Baba
Cause of this disease
Namaskar,
Hoarding - i.e. the over-accumulation of physical objects - is a serious problem in the west. Whether it be new products from stores, memorabilia, or money, the problem of over-accumulation is quite pervasive. So that everyone can gain a better understanding of what we are talking about - let's be aware about the problem at hand.
1500 shirts, 1600 pairs of pants
The typical American owns 20 - 30 pairs of shoes, 200 shirts, 90 sweaters and jackets, 65 pairs of pants, and numerous other clothing articles. This is normal; this is the standard, maybe even below average. Such persons are not considered to be hoarders. Everybody in the US does like this.
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However, according to studies, 10% of the US population qualifies as being a "hoarder". They buy and collect so many things such that there is literally no space in the house to put it all. A "hoarder" might own 1500 shirts, 295 pairs of shoes, 1600 pairs of pants, and so much more - the list goes on. They personally have enough clothing to outfit an entire Indian or African village for years and years.
They purchase and accumulate more and more new items, and never give away or donate their old things. Until finally their house becomes so over-crowded with stuff that they literally have no place to walk. They have to push aside boxes to get to the bathroom / toilet; plus they have to move piles just to find a place to sleep.
Their house is so full of stuff that the doors can only open partially. They have to walk sideways through the door frame. Such is a description of a hoarder. And there is a growing number of people like this in the USA.
The problem is not that the size of the house is so small. Houses in the USA are big; even a small or normal size house has 1,800 sq feet of living space not including the garage, driveway, porch, basement, and attic etc. The problem comes when the entire house is too full - all due to a hoarder's tendency to collect and accumulate so many things which they can never use in their lifetime.
Diagnosis & treatment both wrong
But the way western psychologists define and treat this condition is quite misguided. In fact, they miss the point entirely. So we should first review Baba's dharmic teachings and do an analysis of the contemporary theories and approaches.
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Baba guides us that when anyone lacks a higher ideal then they are bound to engage in the fruitless attraction towards matter in search of happiness and contentment. People might collect cars, paintings, clothing, food and kitchen supplies, antiques, or thousands of books - all done to an inordinate degree. Why is that search or collection fruitless? Because human longing is infinite and material things are finite. One can never be satisfied by worldly objects.
Psychologists too are in the dark
People collect things because they think material possessions are their security blanket and those items will solve all their problems. This is the classic outlook of a materialist. They take shelter in matter.
In Ananda Marga way of life, we take shelter in Parama Purusa and know that regardless of what happens He will be there to save us. Thus we have no need to collect material things to an inordinate degree - neither money, nor gold, nor plane, nor guns. Our focus is towards the Cosmic entity so we will not misdirect our innate and infinite human longing towards finite objects.
Both rich and poor are psychically ill
See the ironic and self-contradictory way in which today's psychologists and medical professionals make their assessments.
If people are wealthy and can keep their possessions - 800 cars, thousands of pieces of artwork worth millions of dollars, and multiple mansions - in an organised way then they are given a high social status and called an "aficionado", "scholar", "curator", or "enthusiast" etc; and if one is relatively poor and their comparatively smaller collection turns their house into a mess then they are deemed as being mentally ill.
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In true sense, both rich and poor suffer from the same psychic disease of accumulating such an amount of stuff which they can never use in their lifetime. And the solution is to direct the mind towards spirituality. This disease of hoarding mundane things is not a brain disease, but a psychic disease. And all these things happen due to the massive propaganda of capitalism.
But again today's doctors and health professionals do not address the problem this way. They see the rich collecting an inordinate amount of wealth - far beyond which they will ever need or use - and they call them respected members of society. In contrast, they see a regular person collecting clothes, cd's, books, and other equipment which they will never be able to use in their lifetime because they have so much, and they call him "mentally ill". All because that individual cannot organise their house. In the true sense, however, both are "hoarders" and suffer from the same problem.
Misguided by utopia of materialism
Thus, some wealthy people buy and collect all kinds of items and products in search of happiness and then get rid of them all in haste only to start a new collection of something entirely different. Because of their riches they can proceed in this way. Whereas a poorer person may collect the same kinds of things for years and years without ever getting rid of their collection. In either case, the mind-set is the same.
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Finally let us not neglect to mention that in today's capitalist environment, it is companies and advertisers that entice, convince and tempt people to buy and collect all kinds of products which they will never need in this lifetime.
For more about this problem and Baba's solution read His chapters on santosa and aparigraha in "A Guide to Human Conduct" and read Baba's discourse - “Three Causes of Sin” - which describes the phenomena of over-accumulation of physical pabulum.
Cure through education
Here the point is that when human beings do not realise that their longing is of an infinite nature, then in that ignorance they fail to understand that no matter how many worldly possessions they accumulate, they will never be satisfied. So they blindly collect, and collect, and collect.
