Baba
The body: our alarm clock
Namaskar,
Imagine a situation in which someone is doing something important in their office and they are severely pressed for time. If they suddenly feel hungry or need to go to the restroom then a question arises: Should they stop working and tend to one’s bodily needs or suppress the urge until the work is completed.
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The human body is a biological machine
Sadguru Baba says that the human body is a sophisticated and complex machine. Many processes are happening simultaneously inside the human body. It is very difficult to comprehend the exact working of the human body due to its sheer complexity. For proper functioning, the human body should get adequate support, such as air to breathe, water to drink, and provision to defecate toxic substances, to name a few.
Body's warnings: keep an eye
The chemistry of the body needs to be maintained, and so one must pay heed to the the demands of the body. Take the analogy of an indicator light on a car which is displaying the warning that the engine has become overheated. If the warning is ignored for a long time and one continues driving the car, then the engine may fail permanently.
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Ignoring signals can cause disease
The human mind is very powerful. Those who are mostly engaged in intellectual work often ignore their bodily needs, unlike the ones who are mostly involved in physical work. By ignoring the basic needs one puts their body under undue stress. Maybe occasionally ignoring one’s bodily needs may not be so dangerous, but such an approach continued over a duration can lead to serious diseases. Just as a machine becomes dysfunctional if its warning signals are continuously ignored, the human body can also succumb to disease if one does not pay heed to one’s basic physical needs.
The basic rule of yoga is to perform all one’s daily bodily duties like eating, sleeping, bathing, and defecating at the right time. One should never force oneself to change the schedule for the above daily activities as that can adversely affect their health.
Risk of long-term damage
If one’s body is strong then one may not immediately feel the adverse effects, but, internally, the body as well as the mind get affected. For example, if one is trying to ignore the pressure to urinate then one part of the mind gets distracted and one’s concentration gets divided. It is better to relieve such pressure. If one is hungry then, as an effect, one may get a headache or burning sensation in the stomach which again may affect the proper functioning of one’s mind.
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Recipe for happy life
If one listens to one’s body’s signals then one will be able to live a long and healthy life. Rather than holding normal bodily functions, one should make a proper timetable and follow that. A train that can run smoothly on rails but if it is not maintained properly then it can derail. On derailment, the train can get stuck in a field or a ditch. In that case, a powerful crane has to be brought to put the train back on the track.
Thus, for one’s physical health and overall well-being, one should make a routine and follow it strictly. One should not do anything at arbitrary times. The body has its own biological clock, and by duly following it one can live a healthy life and can make progress. Not following a routine is an invitation for trouble.
The body is the framework for carrying out spiritual sadhana, but to do sadhana a healthy body is needed. If the body is healthy then only is spiritual progress possible. After death, the brain disintegrates but the mind remains. An Alzheimer patient’s brain begins degenerating during their lifetime but the mind is still fully functional. For such patients, the mind wants to work but the brain is not capable of helping. So there is a deep connection between body and mind.
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Conclusion
So in order to maintain a healthy body, one must be vigilant about listening to the signals of one’s body. If one ignores those signals, then serious diseases can develop which will disturb the mind so that one’s sadhana will be adversely affected.
In Him,
Bhakti
False alarms / wrong justifications
Note: In the context of not ignoring one’s bodily needs, there should not be any misunderstanding about following negative bodily or mental tendencies.
1. Some have malevolent vrttis, e.g. the urge to cause harm to someone. This can be misinterpreted by the person to be an urgent call from within. But malevolence does not qualify as among the natural signals of the body, and must not be heeded.
2. Those who suffer from lust and feel an urgent demand to satisfy that desire should understand that this is not fundamental in the same way as the need for food, water, and sleep. It is not to be included among the natural signals to which one should respond. The reason being that responding to it degenerates the mind and arouses and multiplies animalistic tendencies.
3. Physical addictions such as to cigarettes, alcohol, and other drugs are just that, physical addictions. They must give in to such addiction, rather such vices are to be shunned by goading the mind toward positive activities.
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Biological machine
Sadguru Baba says, “Let me explain why the human body is a biological machine and goaded by propensities….There are ten indriyas [organs] – five jiṋánendriyas [sensory organs] and five karmendriyas [motor organs] – and one antahkarańa [internal faculty]. The sensory and motor organs are bahihkarańa [external organs]. Antahkarańa is directly associated with the body. It is one intrinsic portion of the mind itself. It is by dint of this portion that the mind feels the emptiness of the stomach, and thereby hunger. Once the stomach becomes empty, the mind starts searching for food, and this is expressed through the physical actions of the body. So there are two portions – antahkarańa and bahihkarańa. One consists of an intrinsic portion of the mind itself, and the other of the ten organs – five sensory organs and five motor organs.”
“The propensive propulsion comes from antahkarańa. The origin or source of the propulsion is antahkarańa. Antahkarańa is made of the conscious and subconscious portions of the mind – thinking, memory, etc., all belong to antahkarańa. Antahkarańa is doing these things. Now, whenever antahkarańa does something, the physical body is activated accordingly. The body is also transformed accordingly. Thus, this biological machine is goaded by propensive propulsion.” (1)
Reference
1. Yoga Psychology, The Human Body Is a Biological Machine
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The below sections are entirely different topics, unrelated to the above material.
