Me, My Guru – on validity and existence of pain of a Master

 

Me, My Guru – on validity and existence of pain of a Master

“What bothers or pains you Guruji?”

“It is hard to obtain human birth, harder to live like a human being, harder still to understand the ‘Dharma’ and yet the entire life is exhausted in living in unrighteous way and chasing things which are ephemeral!” replied our Guruji looking into the distance.

This was the pain Jesus suffered when he saw people fall in character all around him. This was the pain Adi Shankaracharya experienced when he saw Vedic philosophy degrade to a level of superstitious rituals and wrong ways of living. This was the pain Buddha felt when he saw people suffering on the cause which didn’t exist. This was the pain of Swami Vivekananda which drove him to be workaholic creating ‘Ramakrishna Mutt’ and spreading the Vedic philosophy and its essence to the general public at large.

‘Being detached’ or being ‘sanyasi’ doesn’t mean go away from the world. But understand the difference between right form of work and chasing right kind of things of the world. There is suffering always – only one suffering is real and the other imaginary. The imaginary can be done away with developing clarity of thought and being in sadhan. To choose to work towards ‘other kind of pain’ – that of being unable to see fellow humans and creatures suffer is optional!"

We were silenced by her answer!

**** 

 

also read on account of Christmas : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=Christ 

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=Jesus 

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=Christmas 

also read on account of Vaikunta Ekadasi : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=yoga+nidra 

https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=fasting

Yoga nidra

….contd….

During ‘yoga-nidra’ a person looks inactive externally as he is lying down with eyes closed, but actually since the conscious is active and aware, it can experience so many events that’s termed as ‘miracle’ by laymen – like healing, saving someone, astral travel, understanding scriptures or the great Truths – you name it – it’s possible!

So, imagine if we can do so much during our ‘yoga-nidra’, then how much ‘leela’ (plays) He can perform during His. (Now can you term it as tamasic?)

Can everyone experience ‘state of yoga-nidra’  at mortal level? Yes of course! Why else did you think I came into teaching reiki and related topics. This is a very beautiful phase of experience that everyone is capable of experiencing and has right to. Only think that stops is the inclination. “Yes. You are the stumbling block in the possibility called You!”

How? By logging on to all and sundry like anger, hatred, envy, ingratitude et like characters, you miss the greater possibility of these experiences. Like a glass can either contain nectar or poison – likewise what you contain within gives expression to the experiences you have in your life. I can’t stand if others are praised or if I find someone more eligible than me – other negative qualities, I don’t have – then can I have these insights. It’s like saying in a glass of nectar, I have just put a drop of poison (you see I just wanted to know how it tastes or the person who gave me poison would feel bad if I didn’t atleast taste little of what he gave!) does this logic appeal to you? Or does it sound fundamentally stupid?

And all of techniques that I’ve taught are just to remove these latencies in us completely to enable us to experience these beautiful and higher possibilities (refer posts dated Sunday, March 29, 2009, Wednesday, April 1,2009,Saturday, May 16, 2009, Tuesday, May 3, 2011 to understand importance of various sadhan techniques!)

Now, you decide what you want and act accordingly! Need I tell more! You are a better judge and hopefully a well-wisher – a shreyobhilashi of ‘self’. So, I am sure you can’t take a decision that’s harmful for you.

chaturmas - yoga nidra of vishnu

…contd…

Now Lord Vishnu sleeps during Chaturmas! Well, is it really true? When beings higher to us like Deva, Gandharvas don’t sleep and don’t need sleep, the protector of the world – Lord Vishnu needs one or goes to sleep? Is it possible? Then what’s the difference between ‘Nidra’ and ‘Yoga Nidra’?