When that collection of household materials reaches such a mass that it interferes with one's daily functioning, modern-day psychologists identify that person as being physically ill, or diseased. And they prescribe all kinds of drugs, medications and therapies to cure that person of their illness. But that is the entirely wrong assessment and treatment. The problem is not rooted in a physical ailment that medicine can cure. The problem is one's mental outlook which needs to be remedied through education.
In other affluent countries people also do this but the degree to which this occurs in the US is unique. And in poor countries some wealthy people have huge collections like the woman in India who has 10,000 saris.
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Also at issue here is that drug companies pay for healthcare research to prove and diagnose such collectors as being ill, so that they (the drug companies) can gain permanent customers for their medicine & hence more profit. Sadly, today's psychologists are unaware of any formula based on psycho-spiritual ideals. Those psychologists themselves are rooted in materialism; that is why they wrongly identify the problem and give the wrong response.
Conclusion
In Ananda Marga, our viewpoint is radically different. Rather than diagnosing that person as being ill, those individuals should be taught how to divert the mind towards Parama Purusa. Then one will not have the misdirected urge to collect material things for which they have no use. They should also be taught about the principles of santosa and aparigraha.
Namaskar,
in Him,
Arisudan
Note: Wherever there is a capitalist system and materialism the problem of hoarding may exist, but it manifests more in US as there is more opportunity due to big houses and greater purchasing capacity etc. Whereas there is not as much scope in other places.
Running after carnal pleasures
Here are a few of Baba's teachings on this topic of hoarding, materialism and spiritual outlook.
In this first teaching Baba describes how collecting material items does not bring lasting happiness or contentment, i.e. santosa.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Contentment is not at all possible if the individual is running after carnal pleasures like a beast. As a result of extroversial analysis, the objects of enjoyments go on increasing both in number and abstraction and that is why one’s mental flow never gets any rest. Under such circumstances how can one attain perfect peace of mind? Achieving the desired objects may give one pleasure for an hour or so, but that will not last long. The mind will again run in pursuit of new objects, leaving behind the objects already tasted – the long-cherished objects will lose their importance. This is the rule; this is the law of nature." (1)
Collectors indulge in baser propensities
In this final teaching Baba outlines how over-accumulation of physical wealth leads to a debased mental state and mean-minded dealing.
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Ananda Marga philosophy says, "Where there is over-accumulation of physical wealth several problems occur. Human beings do not have many needs. Primarily they need satisfying meals and clothing, according to their necessities. Most people do not even want many things. The desire to accumulate money is actually a mental disease. The accumulators do not accumulate to fulfil their basic needs as human needs are few. For instance, if a person has a mango grove which yields 500 mangoes and a family of five [with no option to sell them], what will he do with so many mangoes? In cases of over-accumulation there is very little chance of utilization. Hence, if the sadvipras are not vigilant, where there is over-accumulation non-utilization will occur. Moreover, where there is over-accumulation people tend to misutilize wealth by indulging in their baser propensities rather than their finer ones. Therefore you will mark, as I am making it crystal-clear to you, that most of the kings and Nawabs of ancient times were, and most of the aristocrats and wealthy people of today who have nothing to do are generally wicked and mean-minded. In addition, you will see that government officers who do not have psychic and spiritual interests also become mean-minded. When we have to judge, we must be frank. It can be observed that it is natural for people to move towards sin if over-accumulated physical and psychic pabula is not utilized. If people have developed intellects which are not properly directed, and there is no administration of the Sadvipras, people become polished satans and inflict sufferings on others." (2)
We commonly see such debased mentalities in wealthy people where they visit call girls, night clubs, and support numerous mistresses etc. With their excess money they indulge in these types of degenerated dealings. Most rich people are sinners; we may see their sin after some time as it may not be apparent now. After all - but the truth is bound to be revealed.
By above proof it is very evident that accumulation turns a person towards wicked and satanic behaviour. So in conclusion, the name of the faulty philosophy is materialism, and the name of the terrible disease is hoarding.
