== BABA'S SPECIAL SADHANA GUIDELINE ==
Namaskar,
We all know that ours is the path of true realization and spiritual
attainment. This is Baba's special grace on us. At the same Baba guides
us that we have to do something-- nothing comes without effort.
So Baba specifically tells us about overcoming any type of spiritual
procrastination or laziness in the spiritual realm. On this point He has
given us countless teachings-- plus His own golden example.
And one of the main things Baba has done is be ideal model for leading a
perfect spiritual life. And one key practice in all of this is outdoor
sadhana. Because Baba Himself describes in numerous instances how it was
His regular habit to practice dharma sadhana in the tranquility and
solitude of nature.
In the Jamalpur days, throughout His student life, and in other periods
of His life outdoor sadhana was a regular, daily event. And the benefits
of this practice are innumerable.
OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND
Often we may try to do sadhana in the house, but that often only invites
distractions. Because there we are surrounded by books, family members,
computers, phones, food, and numerous daily chores and responsibilities.
So with all these types of pabula around us, then naturally the sensory
organs get attracted to them. Whereas if those pubula are out of sight
and beyond the scope of the senses, then those thing do not drag us down
so much and our minds are much more free to do sadhana.
So just by escaping out of the house is a big boon for our spiritual
practices as this allows us to leave so many distractions behind.
And Baba Himself guides us in this same direction.
Baba says, "It cannot be denied that the noise of the bustling world is
a hindrance to intuitional practice and makes solitude very desirable."
(AMEP, '92, p.127)
And if we think a moment, we can see how 'bustling world' does not only
mean 'on the city streets' but also refers to 'living in our own home'.
Because when we remain in the house then countless thoughts & mundane
things come in the mind which pull us away from our sadhana. In that
case it is difficult to do long peaceful, serene meditation. How many
times does it happen that on the point of food alone, that we quickly &
hastily conclude our sadhana as meal time approaches etc. And in this
way days, months, and years pass by.
But if we go outside in the natural environment, we have a much better
opportunity to delve into our sadhana practices and do sustained
sadhana. And if this becomes our regular practice then it can transform
our entire spiritual existence.
On this point it can also be said that we need not go so far from the
house. Often times in short walking distance we can find a good place
for sadhana. And by going just a little further we can find a top-notch
place.
WAITING FOR OLD AGE WILL NOT DUE
Yet if we just get routinized into always sacrificing our meditation and
just doing short, interrupted sadhana-- constantly getting pulled away
by mundane distractions, then this is not good. Because by this way the
whole life will pass by. In which case it is not easy to concentrate in
sadhana in old age if one did not do proper sadhana their whole life.
Baba says, "There is no value in remembering God in old age, when it is
not possible to concentrate the mind due to the weakness and disease of
the body and its preoccupation with the reactions (sam'ska'ras) of the
deeds of this life. The mind then is caught up in the infirmities of the
body, in the diseases of old age, impending death, and most of all, in
memories of past incidents, and it is impossible to concentrate the
mind. For these reasons one is incapable of intuitional practice. (AMEP,
'92, p.135)
GREEN BAMBOO VS. OLD BAMBOO
Everyone knows that green bamboo bends easily and can be easily used to
make many useful things; but old bamboo is just unbendable, hard, and
stiff-- basically useless. Likewise a fresh, supple mind from regular
sadhana practice can do many things; but a dry crusty mind devoid of
sadhana is not good for much. Without proper sadhana the mind becomes
dry & inflexible-- static.
REACHING OUR POTENTIAL
Sadhana is important and outdoor sadhana has many benefits like: fresh
air & oxygen, peaceful vibration, less distractions etc. That is why
Baba recommends that this is one practice we should all try.
Because ultimately sadhana awakens our dormant & latent qualities, and
makes the ordinary person extraordinary.
Baba says, "When a person attains an exalted state of spirituality, they
can bring welfare to millions of people." (SS part 18, p. 14)
Namaskar,
Girish
Note 1: AVADHUTA & MICROVITA SADHANA DONE OUTSIDE
We all know that Baba has made it compulsory for those doing avadhuta
(kapalik) sadhana and microvita sadhana to do their practices under the
open sky-- not in an enclosed room. This is the rule.
Note 2: POSITIVE MICROVITA
By being outside then so many positive microvita from the stars,
planets, and distant galaxies can also help us in our sadhana. This fact
Baba reveals in His microvita discourses.
Note 3: A'NANDA MA'RGA IS UNIVERSAL DHARMA
The practices of Ananda Marga are human dharma and meant to be practiced
by all. Thus Baba has not made it mandatory for everyone to do all their
sadhana outside all the time. Because for particular reasons and in
specific cases one might not be able to go outside for sadhana due to
ill health etc. And the overall idea is that the rules should not be so
tough and arduous that not everyone in society cannot follow. Rather AM
is for all. So this is enough reason to think why Baba has not made
outdoor meditation an absolute requirement-- always. At the same time
going outside regularly for sadhana is highly beneficial.
Note 4: BABA DOING SADHANA IN THE SOLITUDE OF NATURE
Here Baba describes His own outdoor sadhana practice.
Baba says, "I used to go for a walk nearly every day in the mountains
east of Jamalpur. I used to sit on the second mountain. One after
another, several small and large mountains run parallel to each other.
The summit of the second mountain was the highest place among them. I
used to arrive there in the middle of the afternoon and stay there until
about eight at night." (SC-1, p. 93)
Here Baba talks more about His experience of doing sadhana outside:
Baba says, "I was sitting on the peak. It was the bright lunar
fortnight...In front of me, that is to the west, on the slope of the
mountain, was a dense ga'b forest...The mountain in front of me was
completely bare...I was probably the only person for several miles,
completely alone...the peak that I was seated on..." (SC-1, p.94)
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MAMMALS AND LOVE
Baba says, "There are fishes who carry something like a sack inside
their bodies and they carry their children in those sacks. There are
some snakes who also take their children with them. Not only have they
inborn instinct, but they have something more, that is, they have love
and affection for their children. This is also true of some species of
snakes, but love and affection for their children is more prominent in
mammals. Mammals are more developed than non-mammals because in the case
of mammals mothers feed the children with their breast-milk and
certainly they have got affection for their children -- that is why they
do so." (YP '98, Edn, p.83)
Note: Mothers of financially poorer countries keep their babies along
with them and breast-feed their infants. But the case is different with
so-called advanced mothers from around the globe-- especially in the
so-called developed nations. In those so-called developed places,
neither do those mothers want to breast-feed their infants nor do they
want to keep their infants along with them.
So in comparison to those animals we have to see how far the whole
situation is working. Because those mammals and animals do love and care
for their offspring; accordingly, then humans are more advanced so they
should express more love. And mothers of poor countries do like that.
But the strange thing is that mothers from the so-called advanced
countries...
With the scale of Baba's above teaching, we have to judge whether such
mothers are really developed or moving in the opposite direction.
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