Baba
Formula for spiritual progress
Namaskar,
Some complain that sadhana is boring. In this busy, fast-paced materialistic era, often common people pass their days in a plethora of mundane activities etc. A few sadhakas may also get pulled in this way too. In that case, when it is time for sadhana it is not easy to repeat one’s ista mantra because the mind is still engaged in an array of mundane thoughts and experiences. This letter aims to offer ways to enhance sadhana while still attending to one’s worldly duties and responsibilities.
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Gradual acceleration just like vehicles
First we should understand that going directly into high gear from a standstill is just not possible. Whether a bicycle, car, or airplane, all these vehicles accelerate gradually, in stages. They never go from a complete stand still to top speed in a split second. Rather, their rise and transition occurs over a continuum. By that way, they gradually reach their top flight. Whereas if one tries to go directly into high gear then that vehicle will just stall or implode; it will not work. It is a natural law that things accelerate over the course of a steady progression.
Similarly, the human mind also rises gradually, step by step. One cannot just try to directly throw oneself into a deep spiritual flow without proper preparation. So if one passes the day in one after another mundane engagements then it is not possible to then dive directly into the world of deep spiritual meditation. Incremental steps are needed along the way.
Formula
Along those lines, Baba has given us a simple formula. Baba tells us that the mind is always connected to a particular pabulum. What one thinks about during the day will linger in the mind for some time. The mind will stay in that track. The point being that depending on the nature of one's mental occupation, the mind will continue on and on in that direction.
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Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The objects with which people frequently come in contact are the objects that occupy their thinking. Even if they try to think of any other object, their minds go back and again to those objects." (1)
So if the mind is goaded again and again toward worldly attachments then sadhana is not possible. But the good news is that this formula can work in a more favourable way if one engages in spiritual ideation throughout the day.
Some of the best ways to keep the mind in a spiritual flow throughout the day are by shravana, i.e. hearing or listening to His name, manana, i.e. thinking of Him, and and nididhyasana, ideating on Him. That means when one is involved in mundane duties then as far as possible one can recite His name and keep His ideation flowing in the mind, by taking that ideation that all mundane work is His work. By practicing shravana, manana, and nididhyasana throughout the day, the mind will be inclined towards sadhana.
While walking and moving around one can do half sadhana or half iishvara pranidhana. That is the practice of repeating one’s ista mantra intently in the mind while keeping the eyes open and attending to one’s mundane duties or when going from place to place.
A sadhaka should also practice Guru mantra before each and every endeavour. That also serves to keep spiritual ideation as one remembers that Parama Purusa is the actual doer.
The aforementioned practices act as a basic framework to keep the mind in a spiritual flow throughout the day. And that will invariably enhance one’s overall sadhana practice. Naturally, the more one does this the more effective it will be. There is a direct correlation between one’s psychic pabulam during the day and one’s quality of meditation.
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Step-by-step approach
A golden guideline in so many discourses is that one should engage the mind in spiritual thought throughout the entire day. Because to succeed in sadhana and to achieve realisation in dhyana, mental preparation is needed. There has to be a base of thought; the proper groundwork must be laid down.
So preparation is the key point. Fill the mind throughout the day with spiritual ideas and let each and every cell vibrate in the dance of spiritual ideation and then when one sits for sadhana then naturally - with little effort - the mind will race in that direction.
That is why we are to engage in singing His name, reading His books, doing second lesson, practicing asanas, learning Prabhat Samgiita, engaging in satsaunga, telling Baba stories, ideating on Him. Failing that, as long as one does not adhere to this supreme guideline, then higher realisations in sadhana will not come. Whereas sweet and blissful sadhana naturally arises when one engages in a spiritual way of life all the 24 hours. According to Ananda Marga philosophy, when anyone, step by step, dedicates their days and their time to spiritual life then they will reach up to the crowning glory of human existence - divine bliss and realisation.
