== REMEDY FOR TRAUMA PATIENTS ==
Namaskar,
Here is yet another striking example of how AM sadhana - and not any
other sadhana or therapy - really is the panacea for today's modern world.
POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
Tragically, this globe is now full of grave injustices where people are
terribly wronged and suffer a lot. The recently-coined term
"post-traumatic stress disorder" (PTSD) has become a common phenomenon,
especially in the west. Yet, unfortunately, in the east this critical
problem is also starting to take root.
Basically, when people are overwhelmed by a traumatic or horrifying
experience - such as (a) the death of their child, (b) time in a Nazi
concentration camp, (c) marital abuse, (d) tragedies of war, (e) sexual
abuse, (f) being held hostage etc - then their mind shuts down and they
are often buried in a state of psychic upheaval, revisiting those awful
scenes again and again. They undergo a terrible mental crisis and
extended suffering. In result, they fail to return to a normal frame of
mind and are unable to function properly in life.
Such victims have often been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) - a terrible psychic malady. Many techniques have been
tried to cure such patients through counseling, rehab, work-programs,
drugs, support groups, relaxation, hypnosis, and even various types of
meditation. But often those patients continue to suffer from their
mental despair and PTSD for the remainder of their life. They are never
the same again.
Psychiatric and health-care professionals do not have a proper approach
or cure.
EVEN BUDDHIST MONKS ARE SUFFERING
While we can easily see how war veterans and victims of abuse (child
abuse, wife abuse etc) fall prey to this terrible syndrome or PTSD,
recently a group of Tibetan monks also suffered from this.
Due to the harsh crackdown in Tibet wherein the Chinese military
detained and tortured Buddhist monks, those monks tragically fell into a
state of psychic disarray and were diagnosed with PTSD.
Not to make light of the situation in any way, but this does bring up a
striking point: Buddhist meditation was unable to break the spell of
their mental trauma. It was unable to free those monks of their psychic
suffering.
The main reason is that the human mind needs something to think about.
It will always seek an object of ideation, or abhoga.
Baba says, "A'bhoga means occupation or pabulum..the mind also requires
a pabulum; whatever object the mind confines itself to, that is its
pabulum." (SS-11)
But in Buddhist meditation, the aim is to empty the mind. When in
reality, that is not possible. The mind will always to fill that psychic
vacuum with something.
In the case of PTSD patients, their mind gets flooded with those
horrifying scenes and they relive those fateful days of suffering over
and over again. That was what was happening with those Buddhist monks.
Their meditative technique of emptying the mind was insufficient to
overcome their issues of PTSD.
AM HAS THE REMEDY
When traditional western approaches (counseling, drugs, therapy,
hypnosis, etc) and when other meditative practices cannot cure those
patients, then something else must be tried. The world is looking hard
for a remedy for PTSD, as this mental ailment is rampant and becoming
more prevalent as the pressures and tragedies of the day mount.
Of course, as Ananda Margiis we know that Baba has given the real
remedy. And that remedy is Ananda Marga sadhana.
Only AM sadhana can remedy the situation and bring the patient back into
a proper frame of mind.
WHY ONLY AM SADHANA CAN HELP
The question then is why AM sadhana is the remedy and not any other type
of meditation.
The answer is that only AM sadhana is based on incantative power,
pulsative force, and ideative method. For more about this read Baba's
spiritual discourses like 'Mantra Caetanya', 'Tantra and Sadhana' etc.
Plus only AM sadhana is fueled by the grace of Parama Purusa and
utilizes siddha mantras. Even our Baba Nam Kevalam mantra is enough to
cure patients of PTSD.
As we know, in AM sadhana, the mind is vibrated by a mantra and goaded
toward Brahma. Then the mind can no longer hold onto old, stale
thoughts. The mind is forced to shift away from those tragic days of
torture.
Of course, there is a vast philosophical and rational base behind the
rational system of our AM sadhana. When the mind is ensconced in this
approach, then all kinds of psychic ailments can be cured, including PTSD.
Soon the world will discover this.
