Baba
How to overcome various complexes
Namaskar,
The following letter addresses various psychic diseases and their cure. In the life of a sadhaka, a disease-free mind is essential. If one suffers from any psychic disease they should try to remove it so they can move forward properly. Otherwise, that mental disease will impede their progress.
Fortunately, if anyone practices sadhana regularly, their psychic disease(s) will naturally dissipate and disappear. If anyone is deeply involved in meditation and doing very good sadhana, by His grace, their psychic disease will quickly be removed from the mind.
The tricky part is that the mind burdened by a psychic disease cannot do deep sadhana; that is the problem. Hence, psychological training in the form of auto-suggestion and outer suggestion is needed to get rid of the disease. And that is what is discussed below.
Origins of a fear complex
Ananda Marga ideology states, "I had a certain acquaintance whose garden was quite large. One night his wife thought she saw a ghost in a corner of the garden. In Bihar, a female ghost is called “cuŕeil” in Hindi. At the sight of the imagined ghost she cried out in fear, and fainted. She never regained consciousness and died some time later. The next night the same gentleman came out of his house at the same time. He also thought he saw the ghost. “Why should people have to die one after the other in this way?” he thought. Stepping forward to strike at the imaginary ghost with a stick, he suddenly saw that it was nothing but a bush which, in the moonlight, looked just like a human being. His wife had died for nothing, terrified by the deceptive image of a bush. Most so-called ghosts are like this. Towards the end of the rainy season rotting vegetation often gives out a gas, called marsh gas or will-o’-the-wisp, which bursts into flame when it comes in contact with oxygen. This burning gas may easily be taken to be a ghost. This is how a fear complex can develop." (1)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "The defeatist complex also strikes deep in the human mind. “How will I possibly be able to do the work? How will I be able to fight against such heavy odds? How will I be able to do my job properly?” Because people think like this before they act, they are unable to do their work properly. The defeatist complex weakens their minds. Had they been bolder they would have been more successful." (1)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "One must uproot all sorts of complexes from the mind. No complex should be entertained in the physical, psychic or spiritual spheres because all are equally detestable." (1)
Inferiority complex and defeatist psychology
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Due to a defective social order. Some people have to live like slaves in the society and thus suffer from a strong inferiority complex – their heads remain forever bowed – while others inherit vast wealth as well as family pride from their ancestors and keep their heads held so high that at times it appears as if it will fall backwards. These complexes are due to a defective social order. The complex is in the crude physical world and in the socio-economic strata." (2)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "All are the progeny of Parama Puruśa. Even so, some people think that because they are endowed with less intellect, knowledge, financial capacity or physical strength than others, they are inferior. Such an inferiority complex contracts their minds and retards their progress. It must be overcome." (1)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "At the very outset, the fascist exploiters select a weak community which inhabits a region rich in natural resources. The fascists socially and culturally uproot the victimized community by imposing a foreign language and culture on them. Because the local people cannot easily express their individual and collective feelings and sentiments in a foreign language, they develop a defeatist psychology and inferiority complex with respect to the exploiters. This defeatist psychology destroys the natural spiritedness and will to fight of the local people, and the fascists skillfully utilize this golden opportunity. The primary interest of the fascist exploiters is to gradually suck the vitality of the local community so that they can pillage and plunder their natural resources, but if necessary they will even obliterate the local community from the face of the earth." (3)
Ananda Marga ideology guides us, "A person must not suffer from an inferiority complex, because that person and his or her friends and siblings are all the progeny of the same Progenitor. They come from the same origin [as all]; they are of the same Father. So why should a person suffer from any inferiority complex? Again, you should not suffer from a superiority complex, because all are your brothers and sisters. All are the glorious children of that Supreme Father. No, you must not develop any superiority complex." (4)
All are values and respected
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Nobody is unimportant, nobody is insignificant. Each and every existence is valuable. And the life of an old widow of, say, 100 years, is also not meaningless. Her existence also bears certain significance. If an ordinary ant dies a premature death, the equilibrium of the entire universe will be lost. Nobody is unimportant, so you must not develop the psychology of helplessness or hopelessness or defeatist complex or fear complex, because the Supreme Father, the Supreme noumenal entity is always with you." (5)
