Me, My Guru – Indra and I

 

Contd….

Me, My Guru – Indra and I

The other set didn’t bother much. We had our excuses – office work, our health, spouse or family not co-operative etc etc. The result – the child ended up playing all and sundry games not bothered about school and its activities. Result – the kid scraped through all the exams. These were the kids that ended up doing all and sundry businesses to earn money.

Both were bad. Results in both ended up harming the kid one way or the other. And here she was giving us the mid-path!

“You let child play for set number of hours. That is essential for physical and emotional well-being of the kid. We can teach a lot through games too! Are we doing that? And then make their education fun and interesting so that they enjoy it too!

But we are not here for that today! Similarly, we need to balance our priorities right. We are not able to see our wrong because we wrongly assume ourselves to be this ‘body’. This wrong identification causes us to behave in such a manner that we end up catering to our ‘physical needs’ ONLY all through our lives. Our ‘BE ALL OF LIFE’ is acquiring, possessing and maintaining – be it people or materials in life. And yet, with all the people and possessions, we go empty handed after death. The things that comes with us are our ‘samskaras’ character, nature and our karma. And yet, we are blind to what we are going to carry with us and are forever clamoring for things that we are going to leave behind anyhow! 

Contd….

# child rearing, way of bringing up children, the middle path, right and wrong, dharma, karma, 

also read suggested : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=Me%2C+My+Guru+on+assigning+values 

Points addressed : 

• How to balance between extremes in life?
• The purpose of this world is to teach us something. 
• We have come to believe and live as if the very purpose of life is to chase the things of this world. There in lies our cause of suffering and pain.
• When we create, respect, save things of this world it makes us a better person. 
• When we show gratitude, concern for the things of this world it turns us into better human beings.
• When we work for the betterment of the things of this world it helps us grow into beautiful human beings.
• When we run behind things of this world we become bitter person. 
• When we think things of this world are for our use, we harm them and in turn bear the consequences of our such acts and thoughts.
• When we use things of this world as if we are entitled to, then that turns us into demonic persons.

Me, My Guru – Indra and I

 

Contd….

Me, My Guru – Indra and I 

We saw her line of argument and yet some of us didn’t find Manda’s action wrong. But, that was not going to be so for long!

After a long pause, she resumed her explanation “When it is with anger, jealousy, stealing, extra-marital affair we know it to be wrong at face value. But, it is with ‘accepted normal’ that it is difficult to see the wrong.

But, to see the wrong in the ‘right’ is very difficult even for the very wise. Many a slips happen in this road much often than not! In the child’s case, playing is not wrong. Again, is it ethically, legally, socially, physically wrong? No. it is not wrong on any of these grounds. And yet it is WRONG! The harm is not even seen by the child because, it is not immediate. But, a grownup knows how life of that kid would be if he grows without any education and means to support himself when he grows up. He would be devastated and his life would be a mess. He would long for simple joys and comforts of life. Few hours of playing plays havoc on his entire adult life. He curses every adult who didn’t correct him then. He would blame adults for letting him play without a sense of responsibility.

So, what’s right or Dharma of an adult here? To let him play or keep sending him from one class to another? Both are wrong!

The middle path is the right one”

Here some of us had these questions but she was answering even without us asking her. Few of us were ‘strict’ parents who would send children to school and then to tuition class. We joined them in karate, maths, abacus and what not. We didn’t let child have any energy left at the end of the day for play. We, as parents felt we were doing all this for his welfare. How stupid was our understanding!

The other set didn’t bother much. We had our excuses – office work, our health, spouse or family not co-operative etc etc. The result – the child ended up playing all and sundry games not bothered about school and its activities. Result – the kid scraped through all the exams. These were the kids that ended up doing all and sundry businesses to earn money.

Both were bad. Results in both ended up harming the kid one way or the other. And here she was giving us the mid-path! 

Contd….

also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=what+is+the+type+of+person+you+choose+to+be%3F 

Are you still with covid challenge?

Those who are not - don't give excuses for it.

Take time to sit and meditate. Look within. Find out the reason for not keeping up with this challenge.

Look and know your real reason for not bothered about your health and in its maintenance.

Will give you a situation to throw light on mindset -

Someone dear to you is serious and may be in hospital too. You want that person to survive first and then get well soon. 

Now imagine that person to be you. What would be your resolution in hospital?

But are you sticking up with that resolution? The pain you felt, the fear you experienced when you or the one close to you was in hospital you have conveniently forgotten - Till next time. And then the story continues. What have you learned from that incident?