They stand on their own as points of interest.
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== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
PS Intro: The relationship between the bhakta and Parama Purusa is eternal - it has been going on since the very dawn of creation. However, the bhakta was not always aware of this truth. Ages and ages passed when the sadhaka did not realise his unique and intimate connection with Parama Purusa. So when any sadhaka does get initiated and starts doing strong sadhana and becomes linked with Parama Purusa and feels His divine love and becomes drenched in His bliss, then that sadhaka feels repentant for not developing his relationship with Parama Purusa sooner. This song expresses this very notion of repentance and wishful thinking. Because in this song the sadhaka is expressing the following directly to Parama Purusa:
'In the past I was not aware about my relation with You. So now, when I have been blessed to come in Your contact and feel in my heart that You are my nearest and dearest One, then I feel sad that why did I not call You before, in the past - long, long back. Because even when I was a non-margii then at that very time You were also with me. But I never looked towards You those days; I never called You back then. Why did I not do so? Why did I not recognise You back then? It would have been so blissful to have had Your proximity all these years, but instead so much time passed in vain.'
So this song expresses the feeling of repentance of each and every devotee who has become linked with Parama Purusa as they reflect back on their life before becoming a margii. They wonder, 'Why did I remain oblivious of You - it would have been blissful if I had deep intimacy with You sooner'.
“Tumi a'ma'r kata a'pan a'ge bujhi ni…” (Prabhat Samgiita #0241)
Purport:
Parama Purusa, You are very close to me; You are my Dearest One. Before, in the past, I was oblivious to this sacred truth: That You are my eternal Companion. All along, You were side by side with me - near me always and with me wherever I was, in all endeavours. But it was so unfortunate that I remained unaware of Your divine presence. I never thought that You loved me so much. My Dearmost, why did I not talk to You and have Your intimate closeness.
Baba, since time immemorial You have been with me in all my works - small or big, meaningful and meaningless. But unfortunately that time I did not look towards You. Baba, You were with me in my song, rhythm, and tune. There was never any occasion when You were not there right by my side. And the string of that viina was vibrating then and resonates even today. And now I can hear it. But it is so sad and painful how that time in the past I remained oblivious of You. I did not pay heed to the call of Your viina, so I did not hear it. My Dearmost, alas, it would have been so blissful if I had known that You love me so much, and You are with me always.
Divine Entity, You were with me on this journey of life, even when I was submerged in the deep Cimmerian darkness. And now that very memory remains awake in my mind always. It comes again and again in my mind that You are my close One, and You are always by my side, in my heart. But alas, for so long I remained oblivious and did not call You. I remained distant; on the point of bhakti I could not come close, although You were always accompanying me. Only now do I realize You are present and I can call and talk to You. Today I understand this truth; but, in the past I did not know. O’ Supreme One, why did my spiritual life not start at the very outset. I feel so repentant that I did not beckon You in those early days. Due to neglect, You went away, leaving me alone in isolation in an unknown place and distant land. That time, why did I not keep You in my heart and hold Your feet. How come I did not wipe away all my dilemmas and hold You in dhyana and make You mine. To this day I still wonder about this. It is so sad that time passed, and You remained distant. No doubt today we are close, yet I repent how my life would have been so blissful having Your proximity earlier. This pain I carry in my heart, O' my Dearmost…
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Spirituality & suicide prevention
Due to lack of a higher goal, if even a small problem arises, people get frustrated and lose interest in life. Those without a spiritual goal lack higher values, and therefore get overwhelmed when they face any of life’s difficulties. For human welfare, the propagation of spirituality is extremely important. If one has a higher goal then they will never commit suicide, no matter the circumstances.
Baba's original guideline
Baba discusses this topic in His Hindi discourse: Kya' Dharma Vaeyas't'ika Jiivana ka' U'rdhva-Sam'vega Hae, athava' Sa'magrika Vishva ka' Tristariiya Mukti Sopa'na Hae? Subhasita Samgraha, Part 15, Chapter 02 (H) DMC 29 July 1980 Ranchi
Here is the English summary of Baba's original Hindi teaching:
Life becomes monotonous if one is merely engrossed in mundane thinking and worldly works all day long. When non-sadhakas, i.e. those not doing sadhana - reach old age, they say, "Now it is better to die." Even youths who do not do spiritual practices commit suicide when they suffer from feelings of despair etc. Why is this the case? According to applied psychology, I would say it is because they don't have any higher pursuits; hence, the lonely and desperate feelings of sheer monotony consume their mind.
Now, what is the way to prevent such monotony? The objective counterpart of the mind should have such an object which is infinite. Indeed, by coming in contact with such an infinite object of ideation, people will never harbour feelings of monotony - not in any case. That object [Parama Purusa] is ever new, newer, and newest. Parama Purusa is that Entity who is ever new, always new. Therefore, it is the duty of every person to do spiritual practices and prevent any feelings of monotony in life. For spiritual progress, certainly it is everyone’s bounden duty to do sadhana. Verily, by your sadhana you will be able to protect yourself from falling prey to any type of melancholia or depression. (English summary)
== Section 4: Links ==
Postings to Read
How to address sex crimes
Story: all get Baba's bliss
I must beautify myself to become ok
Dhyana metaphor explained
Prout's samaj system
Why AM spirituality is unique