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Why should you suffer from a fear complex or an inferiority complex, when the Supreme Father is your father, when you all are the children of the same Father; why should you suffer from any inferiority complex or any fear complex, when the Supreme Father is with you? You are not weak. You are very strong, because the Almighty Father, the omnipotent Supreme Father, is with you to help you – so you must not encourage the psychology of weakness, or an inferiority complex or a fear complex. He is with you, always He is with you to help you. You are never alone." (6)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "In the field of spirituality there must not be any complex, neither fear complex nor shy complex nor any other complex. So the scriptures saying that if you do not obey Him you will go to Hell, like this, these scriptures are the worst enemy of human society. Because these scriptures create a complex, a fear complex, in the human mind, and that fear complex creates disparity in this human society." (7)
Defective social order injects an inferiority complex
Ananda Marga ideology states, "There cannot be any complex in the spiritual level or existential sphere. In spirituality there is no complex because every person has contact with Parama Puruśa on a purely personal level. There is no third existence between them. There are only two – the spiritualist and the Parama Pitá [Cosmic Father]. Spiritualists move towards the Cosmic Father and sit on His lap. To do this is everyone’s birthright. Nobody can be debarred from doing so on the pretext of inferior caste, colour, education or poverty. Since this is everyone’s birthright there cannot be any complex in the arena of spirituality. The defective social order injects an inferiority complex in the mind which often persists even when people enter the spiritual field. They feel that as the Cosmic Father is so great, how can they, being of low caste or poor or uneducated, go to Him? This is called mahimnabodha in the shástras [scriptures]. But one should not forget that the relation of father and child exists. Even if the father is a great scholar, the uneducated child will go to him and ask for whatever he requires because he or she has affection for the father. Just now I said that in the field of spirituality there cannot be any complex, but there are complexes due to social defects. It is our spiritual duty to rectify the social order. If we fail, there may not be good spiritualists. Even those who have the potentiality to become good spiritualists may not progress. They may be like a flower that dies before it blossoms. I cannot allow this to happen. For this reason the theory of Prout has been given so that every person can progress speedily in the field of spirituality without any complex." (2)
Everyone is the child of the Cosmic Father
Ananda Marga ideology states, "In the existential sphere, too, there should not be any complex because everyone is the child of the Cosmic Father. If there is any superiority complex, it should be the common one that one is the child of the Cosmic Father who is so great, so potent. One may only have this superiority complex. Whatever people possess is given by the Cosmic Father and therefore no individual has the right to have a superiority complex. So in the existential sphere there is no reason for any complex to remain. In other words it can be said that there will be a common complex that all are the children of the Cosmic Father, no one being inferior and no one being superior." (2)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Kabir and Mahaprabhu launched open revolts against the casteism which had kept Indian society crippled by creating a tremendous complex of self-aggrandizement in one section of society and a terrible inferiority complex in another section. Although Mahaprabhu had been born into a well-known Brahman family, he suffered many insults because of his opposition to casteism. Despite this he remained steadfast in his ideology." (8)
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Now, in this process of spiritual march, march towards the spiritual nave, humanity sometimes for want of proper guidance was depraved, was degenerated, and under such circumstances it suffered from the psychology of sinning, a sinning complex. I told you that you must not say, “Oh, Lord, I am a sinner, I am a sinner,” because it will develop the psychology of sinning. If you are not actually a sinner, you will be a sinner if you say this, if you think this. It is a defective psychic approach. And some people exploited this sinning complex of human beings and created so many differences, so many groups, so many diversities, in this human society which is actually a singular entity." (9)
Good people will stay away from ego
