Baba
Mental health & modernity
Namaskar,1. Because of the advancement of science, life has become more complex and faster than ever before.
2. Nowadays, people have to deal with so much more information as well as tighter time schedules.
3. This heightened speed and complexity has created more psychic tension for the general populace.
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4. Even seemingly simple, day to day problems, are beyond the ability of people to solve.
5. Although physical life is comparatively easier than before, the huge pressure and tension in the mental realm weighs mightily on the common person.
6. The solution is sadhana. By making the mind stronger and more balanced through meditation, one will be able to manage and thrive in today's complex world without suffering from psychic tension.
This is indeed the era of stress. I see this in friends, family, colleagues, and people on the street. It wears on their face, their eyes, their demeanor and their outlook. They do not seem to find any escape; rather their tension only mounts.
Again, here is the solution: By doing sadhana and increasing the capacity of the mind, one will not feel overwhelmed by the speed and complexity of modernity.
Pointed meditation strengthens the mind
We have to remember that just getting initiation into Ananda Marga sadhana is not enough. If we are not pointed in our meditation practice then we will suffer the consequences of various mental problems. If we do not do sadhana, then the mind may not have the requisite capacity to handle the increasing speed of worldly life. In which case we will be at risk of feeling overwhelmed and depressed.
These are not brain diseases but rather psychic diseases: Everything from anger, frustration, and stress to those larger issues which leads one to the brink of a total mental meltdown.
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What is even scarier is that those suffering from the early onsets of these psychic diseases may not even recognise it. That disease will grow and grow. It may present as as being short-tempered with family or friends, to having headaches or so many other common ailments like stress. If untreated with sadhana, a stage may come when one moves closer to having a nervous breakdown or other serious mental ailments.
In this age, it is very important to be serious and sincere in sadhana and Sixteen Points. Baba guides us that a psychic disease is a disorder wherein the the mind feels overwhelmed due to an improper manner of thinking. There is no organic or physical problem. Only one is stuck in defective ways of thinking and that affects their whole psyche.
Conclusion: not my work - work of my Lord
The central idea of Baba's Hindi teaching of 8 April 1984 Tatanagar is twofold:
The human cranium is small while the world has become very complex due to the advancement of science. In result, the typical human cranium cannot manage the vast array of complexities of day to day life. With advancement of science insanity is increasing. People are suffering from nervous system diseases like high blood pressure, brain haemorrhages, paralysis, depression, heart disease, and various chronic physical and psychic diseases etc.
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To resolve this Baba has given the solution that while doing work one should think that. “This is not my work. This is the work of my Lord.” If one thinks like this there will not be any mental tension. This can only occur when one does sadhana.
Namaskar,
In Him,
Kalyan Deva
~ In-depth study ~
Due to the advancement of science, even ordinary human beings have to manage various intricate problems. The mind quickly gets overwhelmed. Ultimately, the mind becomes exhausted and the issues remain unresolved. If you have one single problem then it can be easily managed and solved; but if you have 10 - 20 complex problems unfolding all at once, then that causes huge psychic tension. The basic theory is: More science, then more problems, and more frustration in life. The solution is to strengthen the mind. That strong mind will be able to face present day challenges. For that reason one should do sadhana.
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Ananda Marga philosophy says, "One of the numerous benefits of sadhana is that it keeps the mind free from psychic disease and encourages the natural growth of the mind...You must remain vigilant so that in your individual life you do not become the victim of a psychic disease. (1)
References
1. A Few Problems Solved-7, The Faculty of Knowledge-3
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The below section is an entirely different topic, unrelated to the above material.
It stands on its own merit as a point of interest and ideological awareness.
* * *
== Section 2: Prabhat Samgiita ==
Sleeping humanity has gotten new life
"A'lo jhariye madhu ks'ariye a'ndha'r sa'riye tumi esecho..." (Prabhat Samgiita #1233)
Purport:
My Parama Purusa, You have come, showering refulgence, exuding nectar, and wiping away all darkness. You have arrived - making the flowers blossom and spreading happiness and bliss. By Your august presence, my hopes and longings have been fulfilled. WIth Your supreme manifestation, everything has changed.
Baba, in the anticipation of Your advent, living beings were waiting with deep yearning and melancholic longing in their heart. In the hope of Your arrival, they patiently began watching for Your coming - constantly looking towards Your path. The painful longing of bhaktas resonated in Your heart and You could no longer remain distant. You have come pouring the basket of prema - satisfying everyone's soul. The sleeping humanity has gotten new life by Your krpa’.
Parama Purusa Baba, that river which dried up and evaporated in the desert of materialism, and that spiritual song which was lost in the oblivion, You have mercifully brought the current of that river and the tune of those songs along with You.