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Conclusion
Ultimately, each and every sadhaka wants to achieve higher and higher sadhana. Every disciple of Baba thinks that spirituality is the top most jewel and that all mundane accomplishments are comparatively meaningless. Only spiritual sadhana is the summum bonum of life. Because only spiritual wealth is permanent-- lasting; it remains with each and every person even after their death. Whereas other things just fade away into oblivion. Every sadhaka wishes to reach that highest stage of spiritual fulfillment and realisation. And the way to achieve this is by keeping the mind engaged in comic ideation throughout the day.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Hla’dinii
When sitting down to begin spiritual practices, first one may sing bhajans and dance kiirtan to prepare the mind for sadhana.
~ In-depth study ~
When we involve in a spiritual way of life by singing Baba’s name and following 16 Points, then one's existence gets purified.
Ananda Marga ideology says, "If the sensory and motor organs are not kept engaged in the attainment of the divine, they may lead one astray. Kiirtana is therefore most beneficial as it keeps all the organs fully engaged in a spiritual pursuit." (2)
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Good company, good books, good literature, good songs, kiirtanas (devotional chanting) elevate the mind and the mind becomes sanctified." (3)
Ultimately, by thinking of Him, we achieve that blissful, eternal stance.
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Ananda Marga ideology says, "Earn your deathlessness by establishing yourself in Him. He is the real Soul. If any condition is worth attaining at all then it is this condition.. He is the summum bonum of all sa'dhana' or intuitional practice." (4)
Ananda Marga ideology says, "Never retreat. Keep advancing, and you will certainly attain the highest fulfillment of your existence." (5)
Ananda Marga ideology states, “And what is our permanent abode – our home? It is Parama Puruśa paramáshrayah Shriinivásah. Here shrii refers to the Universal Creative Faculty, or Paramá Prakrti. The abode of this Universal Faculty is also your abode. Therefore going home is a simple task. It requires no scholarship, no knowledge, no intellectual faculty – no long and tedious lecturing. The scriptures tell us to remember three points in order to return home. They are shravana [hearing about the Supreme], manana [ideating on the Supreme] and nidi-dhyásana [meditating on the Supreme with an unbroken flow of mind].” (6)
References
1. Discourses on Krsna & the Giita, 'Spiritual Lessons of the Giita'
2. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 8, Sádhaná, Abhidhyána and Kiirtana
3. Microvitum in a Nutshell, 'Mobility and Movement'
4. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 3, The Intuitional Science of the Vedas – 5
5. Subhasita Samgraha - 7, 'Struggle & Progress
6. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 11, Mantra Caetanya
* * *
The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
* * *
== Section 2: Important Teaching ==
Greed: name in the paper
Ananda Marga ideology states, "Whether one be a philanthropist or a star athlete, one desires to see what is written about them in the newspaper. This means that in trying to do some good work, what are they really doing? They are falling under the sway of one propensity, the propensity of greed. Now if this act is encouraged by the society, that is, if the newspapers dedicate a lot of attention to such news, or if people in general say, “Sir, whatever you are doing is unparalleled in history. Sir, we are not eulogizing you. We are simply telling the truth” – if they praise such a person in this way and then try to extract some money from them (there are such intelligent people around) – then what does it amount to indirectly? The propensity of greed increases. Which animal is the greediest among the animals with which we are all very familiar? It does not like to give up greed in spite of ill treatment and humiliations. It is the cat. Yes, after moving a few steps ahead, the cat forgets that it was beaten. So, that particular person is reborn as a cat after death, because that body affords an opportunity for the satiation of their greed. When the housewife looks around inattentively, the cat sneaks into the kitchen through the small opening in order to reach the milk or fish in the kitchen. So in order to exhaust the samskáras one needs an appropriate body. Some people obtain a new body immediately after death and others obtain it later. But one has to obtain it somehow."
"One who is doing philanthropic work today, tries to find out tomorrow whether or not their name appeared in the newspaper. They have no desire to read the other news. They read the news that relates to themselves twenty times but do not go through the other news with much enthusiasm. If someone asks they might say that today there was only one important piece of news, nothing else. That is how a person comes under the sway of a propensity and remains subject to the cycle of birth and rebirth." (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam – 10, The Supreme Entity – the Non-Doer
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Ananda Margiis have no caste or gotra. I have said before also that the division of humanity into Káshyapagotra, Bharadvájagotra, etc., is nonsensical. This is just to mislead people. If we look back in [anthropology] we will see that the forefathers of the present-day humans were apes or ape-men. So if people are very particular about their gotras, I will say to their faces, “Boys and girls! You belong to the ape gotra.”"