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Ego is the root cause of downfall. If ego is present then downfall is inevitable. How is ego manifested in individual life? It expresses itself through superiority complex. I am great and everyone else is small, degraded, lowly. “I am superior” – this feeling or thought is called “superiority complex” in English and mahámanyatá in Sanskrit. Due to this sense of ego one behaves poorly with others. For this reason it is said in the scriptures: trińádapi suniicena. For example, a blade of grass remains underneath everyone. It has no ego, yet it possesses more qualities than anyone. Human beings should keep themselves aloof in every way from superiority complex and pride. Good people will stay away from ego. Why will they do so? Good people know what are the causes behind the rise of ego. One person has knowledge, another has money. A good person knows that this money and this knowledge is not theirs; it belongs to Parama Puruśa. Today it has come to me and again it will leave me. I had none of these when I was born and at the time of death they won't remain with me. For this reason good people will stay away from ego." (10)
People are prone to various complexes: superiority complex, inferiority complex, fear complex, defeatist complex, sinner's complex, melancholia, phobia, schizophrenia, and shyness etc. Those who do not suffer from any of these are in a balanced state - samatabhava. We should also remember Baba's timeless teaching: To do anything successfully one must have a free mind - a balanced mind. The mind should be free from all complexes.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "To attain complete success in life, the fourth principle is samata'bha'va, that is, mental equipoise, mental balance. There must not be any complex in the mind -- neither superiority complex nor inferiority complex." (11)
Complexes are a psychic disease
Here Baba furthermore points out the negative nature of complexes and He simultaneously directs us to keep samata'bha'va, mental balance.
Baba says, "Complex of any sort - superiority or inferiority - is a psychic malady, a mental disease. You must maintain a psychic balance." (12)
Mental balance is one central target in life. We should aim for this in all circumstances. Once again, we should be vigilant to keep the mind balanced, by His grace. Psychic equipoise is one of the best attributes a person can have.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Maintaining a balanced mind is one of the greatest virtues. There are no complexes in a balanced mind. One neither feels inferior nor superior to others; one never fears anybody nor ever gets perturbed. One maintains a mental balance." (2)
There are so many benefits to having attained mental balance. The mind will be complex-free, enabling people to generate positive relations with one and all. Because when one does not feel that they are better or worse than the next person, then it becomes easy to establish a heart-felt connection. So that is one distinct benefit. In addition, Baba tell us that when one is in a state of psychic equipoise, they will neither be fearful nor full of anxiety. They will remain in a natural state of ease and contentment - not burdened by any negative tendencies of the mind. All these positive outcomes are a tremendous boon for human existence.
When samata'bha'va is lost
In contrast when due to lack of sadhana we are unable to attain a state of equipoise or if we lose that stance of mental balance, then that invites numerous problems for oneself and for others also. In that case we are unable to weigh the pros and cons of life and end up making poor decisions - lowering our own position and misleading others as well.
For example suppose Ram or Shyam prematurely forms an opinion about others, a conclusion which is completely wrong or off-base. Then that invariably leads to problems and harms others. In that case, in the future nobody will want to listen to Ram or Shyam's suggestions or guidelines. Then Ram or Shyam's ability to help others will be severely hampered. Such pitfalls come from a lack of mental balance.That is why Baba warns to stay balanced and not proceed hastily.
Ananda Marga Caryacarya says, "Do not judge anyone to be good or bad hastily, nor express your opinion." (13)
As we can feel, Baba's specific guideline is that with a calm mind - a balanced mind-- we should view all the things in life, otherwise countless problems will crop up.
Considering all the angles, it is clear that keeping the mind free from all complexes is one key point because with a balanced mind we can help ourselves and help others. And that is the greatest utilisation of this human life. As long as we are alive this should be our approach. Here following is Baba's dharmic mandate.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "You should remain in this world and do your duty with a balanced mind." (14)
How to overcome superiority & inferiority complex
Here Baba supplies us with the special formula for keeping mental balance and not succumbing to any type of superiority complex.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "People must always bear in mind that 'Whatever I have acquired is all by the grace of Parama Purus'a. If He decides that I should not possess wealth [or any other quality etc], He will take it away at any moment He wishes.' So no one should feel pride about anything under any circumstances." (15)
By seeing everything as Baba's fathomless grace then we will not get puffed up with vanity and instead will be able to maintain mental
balance at all times.