MUST CREATE CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT
To cure PTSD patients, the main thing is that those victims of torture
and pain must be placed in a proper environment to properly practice AM
sadhana.
Sadhana camps, sadhana shivir, akhanda kiirtan, spiritual retreats are
the perfect atmosphere to ensconce the mind in psycho-spiritual
practices. Those with PTSD should be encouraged - if not mandated - to
attend these functions. Then they can really be cured of their psychic
maladies. Then they will not look back at those past events of pain, but
their mind will surge ahead in a positive flow that will bring psychic
equilibrium, stability, and the ability to greet life in a new way.
Our AM sadhana has that requisite force. And it is our duty to create
the right environment for those in need. By our sadhana camps and
spiritual retreats, many PTSD patients will be cured.
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN ANANDA MARGIIS WERE JAILED
Who can forget those days when Ananda Nagar was under siege in 1967.
Step by step our AM was under attack from communists. So many nefarious
things happened and countless Ananda Margiis were jailed and tortured.
But those jails turned into a spiritual havens for our brothers and
sisters of the Marga and so many Wts were created. It was really a
phenomenon.
Actually, those days, many groups, religions, and radicals were thrown
in jail by Indira Gandhi's dictatorial regime. And those detainees often
fell into woe and suffering.
But not Ananda Margiis. Rather in jail, those margiis created a
whirlwind of spiritual flow. Huge dharmacakras and akhanda kiirtans were
held. Margiis on the outside were coming to attend. And there was a
surge of psycho-spiritual force.
Indeed, it was the talk of the town how. People were wondering why
Ananda Margiis were not discourage, depressed, or sunken into woe
because of being persecuted. That was what everyone was talking about.
The answer of course is AM sadhana and devotional practices. That is why
Ananda Margiis could rise above the torture of life in jail, whereas
other detainees were depressed and falling prey to psychic maladies like
PTSD etc.
AM SADHANA IS THE REMEDY FOR TODAY
Today there are so many psychic ailments, diseases, syndromes, and
afflictions that are causing people to lose their mental balance. Thus
far, western medical professionals and eastern meditative approaches
cannot relieve patients of their mental suffering.
A Buddhist meditation or new age relaxation made offer a touch of help
for those leading an already normal life. But such techniques are not
strong enough to clear the mind from more serious psychic afflictions
like PTSD.
And western drugs and therapy sessions are not the right way. Drugs
bring so many problems and therapy attendees end up talking about their
problems, thus again plunging the mind in those painful memories.
That is why to this day, Vietnam war veterans and Holocaust victims
continue to suffer from mental imbalances, depression, fateful memories
etc. They may try eastern techniques or western approaches, but a cure
is not found.
The world however has not stopped looking for solutions and very soon
they will come to realize that our AM sadhana is the remedy.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace we have to move forward in our own spiritual practices.
That will give us the inspiration, innovation, energy, and insight to
bring AM sadhana to the masses. Then so many people can be benefited,
including those suffering from PTSD.
Baba says, "A correct spiritual ideology is the only solution to the
problems confronting the world. From this perspective we can call Ananda
Marga ideology the philosophers’ stone. Just as the philosophers’ stone
is meant to transform everything into gold, Ananda Marga ideology can,
most definitely, find a just and rational solution whenever it is
applied to any problem." (POD #36)
Namaskar,
Divyajyoti
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Who is Real Human Being
Baba says, "Parama Purusa will be pleased when you serve His creation-- not
only human beings, but also plants, animals, and the rest of creation. That
is bhu'ta yajina, pite yajina, and nr yajina are to be performed. Those who
have this feeling are human beings in the real sense of the term." (AV-3,
p.58)
Note: Usually so-called advanced people do most things solely for their own
self-gratification and personal entertainment etc. Sometimes it may look
like they are doing social service work, but it is not social service in
the true sense. Because they are doing that "service" only to enhance their
own prestige and to garner praise from all around. And proof is that they
themselves brag about the little things that they did. So what they are
doing is just business, not service. If in their various duties and works
anyone does not feel that they are truly serving the progeny of Parama
Purusa, then we cannot call such people proper human beings.
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