Baba, with Your auspicious blessing, You have inundated hearts with the nectar of bhakti. This is Your causeless grace...
Note for Prabhat Samgiita #1233:
[1] The inner idea is that when Parama Purusa comes and inundates the heart with deep bhakti, then all those feelings of love, which had dried up, start to blossom. In the above song, the river signifies the flow of bhakti and the song and melody refers to that subtler expression of inner spiritual feeling.
== Section 3: Important Teaching ==
Feeling of mind vs soul
Ananda Marga ideology states, “Now you know, in the mind of each and every living being there is this feeling of “I exist”. There is one “I exist” in you. “I exist.” “I am.” “I exist.” Mm? This “I” is the subtlest mind. But don’t you know that there is the feeling of “I exist” in you? You know it, you know this fact, that there is the feeling of “I exist” in you. Don’t you know it? You know that there is a feeling of “I exist” in you. Then, “I know the fact that I exist. I know the fact that there is a feeling of ‘I exist’ in me.” Now here the “I” of “I exist”, the subject of the sentence “I exist”, is the subtlest mind. And the “I” of “I know” – “I know the fact that I exist” – the subject of the sentence “I know”, that “I” is the átman, is the spirit, is the soul. It is not mind. There is a feeling of “I exist” in me – “I exist”. That “I” is the subtlest mind. The feeling that “I exist” is in me, is known to me. That knowing “I” – “I know that I exist” – that knowing “I” (the “I” of “I know”) is the átman, the spirit, the soul.” (1)
Note: Everybody has a mind. And the feeling associated with the mind is, “I am”, “I exist”. That quality is indicative of mind. And everyone also knows that they exist and that they have a mind. The entity that knows that they have a mind is the soul. The conclusion is that “I am, I exist” is the feeling of the mind, and the feeling, “I know I exist” is the feeling of the atma or soul.
Reference
1. Subhasita Samgraha - 24, Longing for the Great
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Link between breath and mind
Ananda Marga philosophy says, "The process of breathing has a great influence on the human mind and self, or soul. Suppose a person is running: his or her breathing immediately becomes heavy. In that condition he or she cannot think properly; the sensory organs such as the tongue, nose, etc., cannot function properly, and as a result one's perception is impaired. Moreover, the process of breathing, depending upon whether the breath is flowing through the right nostril or the left nostril or both nostrils, influences people in various ways..."
"When doing a heavy job while breathing normally, a person might have serious difficulties – perhaps ones limbs might be broken – but in a state of baddha kumbhaka, or púrńa kumbhaka [with the lungs full], one can easily do the same work. While doing some over-strenuous activity in a state of shúnya kumbhaka [with the lungs empty] one might even die."
"Suppose you are climbing to a high place or lifting a very heavy load. If you do not follow the system of breathing while lifting the load, your hands may become painful or your bones dislocated. If you do the same work in a state of shúnya kumbhaka, you will have great difficulty – you may even collapse. If, on the contrary, you perform any strenuous activity in púrńa kumbhaka, taking a deep breath, you can easily do it. All this comes within the scope of that svaravijiṋána. You might have read in the Rámáyańa that Hanuman, by taking a deep breath, made his body swell and lifted a whole mountain. Although it is a mythological story, it refers to the science of svaravijiṋána." (1)
Reference
1. Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Shiva – the Focal Point of Everything
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Carrying over mistakes of forefathers
In His following teaching, Baba guides us that pseudo-spirituality severely hampers one's progress on the path of true spirituality. Unfortunately, we see some instances of this taking shape in our AMPS.
For instance, a few Ananda Margiis born into Hindu families copy their ancestors on the point of annual shraddha ceremonies. Confused sadhakas feel that as their forefathers did like this so they should carry on the tradition. Thus each year confused sadhakas organise programs and mass feedings in the name and honour of their deceased relatives. But this goes wholly against Guru's mandate and guideline. Tragically, their mind has been stifled; these confused sadhakas cannot see this matter in a dharmic way. Just some confused sadhakas are stuck on their old, dogmatic family tradition of observing annual shraddha ceremonies.
Same is the case for those who follow so-called mahaprayan. Some confused sadhakas think that, "In the past my ancestors honoured their gurus and teachers by making a yearly shraddha ceremony so I should do this too.” In their confused state the thought arises, “Now my Guru is gone so I should organise an annual death day / tomb worship / shraddhainjali commemoration." In that way some emulated the dogmatic religious worship carried out by their forefathers and re-created that in our AMPS. That is the tragedy which has occurred. As this runs wholly contrary to our Ananda Marga teachings.
