== THE WAITING ROOM ==
Namaskar,
Baba says, "This world is just like [a] waiting room. You are to remain
here for a very short span." (AV-12)
Tragically, in this modern world, the mass of people live and plan their
lives in such a way as if this world is their permanent abode. Due to
the ill effects of gross materialism, common citizens think that their
bank account, their house, their job, their physical appearance, their
spouse, and their worldly possessions are the prized aspects of their
existence. For this reason, they use cent-per-cent of their energy
running after these ephemeral things, mistaking them to be the glory of
human life.
This is the way materialism has led everyone astray, into some dark
illusion.
Baba says, "This type of crude material knowledge concerned with the
crude materialism has done much harm to human society during the last
one century." (AV-2)
There is an inner aspect to our human existence that is hungry, yet the
humanity is neglecting that which is inside because of being fully
intoxicated with life's material pleasures.
EVEN WE ANANDA MARGIIS SUFFER FROM THIS
As Ananda Margiis, we all know what the Goal of life is, as well as what
it takes to get there. The Goal is Baba and the way to get there is by
sadhana. This fact everybody knows.
Yet, to some or more degree, we have also suffered from the ill effects
of materialism, as it has infested each and every pore of society. It is
very difficult to completely separate oneself from that environment.
Huge billboards, internet ads, crude social values, financial pressures
etc meet us at each and every turn.
One of the clear-cut downturns of all this is that some of us do not put
proper emphasis on sadhana in our lives.
I can say that this is certainly true for me. I always think, 'I will do
sadhana'; yet when it is time to start my practice I can find any number
of other things to do. And when I do sit down for sadhana, then often it
gets curtailed due to lack of time, lack of concentration, or feelings
of hunger.
Perhaps some of you have also experienced this or similar things.
And the gross materialism which surrounds us does not help; it leads to
more spiritual lethargy. Whatever inherent lethargy we may have towards
sadhana is multiplied by today's crude environment. Because the world
and all its inhabitants are running one direction, and we are trying to
move in another. We are going against the tide.
Baba says, "The present-day materialism has brought humanity to this
predicament. Its consequences are dreadful." (NSS)
BABA'S GRAPHIC EXPLANATION
Before analysing more of the in's & out's of this issue, here is Baba
special teaching about spiritual lethargy, or procrastination in sadhana.
Baba says, "Spiritual lethargy is the worst. Spiritual lethargy means
not to sit for meditation regularly. Those with spiritual lethargy have
time for all other actions, but for spiritual practice there seems to be
no time. They say, “It’s already late today – I’ll do a short meditation
right now, and devote more time to sa'dhana' tomorrow.” They sit
attentively inside the cinema hall, but in dharma sa'dhana' they feel
sleepy." (AMIWL-10)
We should all read the above quote multiple times and honestly evaluate
how far Baba's teaching applies to our own lives.
OLD WAYS OF LIVING
In addition to today's gross materialism, here are other reasons why it
is often a struggle to move on the path of sadhana.
As Baba tells us, every human being has come from animal life-- at one
point in time or another. So we are highly familiar with animalistic
desires and propensities. We need not be reminded about these things.
That is a known path to us, and in general people gravitate towards the
familiar and are hesitant to take up new enterprises.
For that reason, it take little or no energy for people to succumb to
the four basic propensities: Food, fear, procreation, and sleep. No one
needs any special training in these spheres; the mind automatically runs
after these things.
In contrast, when sadhana is the most subtle practice for human beings,
then invariably it is something that is very new and unfamiliar to us.
Often it is not something that we have lifetimes of experience with.
Whereas, for incarnations and incarnations in animal and human form, we
have been deeply engrossed in material pursuits.
So being attached to this old way of living certainly contributes to
spiritual procrastination.
OTHER REASONS WE PROCRASTINATE
AVIDYA MAYA & SO-CALLED OBJECTIVE ADJUSTMENT
Then there are other things that lead to procrastination in sadhana:
1) Avidya Maya: The force of avidya maya casts allurements each and
every moment, and when the whole society has fallen prey to the spell of
avidya maya, then the force of that maya multiplies and it is very
difficult to escape. If you know you should do sadhana, but all your
worldly pressures tell you to work late, or buy a big house, or go to
the movies, or watch TV, or whatever, then it is difficult to move on
the path of sadhana. And every time we give in to the ignorance of
avidya, then the more sadhana slips out of our fingers, and becomes
something totally foreign.
2) Objective Adjustment: In the name of objective adjustment, we leave
our spiritual practice behind and run after worldly endeavours. We then
justify that going to dharmacakra and doing sadhana there is enough for
the entire week, or thereabouts.
3) Microvita: Various microvita also pull us down and hinders our
sadhana routine.
Plus when the entire society is moving towards money, matter, prestige,
then that multiplies the problem.
Each of us individually should take an honest look at who we are and
what is happening with our sadhana routine, and make special efforts to
overcome whatever is hindering our practice.
WE HAVE NOT COME HERE FOREVER
Here is Baba's special teaching about the waiting room phenomenon.
Nowadays, everyone thinks that this world is their permanent abode. They
may say otherwise but practically they live as if this is the case.
So we should pay heed to Baba's strict warning.
Smarana nitya anityatam
Baba says, "You should remember always that you have come here for a
short span. You won’t remain in this world for a long period. You may
remain here say for ninety or hundred years or say for one hundred and
fifty years. Some saints like Traelaunga Sva'mii lived here for three
hundred and fifty years. He lived in Varanasi in India and died in this
twentieth century. But you are to live under certain limitations –
limitations of time, space and person."
"So you should always remember that you have come here for a very short
span. It is just like a waiting room of a railway station. You remain
there for a short period and when the train comes, you leave the waiting
room. This world is just like that waiting room. You are to remain here
for a very short span."
"You should always remember this fact – “I have come here for a short
span and I won’t remain here for a very long period. My home is
elsewhere. I am just like a tourist.” You should always remember this
fact. And as a universal tourist, you, while leaving for your permanent
home, won’t require a passport." (AV-12)
So we must not treat this world as our permanent abode. We should always
keep our mind fixed on Him. And internally, we must remind ourselves
again and again that we have only come here for a short time. Then and
only then can we truly understand that sadhana-- and not money or
possessions-- is the cream of life.
Here again is Baba' reminder about the nature of this human life.
Baba says, "This short period of time from birth to death is human life.
Human beings have come from the world of invisibility and at the end of
this short span of time will return to the world of invisibility. Those
people can be called intelligent who utilize every moment of their short
life engaged in spiritual practice." (APH-4)
Failing to adopt the path of sadhana, will lead us on an endless spiral
of suffering and pain in the myriad of deaths and rebirths in this
material world.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace we must realise that this world is not our permanent
abode, overcome all tendencies of spiritual lethargy, do sadhana, and
reach up to Him.
Baba says, "The only way to advance is to follow the path of vigorous
spiritual practice." (AMIWL-8)
Namaskar,
Giriish