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References
1. A Guide to Human Conduct, Santosa
2. A Few Problems Solved - 6, The Three Causes of Sin
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "O human beings, proceed on the path of Oṋḿkara towards subtleness. Do not run after the superficial, pleasant mirage dominated by tamoguńa. Establish yourself in sattvaguńa and then merge yourself into Brahma. Reach the point whence oṋḿkára has started. Awaken your latent dynamism through sádhaná and devotion, arouse your divine wisdom and merge that pure divinity into the endless stream of divine glory. Attain the Supreme state for which you have suffered tremendous privations. Today you have the most favourable opportunity to prove yourself as human being.” (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Philosophy - 4, Our Spiritual Treatise
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Here following is an English summary or gist of the below Bangla teaching:
This bhava samadhi is the highest stage of the bliss of kiirtana. Both those who sing kiirtana and those who listen to kiirtana should ideate that, “Parama Pursua is mine and mine alone, and does not belong to anyone else.” If one sings or listens with this feeling they will have the highest realisation of kiirtana. (English summary)
Ananda Marga ideology states, “এই ভাব সমাধিটা হ'ল কীর্ত্তন অনুভূতির যে আনন্দ, তার সর্বোচ্চ স্তর | সুতরাং যিনি গাইৰেন, যিনি শুণৰেন, উভয়কেই এই কথাটা মনে রাখতে হৰে যে---“পরমপুরুষ আমার, আর কেবল আমারই | আর কারও নয় |” (1) (কীর্ত্তন মহিমা, ভাব সমাধি, Kiirttana Mahima’, NP, MGD 10 December 1978 Calcutta)
Reference
1. কীর্ত্তন মহিমা, ভাব সমাধি, Kiirttana Mahima’, NP, MGD 10 December 1978 Calcutta
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Importance of Samskrta Names
Ananda Marga Philosophy says “Naming is a matter of great consequence. The names must imply an imposing meaning. Naming was a memorable ceremony among the Áryas. The name has a very significant bearing over the mind. The mental awakening corresponds to the vibrations set in as a result of pronouncing the name. A particular attraction is attached to the words.”
“The human society has to be unified. It must have one standard. Naming in Saḿskrta means providing one standard.” (1)
Reference
1. Táttvika Diipiká
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Way to rectify the blunders of forefathers
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Suppose, in the past, your forefathers made some mistakes. Should we then think, "Our ancestors did this, so how can we not do this as well?" This type of mentality is dogmatic. Now, "Since our forefathers have made these errors, so we will also do those same wrongs," what type of argument is this? If our forefathers have done wrong then we should also commit those same mistakes?"
"If you have real 'shraddha' (reverence) for your forefathers then the errors done by them must be corrected immediately. When people realize any error, should it not be corrected? So, as soon as the wrongs done by the forefathers are rectified, the more shraddha is bestowed upon them. The only way to pay shraddha (homage) to one’s forefathers is to rectify their errors. In so doing, we pay their debt; we pay the "pitra rin". Is this not real shraddha?"
"Therefore the mentality, "As these acts have been done by my forefathers or the people of past, so we will also do these things", is termed as dogma." (1) (2)
dogma: "पूर्वज जो किए थे हम भी करते रहेंगे”
"बाप-दादा कुछ भूल करते थे | "पूर्वज किए | हम कैसे छोड़ें"—यह है भावजड़ता | "और पूर्वज अगर भूल किए, तो हम भी भूल करते रहेंगे"—यह किस तरह की बात हुई जी ?पूर्वज भूल करेंगे, तो हम भी भूल करेंगे ? पूर्वज के प्रति अगर श्रद्धा हो—तो पूर्वज की भूल को फ़ौरन सुधार लेना चाहिए | मनुष्य जब महसूस करते हैं कि भूल हो गई—तो सुधार लेनी चाहिए न ? तो, पूर्वज की भूल जितना जल्दी हम सुधार लेते हैं, पूर्वज के प्रति हम उतनी ही अधिक श्रद्धा ज्ञापन कर रहे हैं | श्रद्धा निवेदन का यही तरीका है कि उनकी भूल हम सुधार लिए | उनका जो क़र्ज़ा था, उनका ऋण, क़र्ज़ा था—हम क्या कर दिए ? न, परिशोध कर दिए हैं | यही न श्रद्धा हुई ? इसलिए, "पूर्वज जो किए थे हम भी करते रहेंगे, पुराने जमाने में लोग ऐसा करते थे, इसलिए हम करेंगे"—इसे कहते हैं भावजड़ता |"
Note: Our ancestors who invented and inculcated the mahaprayan program did wrong. Those ancestors committed sin by inserting the dogmatic mahaprayan divas appendix into Caryacarya part 1. Per Sadguru's above teaching, it is our duty to correct the wrongs committed by: Ac Nigamananda Avt, Ac Tadbhavananda Avt, Ac Vijayananda Avt, Ac Dhruvananda Avt, Ac Cidananda Avt, Ac Shraddhananda Avt, Ac Pranavananda Avt, and other purodha board members from that era. They made a horrific blunder and the only way to pay respect to such avadhutas is to rectify their wrongdoing by eradicating the mahaprayan divas program and removing it from Caryacarya - 1. That will be true service to those dogmatic purodha ancestors.
References:
1. MGD 1 Jan 1984 Ananda Nagar
2. MGD 1 Jan 1984 Ananda Nagar
== Section 5: Links ==
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