"We have all descended from our common ancestors, the apes. The same is true in relation to the castes. [One might try to argue that] the forefathers of the Bráhmańas were the ape-Bráhmańas and the forefathers of the Kśatriyas were the ape-Kśatriyas; but that just isn’t so. As apes do not have any particular caste, the present-day caste differences are all hypocrisy and maliciousness. You should remove even the least vestige of these nonsensical notions. You must not give credence to such things." (1)
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 7, Bhaerava and Bhaeravii
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Ananda Marga ideology says, “All the urges and longings should be channelised and directed towards the Supreme. If this is done indomitable psychic force and invincible spiritual energy will grow from within. This will enable people to solve all the world’s problems–economic, social, cultural, big and small. Unless one develops oneself in this way, as an ideal human being, one will not be able to solve any problem, no matter how madly one beats one’s chest or how loudly one shouts slogans.” (1)
Note: In the above quote Baba guides us that spirituality is an indispensable quality to solve the world’s social problems and become a Prout leader. That means only with the great force of true spirituality and by serving others can one be an ideal Proutist and lead the society along the golden road of welfare.
However some start thinking that non-spiritually oriented activists can be ideal Proutists. They think that any atheistic so-called social leader who shouts their battle cry for public welfare has all the requisite qualifications to be a Prout leader.
But Baba gives the reply to those harboring such an imbalanced idea by guiding us that, devoid of spirituality, a service mentality cannot be cultivated in the mind.
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 10, Ideation on Brahma
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Without sadhana one cannot be a Prout leader
Ananda Marga ideology says, “All the urges and longings should be channelised and directed towards the Supreme. If this is done indomitable psychic force and invincible spiritual energy will grow from within. This will enable people to solve all the world’s problems–economic, social, cultural, big and small. Unless one develops oneself in this way, as an ideal human being, one will not be able to solve any problem, no matter how madly one beats one’s chest or how loudly one shouts slogans.” (1)
Note: In the above quote Baba guides us that spirituality is an indispensable quality to solve the world’s social problems and become a Prout leader. That means only with the great force of true spirituality and by serving others can one be an ideal Proutist and lead the society along the golden road of welfare.
However some start thinking that non-spiritually oriented activists can be ideal Proutists. They think that any atheistic so-called social leader who shouts their battle cry for public welfare has all the requisite qualifications to be a Prout leader.
But Baba gives the reply to those harboring such an imbalanced idea by guiding us that, devoid of spirituality, a service mentality cannot be cultivated in the mind.
Reference
1. Ananda Marga Ideology & Way of Life - 10, Ideation on Brahma
Difference between bhakta & devotee
In various discourses Baba differentiates between bhaktas and devotees. In brief, bhaktas are only those who have love for God, who love Parama Purus'a. There is no other use or meaning of the term 'bhakta'. Whereas people can be devoted to all sorts of things etc. A wife may be devoted to her husband. Various pets may be very devoted to their master. So like this one who is devoted has various insinuations and meanings whereas the use of the term bhakta is very specific and pointed.
Ananda Marga ideology states, "'Well, we've grown quite old. Having reached such a ripe old age, if we eat without doing some kind of ritualistic worship, people will speak ill of us and criticize us. So we'd better follow the ritualistic formalities by chanting a few mantras'. This category of bhakta is called `sattvika bhakta.' They don't ask for any material thing no doubt, but they ask for liberation as they have reached the last stage of life. Parama Purusa may or may not grant liberation to these bhaktas. One thing which is sure is that they won't attain Him because they want liberation, but not Parama Purusa [moksa] Himself." (1)
Note: A great bhakta wants only Parama Purusa, not anything else.
Reference
1. Ananda Vacanamrtam - 4, “Ye Yathá Máḿ Prapadyante”
== Section 3: Links ==
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