Here again, the ill effects of pseudo-spirituality from old traditions have caused the mind to freeze and overlook all logic and reasoning. In Ananda Marga, Parama Purusa is the Guru, and He is eternal. Then where is there scope for so-called mahaprayan. There isn't; it is utterly baseless.
But when the mind is blocked by pseudo-spirituality one cannot think freely on such matters. Hence some become prone to dogma. Sadly, some confused sadhakas think they are getting benefited by such annual shraddha ceremonies and so-called mahaprayan programs, when in fact such confused sadhakas are ruining their own spiritual progress.
According to Baba, the real homage to our ancestors is to fix their flaws so society can progress in the physical, psychic, and spiritual realms.
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Pseudo-spirituality cannot help us in our free thinking either, for our thinking is badly affected by dogma. When a human being sits alone and thinks, if the person thinks for the collective interest, then such thoughts are proper; but usually people do not think in this way. Usually they lament over the worn-out skeletons of the past. “This was done by, this was imposed by, our forefathers – when our forefathers have said this, why should I break with the old traditions? It was written in this way in the scriptures; and moreover if I follow these old conventions and traditions, what is the harm?” These types of dogmatic and dogma-ic thoughts will naturally stifle the free flow of human thought. And that is why whenever there is dogma, human thinking cannot be free; and for want of, for paucity of, free thinking, there cannot be any proper psycho-spiritual progress either. So here what we want is perfect spirituality and not pseudo-spirituality. Pseudo-spirituality cannot promote the cause of human welfare; the seed of welfare does not lie there. The seed of welfare cannot exist where the seed of dogma exists." (1)
Reference
1. A Few Problems Solved - 5, Pseudo-Spirituality and Neohumanism
== Section: Important Teaching ==
Specially for mothers
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "When the foetus in the mother’s womb becomes somewhat developed, its hair starts to grow. The mother may develop nausea. Sometimes she develops a special fascination with certain edibles and inedibles, and some peculiar distastes as well. In ancient Bengal there was a social custom to provide an opportunity to a pregnant woman to eat foods of her choice. This was known as sádhbhakśań."
"Normally, in the advanced stage of pregnancy, women are not permitted to do physical labour. This is wrong. Women in that condition should be allowed to do a little work. (The same principle applies to pregnant animals.) Otherwise, there remains a risk during labour. Pregnant women and female animals may work half of what they usually do at other times; but under no circumstances should they be allowed to do strenuous work, as it may lead to premature delivery or stillbirth."
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "Foods which are highly acidic, such as acidic citrus fruits, overripe pineapples, overripe jám, cottonseed flour and spicy pickles, should be carefully avoided as they may harm the fetus. Bending over in a stooping posture to lift anything heavy is strictly forbidden for pregnant women. Although there is no objection to carrying loads for those who are accustomed to it, they must not stoop over to lift a heavy load onto their heads. It is better if others will help them to lift it up. In this stage of pregnancy a daily bath is a rule, but one must not bathe after sunset. It is better to lie down on a hard bed."
"It is desirable that the best room in the house should be used for the confinement. In certain parts of rural Bengal, the worst room or the cowshed is used for confinement out of superstition. This practice is certainly wrong – more than that, it is a crime."
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "There are many people who affect respect, loudly praising women as a race of mothers, but who in practical life suppress them underfoot, sending them into the jaws of premature death by depriving them of happiness and the comforts of life. The conscientious should be vocal against these heinous acts. We must pay due honour to women as mothers and help them to live long lives."
"The family should see to it that the woman is not forced to walk to the outhouse on foot for at least twenty-four hours after delivery. The delivery room should be fitted with a bathtub and commode. If a girl is born no one in the family is to point an accusing finger, either directly or indirectly, at the mother. It may create undue pressure on her heart. There was one lady of my acquaintance who was unable to bear the humiliation brought down by her family just after the birth of her seventh daughter. She cried out, “Again a daughter, again a daughter, again a daughter!” and immediately expired."
"A pregnant woman must certainly be provided with nutritious food. No constipation-creating foods should be supplied to her. (This is as applicable to animal mothers as to human mothers.) Sweet-pea leaves, or if not available, then spinach, nat́e shák or gourd leaves should be taken daily in small amounts. Puṋi shák [Basella rubra Linn.] should be strictly avoided."
Ananda Marga philosophy states, "All that I have said in the above is as applicable to pregnant animals as it is to human mothers. In the case of the first delivery one should consult a physician or experienced midwife after one month. If one follows the above instructions, death during delivery will become a rare phenomenon." (1)
Reference
1. Awakening of Women, Chapter 40, Footnote #4
== Section 4: Links ==
Other topics of interest