Why can't that learning be changing you to inculcate right way of living and eating?

Who is stopping you from being healthy?

This is in your hands and yet......

and you are complaining about things which are made bad by others in your life as the source of pain and suffering? 

Are you atleast in control of things that are in your control?

If not, how can you 'demand' others to fit in your bill?

think and think straight!

Me, My Guru – Indra and I

 

Contd….

Me, My Guru – Indra and I 

 

She smiled. Her smile said “how less you know O! fools!” but we didn’t understand why she considered us as fools – especially in this context.

“Playing with friends is also ‘not wrong’. It is wrong ONLY when the child does ONLY that and forgets to educate himself for his future. The purpose of ‘student life’ is to get ‘educated’ – not to end up ‘enjoying’ ONLY PLAY WITH FRIENDS and all! (She stressed enjoying in a way that made it look cheap!)

Manda also was not for enjoyment. He was a sanyasi. His job is to ‘educate’ himself of ‘SELF’ – not ‘enjoy things of this world!’ he could’ve just done some simple fix-up job to take care of his dhoti. In the attachment for dhoti, he generated fear of losing it. From it came pain of losing it. That gave way to desire of wanting to protect it. That led to getting cat. That led to one more attachment and lo! Before he knew he was in the middle of ‘quagmire of desire, temptations and attachments’.

Even the ‘right’ thing at wrong time, at wrong place, with wrong intent and with wrong person can end up being ‘wrong’.

One slip and he fell from sky on to the Earth like Sage Vishwamitra fell for heavenly damsel – Menaka. His growth suffered. His spiritual powers lost, he had to start all over by the time he came to his senses” so saying she stopped.

We saw her line of argument and yet some of us didn’t find Manda’s action wrong. But, that was not going to be so for long! 

Contd….

also read recommended : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=children

(Sometimes, like this time I give link which takes you through various previous posts. I know only couple of you read the entire link and others just skip this part - for whatever be the reason. 

I request the one who has patience of reading the link to post a comment stating its relevance or usefulness in that particular post so that those who are short of time or patience can atleast directly go to that particular post and read it and get benefited from it)

Slip Point : 

Where do we slip?

How do we slip?

When we hold on to our beliefs, emotions, convictions, assumptions and try to argue and prove that we are 'right' we end up being wrong even if we are right.

So what to say of moments when we are wrong and are under the delusion that we are right and defending it. No doubt, our solution looks near impossible and pain inevitable and unbearable.

Think about it!

share your views if understood and questions if you didn't.

Me, My Guru – Indra and I

Contd….

Me, My Guru – Indra and I

Guru understood. He saw ‘where’ it all went wrong” our Guru stopped and looked at us and asked “Now you tell me what his Guru understood!”

“We don’t see anything going wrong” replied most of us.

Some though replied differently. That was eye-opener to us.

“Just to save a simple dhoti, Manda went from one possession to another. He wandered away from ‘his main purpose’ – to meditate.

“How can earning money, becoming rich or raising a family be considered wrong?” asked one of us.

“Because, he is not supposed to do that!” came the reply.

The argument went this way for quite some time.

She asked “If you send your child to school and he ends up playing en route with his friends, what would you say? If he does it daily, would you let him?”

“Certainly not Guruji! How can we? We’ll bash him up” we replied.

“But child playing with his friends is right. Where is he wrong? Why are you angry and punishing him” she asked with a smile.

We got it. She was comparing child bunking school with our way of leading life. But, how can that be same?

“But Guruji, how can both be same? Child’s future is dependent on his education. His playing daily would mean he’ll end up as a way ward or useless fellow. We are sending him to school for his bright future. But, in Manda’s case he was leading a normal life like us. Where was he wrong? In fact, his Guru should be proud of him and his abundance” we replied. 

Contd….

# My, my Guru, Indra and I, purpose of life, right and wrong, on following orders, on breaking rules, 

also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=Rules+and+regulations+for+a+Master 

Healing tip : 

• There are two types of mentalities that come here. 
• One who come with a belief that they are 'already right and correct'. They will come to defend every question posed. They will argue to prove their stand right. And when they fail to prove their point, get angry and throw it on the writer, reiki or God.
• The second type are those who have arrived at an understanding that they had been wrong with their way of understanding. They have seen and accepted that whenever and wherever they had accepted this fact and applied the 'newer and right way of thinking' and healing technique to support that, they have not only come out of their problem but also have been benefited with more than one material gain. 
• The second type are the people who would meditate the moment it is reminded to them. They will sit to meditate and go within the moment it is pointed out. They have even come to a position that they sit in meditation on their own when they face an issue to find the solution. And then they address the understanding with the reiki technique that they are taught. These are the people who are building on their trust.
• These are the people who are working on themselves.
• These are the people who are letting go of their 'parts of ego' to gain a better perspective, better understanding and clearer vision.
• These are the people who have gained more friends, recognition in their circle, growth in their career. 
• They have learnt to walk the path shown to them.