‘Nidra’ or sleep is tamasic because we become inactive and are totally ignorant of everything happening and what is during our sleep. This state of inactivity is therefore termed as tamasic. But it is must for the anaerobic activity of rejuvenation and repairing of our body. This state of rest helps our body to become energized and fit to face the next day. Imagine it to be something like ‘aircraft maintenance’ after every flight! But, do we all get rejuvenated after sleep – not necessarily. Because, our bodies become inactive but our mind is kept active with all the day’s events, suppressed desires (which we usually fulfill through our dreams!), anger and what not. No doubt we get up tired, listless, irritated and dull.

But, if we do meditation like let go or re-birth or hands-on and then go to sleep then the number of thoughts reduces comparatively and we have restful sleep. This is called as first stage of ‘yoga-nidra’ or the level just below Samadhi state. In meditation there exist meditator (I), meditation (Act/process) and the meditated (object) – that is 3 things exist like singer, song and the singing. When the singer while singing looses himself in the song then only song exists – that is Samadhi state. Here the meditator is not even aware of his self as he’s become the awareness itself – the conscious itself. But, just before that state the meditator is aware – that he is sleeping, that he is dreaming and is in a position to even control that sleep and all that happens in the dream – that is yoga-nidra state. Sleep doesn’t give me any new insights, knowledge or wisdom. I get up the way I went to sleep. But in ‘yoga-nidra’ one gets up having experienced sub or super-conscious state with better insight, knowledge and wisdom. The person gets transformed after ‘yoga-nidra’. (I know you are finding it all Greek and Latin, but words fail me as I try to explain such phenomenal experiences. But still, if you think you’ve understood explain what you’ve or you haven’t and I’ll try to take over from your explanation/query and try to put it in different way!)

This is called ‘yoga-nidra’ that one (we mortals) experience during meditation. Is it same as the Lord’s.  Yes and no. yes – in a sense that he doesn’t sleep though lying down with eyes closed – but is totally super conscious. No – because the level is certainly not the same for us and Him. But, we can imagine in a way what His Yoga Nidra would be – though we can never know the exact way. Like doodhpeda and khalakand (two types of sweet prepared with milk and sugar) are prepared the same way, you can only presume about the taste of Khalakand after tasting doodhpeda but can know what it actually is only when you taste personally. Right?

….contd….

Chaturmas

…..contd……..

Once Dharani Devi (Bhoomatha –mother earth) being concerned about the people who took birth in kaliyug pleaded Lord Varaha to reveal a method practicing which people would benefit more with little effort. Lord Varaha said ‘Any Dana, vrata, japa or Homam performed during this period would bring multi-folded benefits. Let this be known to all’. When Bhoomatha enquired as to why only these 4 months had that privilege He replied “Pushya to Ashadha months i.e., six months is the day and Ashadah to Pushya is the night of the Devas (Lenghts of day and night of various Beings already explained in detail in Reiki Meet.) so, during night all celestials take leave of the Lord Vishnu. Once Rathri, the deity of the Night part of the year who was dark and very beautiful approached Lord Vishnu and pleaded ‘ since no auspicious functions /events like marriages etc are not performed during this part of the year, I am called ‘inauspicious’ by all. Please bless me to become auspicious.’ Other Devas also felt bad for her and pleaded the Lord on her behalf.

Lord out of love granted her the boon saying ‘Henceforth 2/3^rd of the time of your rule i.e., 4 months would become dear to me and pious deeds performed during this period would increase day by day’ and hence Karthika month is the most sacred of these months.

Now from this story question as to “why only 4 months as Chaturmas” I hope is answered!

Next query was “What are we to do…..as told by Rishis………..?” well as you already have come to know no major auspicious events happen during Chaturmas. So, it’s the time to meditate, to do japam, study scriptures – in short to go within to find the ‘self’.

Just observe how beautifully everything is linked by our ‘Seers’. Lord Vishnu is the ‘sustainer’ and as such is full of jewellery, pomp etc. He represents ‘sustainer of Life’ and hence all the pomp and show. He caters to our worldly desires and their fulfillment.

