdom to the Forest – only so that he would become a King of the Ages – one who would be remembered and worshipped forever. On the other hand, insatiable desire and ambition made the demon king, Ravan – head from the Forest to the Golden kingdom of Lanka, which he coveted – only to see that very kingdom burn – in the last days of his life – as he paid for his sin, of kidnapping Sita Ma, at the hands of Lord Ram. Such is the destiny that awaits us – is in store for us – depending on the direction we take.