Which one are you?

Me, My Guru – Indra and I

 Contd….

Me, My Guru – Indra and I

“Let’s discuss after the completion of this story” so saying our Guru stopped us.

Our tea served and few of us being confused, we glided into her story “Now our Manda has good produce from his fields too. He started selling them too and making money. He had granary constructed for the produce. He was finding it difficult to manage all alone. He took help. Now he had even servants.

The village head seeking his riches and goodness offered his daughter’s ‘hand’. Manda accepted. Village celebrated the wedding.

Soon, Manda with his wife managed to build a huge mansion, expand his fields. His cattle grew in numbers. So, did his family. He had 8 children in no time.

Years passed. All was well. One day, his Guru returned to the ‘spot’. He was surprised to see a huge mansion, so many servants and children playing in the courtyard. He became worried for his shishya’s well-being. “Where was he? What happened to him and his hut? God! I shouldn’t have left him alone” with these thoughts he enquired the whereabouts of his student.

The servants passed the message to their master and Manda came out running. He fell at his Guru’s feet. He knew he would be applauded. But…his Guru seemed confused and asked “how did hut become a mansion? How did a sanyasi that I left behind become a house-holder?” Manda explained everything in detail.

Guru understood. He saw ‘where’ it all went wrong” our Guru stopped and looked at us and asked “Now you tell me what his Guru understood!”

Contd….

# My, my Guru, Indra and I, purpose of life, right and wrong, on following orders, on breaking rules, 

also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=on+being+materialistic+and+spiritual 

Food for thought :

• I have found many times that 'the good things' are the real curse in life and the 'so called bad things or denial' in life are the real blessings in life. 
• What is good for the body that we are to shed is many times bad for the soul or spirit.
• What is good for the spirit may not be tasteful for the body.
• One who knows both (of the above) is intelligent.
• One who knows which one to select correctly every single time has clarity of thought.
• One who prefers 'right thing' over 'pleasant one' is the wise one.
• All others are just 'victims of their own assumptions about themselves, their priorities and their choices'. 

Me, My Guru – Indra and I

 

Contd…..

Me, My Guru – Indra and I

When the amount collected was good enough to buy one more cow, he did just that.

By now, he realized he was good at growing grass and so decided to grow rice in his land. He started tending the land. it soon took shape of lush green fields. He added vegetables too. Now, he didn’t have to go to village seeking alms. Morn to evening, his day was fixed. It revolved around fields, cattle and cat. Where was the time to meditate or practice any special exercise?

But that didn’t bother him much. He knew he was right! He was doing all that was necessary. Right?” our Guru stopped here signaling a tea-break. Time just flew today. We were so immersed in this story that we were lost to time. We were eager to know what happened next. But our Guru made us wait! Not only that, she also posed a question at us.

“He was right. Right?”

Of course, he was right. I mean, where he went wrong. He did nothing wrong. He was just doing all right and necessary things like all of us! Most of us nodded our heads in unison to that.

It was then that Rahul said “His Guru left him behind asking him to pursue his meditations. Instead he’s ended up doing all the useless things. He has gone in search of attachments when he didn’t have any”.

“But what is wrong in that?” I asked confused.

“He is a sanyasi. His job is to go within. But with one temptation and an excuse he went out into the world” replied Rahul.

“But we all do that!” I answered. “And that is right. How can it be wrong?”

“Let’s discuss after the completion of this story” so saying our Guru stopped us. 

Contd…. 

# My, my Guru, Indra and I, purpose of life, right and wrong, on following orders, on breaking rules, 

also read : https://kantipadam.blogspot.com/search?q=few+faqs+with+Guru+Universe 

Points to meditate on and get clarity of thought on :

• What is the purpose of working for 'material targets'? Is it our need or want or luxury?
• What is the basis of our greed or need?
• Is our fear reflecting out as 'need for security'?
• Are we considering earning more out of fear?
• Are we using people to gain materials? Is it right way of living? Are we content with the results?
• Are the relationship problems in our life based on this 'value system' that people in our life are the means to fulfill our material gains.