In His below teaching Baba teaches us how to keep mental balance and not fall into the depths of an inferiority complex.
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "What about the inferiority complex, that makes you think of yourself as inferior to others? You must have noticed that the minds of those who are less educated become a bit diffident: 'We don't have much learning.' Again, those who are poor suffer from a similar diffidence. 'We are so poor, and have no one to turn to.' But what causes such diffidence? [They forget that] everyone on this earth is a child of Parama Purus'a; no one is big or small. All are related as brothers and sisters." (16)
By remembering we are all the beautiful expressions of that Divine Entity Parama Purusa, then no inferiority complex can creep into the mind. Then we will keep our mental balance.
Vanity is very dangerous
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "When samata'bha'va [mental equipoise] is lost, then one begins feeling that there is a group of people far inferior to oneself. Such a pattern is to be observed in the case of people who have come to the city from the village. They say that they don't feel like returning to the village, as the villagers are illiterate and under-developed. This feeling is very dangerous. And if such feelings creep into the mind as a result of having acquired a little intellectual knowledge, the chances of developing this complex are much greater in the realm of spirituality, when a sa'dhaka begins feeling somewhat elevated with the development of some occult powers and the feeling of a little bliss. In the second stage of spiritual practice every sa'dhaka faces this test. One must be very, very cautious, so that vanity may not develop." (17)
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "The third fundamental of education is that teachers and students should have a balanced mind." (18)
In His above teaching Baba guides us that mental balance is needed in order to both guide and learn from others.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "In this universe all entities are divine; only people have to realize it. Nobody is helpless or alone in this universe. We have mundane, supramundane and spiritual relationships with the universe. So it is the bounden duty of human beings to expand their mental arena because basically all finite entities have the inherent wont of universal pervasion. Their goal is the Supreme Entity who is free from limitations. Human beings will have to expand themselves so much that they will go beyond the fetters of limitations. There cannot be and should not be an inferiority or superiority complex in anybody. Those who preach individual racial superiority are committing sins. They are going against human dharma." (19)
Conclusion
Psychic diseases hinder one’s ability to progress in individual life and are crippling in collective life. So mental complexes should be addressed and eradicated at all cost. This can be achieved through both auto suggestion, i.e. sadhana, and outer suggestion, cultivating a proper mental outlook.
Namaskar,
at His lotus feet,
Mahesh
Western philosophy is lagging far behind
On this important subject of mental complexes and achieving a balanced mind, western philosophy is far, far behind. Only Ananda Marga philosophy can shine such a bright light on this issue.
References
(1) Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, How Should a Devotee Behave?
(2) Ananda Vacanamrtam - 5, The Social Order and Superiority and Inferiority Complexes
(3) Proutist Economics, Economic Exploitation of Bengal)
(4) Ananda Vacanamrtam - 30, Hara's Seven Secrets
(5) Subhasita Samgraha - 12, The Noumenal Cause and the Personal God
(6) Ánanda Vacanámrtam - 34, Be Free from All Complexes
(7) Ananda Vacanartam - 12, The Starting Point and the Last Point
(8) Human Society - 2, The Vipra Age
(9) Ananda Vacanartam - 12, The Real Value of the Human Entity
(10) Ananda Vacanamrtam - 9, “Always Do the Kiirtana of the Lord”
(11) Ananda Vacanamrtam - 30, Samatábháva
(12) Kolkata Dec 2 '79
(13) Caryacarya - 2, 'Society' chapter, pt #41
(14) Subhasita Samgraha - 21, 'Jaeva Dharma & Bhagavata Dharma'
(15) Ananda Vacanamrtam - 16
(16) Discourses on Krsa and the Giita
(17) 'Dialogue of Shiva and Parvatii- 3'
(18) Prout in a Nutshell, 'Talks On Education'
(19) A Few Problems Solved - 6, Universality in Race, Language, Religion and Culture
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