But these four months, He goes into Yoga nidra – i.e., He becomes inactive and these months are auspicious for all rituals related to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is the Lord of knowledge – the ‘Adi Guru’ and hence the destroyer of ignorance which is responsible for all our worldly attachments. By gaining ‘knowledge’ – knowledge of self we develop vairagya and realize that all that remains at the end is “ash” – “vibhuthi” – the sacred ash. We are born, grow up and die and then get burnt to turn into ashes. So it is with everything in the world. Ultimately, everything gets converted into “ash”. That is the “last remainder” which is embraced by Lord Shiva – the Lord of Death. Which no one wants and what is thrown away, He takes. That which remains after all is lost is accepted by Him – nay He wants only that and nothing that is perishable and of the world. No doubt “smashan” (graveyard) is His home. A place where no one remains with me and from where I am all alone. He is sitting there telling me “Don’t worry, when the world forsakes you, I am there to take you. You are not alone on the journey from here – I shall be with you.” If this isn’t Love – what is?  And that’s why Hie is called “Love “ in Tamil (language) it’s said “Anbe Shivam” – Love is Shiva.  And that’s why it’s said no one knows to love like Lord Shiva. So true!

........contd..........

Hinduism - The art of asking questions

Please refer to query raised on Monday, December 1, 2014 "I had few queries related to God's Sleep.(A different one.. not the night one..) During Chaturmas we hear that this is the time when "Lord Vishnu" sleeps or is in Yoga Nidra. ........... "

Yes, it’s been long silence and I am sorry about that! Yet, I am glad that few of you did not waste this ‘free time’ but instead used it to read the old blogs that you had missed reading or re-read the old posts to refresh your memory. Good. And as I gather from you all, you have learnt quite a few things about yourselves and the solutions to your issues too in this ‘re-run’. Good again!

Now coming to Vaibhav’s query (see comments section dt. Monday, December 1, 2014 ). Vaibhav where the _______ do you get these doubts from? And you read about ‘yoga nidra’ of Lord Vishnu? Really? At your age, what books are you reading where Lord Vishnu’s Yoga Nidra is mentioned! I really would like to know that! But seriously, I am really, really happy and proud of you. At your age, to be having this bent is really amazing. I just wish and bless that you keep up this bent of questioning and reading! God bless you!

It’s amazing that you not only read such books but also contemplate on such topics, question them and seek answers. As long as youth of this society have this questioning bent of mind, Hinduism will never die. It doesn’t need forced ‘convertism’. No one need do anything (external) to save it, protect it or spread it. It’s all about the way of life. Hinduism is the only religion in this world which doesn’t have a prophet or a founder. It’s ‘sanatana Dharma’ – i.e., ageless and ever flowing right way of life. It’s not based on fixed set of principles or a list of do’s and dont’s. those who understand it will do nothing to harm others or be forceful in their conduct in the name of ‘saving Hinduism’. It stands on it’s own – it has always stood the test of time. We aren’t the custodians who protected it during all these aeons of time. So, relax! Let be!

Does that mean ‘that as a Hindu we don’t have our set of duties.’  Yes, we do. That is to go within and find ourselves. Question all that bothers us and find our way towards peace, love and completeness through the maze of life.  That is all there is to Hinduism. All the traditions, rituals, customs are just woven around the philosophy that says ‘know who you are!’  that’s all!

Everything that is done, lived is to know ‘who am I’? But instead of finding ourselves we are lost in correcting or converting others – in various ways!

Next, when you ask a question, never say ‘sorry etc ..’ (This I tell one and all!). as you all know, I started writing because we couldn’t interact on regular basis personally because of our life-styles et all  and yet you all wanted to ! so, I started this blog. Like our class, this is also on interactive basis and I’ve re-emphasized it again and again.

I try as far as possible to answer your queries and clarify your doubts. So, shoot your questions – right and left. But yes, I would like to request you to bear with me with patience and not get irritated, depressed or angry when I am not able to reply immediately. There be with me. That’s all!

.........contd.........