== SIXTEEN POINTS IN PERSONAL LIFE ==
Namaskar,
Here are some of our personal experiences my family and margii friends have
had regarding our Sixteen Points and related guidelines on hygiene.
EACH POINT HAS DEEP VALUE
Our Sixteen Points, as we all know, stand as Baba's precise guidelines for
how to advance on the path of spirituality. So for us, each and every point
has immense value and great significance. Because there are potentially
millions of rules and regulations in our human life, yet Baba has
beautifully selected the most important ones to be included in our Sixteen
Points. So we are certainly blessed.
Even then it remains challenging for us to follow them all.
Perhaps the points outlined below are easy for you, in which case you can
help by offering tips and solutions. But to date, these below points have
been difficult for my family (wife and three children) and / or margiis in
my unit to follow.
TWICE DAILY PRACTICE OF ASANAS
We know our yoga postures or asanas are important, but this point remains
difficult for us. Because after doing sadhana in the morning often we are
in a hurry to go to work. And likewise in the evening after doing sadhana
we are hungry from the long day and want to have something to eat. So
getting asanas done twice daily is not an easy job-- at least in our
household.
Please excuse me, but I notice that some others in our unit also have that
same difficulty. Because often at dharmacakra all of us skip asanas before
taking food. And in general we have an open relationship with all the
margiis in our area and we always talk about what things are difficult for
us to maintain. And most agree that doing asanas regularly is difficult.
Side by side, some of us only do our dances on dharmacakra days-- and never
any other time. So this is another problem. Yet all of these things are
included in Sixteen Points. And ultimately I enjoy doing them when it
happens, but on a daily basis I remain incomplete in my approach.
For instance, on the point of asanas, sometimes I think that since I did
them in the morning then I can skip in evening. And other days I think I
can skip in the morning because I will do them in the evening. All these
types of justifications get built up in my mind.
Of course the reality is that when I skip one time then the tendency is to
skip again the next time.
Whereas on those days when I do attend to my asana practice in full then
invariably I feel better. Though I have not yet reached the point where I
do both my asanas sessions using a stop-watch so that I can properly time
each asana. This was recommended to me by two different family acaryas. And
I can certainly see now it would be beneficial-- but to date I have not
incorporated this practice, hopefully soon.
FINGERNAILS: CUT SHORT AND NEAT AND CLEAN
Baba is very strict, as we know, on personal hygiene and about cleanliness
of the hand and fingernails etc.
This point about keeping the fingernails neat and clean is one of Baba's
health guidelines. Perhaps you might think this point is an easy one, but
with our children we face nothing but struggle.
Because our kids attend the local public school and at school many of the
children like to keep their finger nails long, even the boys. And by this
way a deep dark line of dirt forms underneath each nail. And even days go
by and still the children will have this line of dirt underneath their
nails. It becomes like one permanent design there. Even with the older kids
this is a problem.
And with these very same dirty fingers and nails the children eat their
food and touch one another. Altogether it is unhygienic.
And oddly enough, here in the west it is not limited to children alone. In
my daily travels I come across various non-margii adults who also have dark
lines of dirt underneath their nails. Even when I was in the doctor's
office the other day, then the doctor himself had some nails that were
caked with dirt. The whole scene is so ironic. Because the doctor's office
itself is quite clean and sterile looking but underneath the doctor's
fingernails there is a dark collection of dust and dirt.
As I recall this type of thing is not so much of a problem in India and
some other countries. But in Berlin, NY, and GT sectors, I have seen-- and
others have commented as well-- that keeping long, dirty fingernails is not
uncommon. But I have heard that regular asanas and fasting are challenging
for those in Delhi sector as well. But those living there can best comment
on this.
Back to the point of unkept fingernails, unfortunately this trend has taken
with my children as well. Ultimately my wife and I struggle and trim the
children's nails and clean out the dirt. So to some degree the problem is
addressed, but not entirely as we want the children to cultivate the habit
of keeping their hands, fingers, and nails clean on their own.
NO NAIL BITING
Along a similar theme, Baba has given this related guideline:
"Do not put your fingers in your mouth and take them out repeatedly,
and never cut your fingernails with your teeth."
('Social Norms', pt #23)
This also has been a challenge as many of our children's friends are
constantly chewing on the ends of their fingernails. So this also our
youngest child has begun to emulate.
And once again this unhygienic habit of nail biting is not limited up to
children. There are two colleagues in my workplace who are submerged in
this unhealthy problem also. In general, this does not seem to be an issue
with most margiis though.
SOME OTHER AREAS OF DIFFICULTY
There are a variety of other aspect of 16 Points that can be difficult to
follow as well such as (1) regular fasting and (2) proper use of water. My
wife and I are mostly adjusted with both of these points whereas we have
had less success with the children. And other margiis have expressed
similar concerns.
And still there are some margiis who hold dharmacakra in their house yet
fail to have a shaocamanjusa in the bathroom, just there is toilet paper.
This leads us all to think that this family also is not habituated to the
proper use of water.
So these are some of the points that challenge us in our daily living. No
doubt if I thought more then more points would come. But at present this is
all I have time to write so I will stop here.
Others should write in with their contributions as well. Because the more
we recognise areas that need improvement and the more we can inspire one
another, then the better off we all will be.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace, through 16 Points our capacities can increase thousands of
times. And Baba says below, Sixteen Points is our right exercise.
Baba says, "There should also be proper exercise for mental development and
spiritual elevation - one should not neglect the mind or the soul. What is
the best way to strengthen the mind? The best and proper way is to strictly
observe the 16 Points. The more rigidly you follow the 16 Points, the more
your mental strength will increase. It will increase so much that it will
be more powerful than the collective mental strength of 100,000 people. In
a psychic clash they will have to concede victory to you. A person who is
physically strong can fight against eight, ten or twenty people at most,
but no more than that. A psychically developed person, however, is able to
fight against many more people. So you must endeavour to develop your
psychic strength - this is your bounden duty. The more rigidly you follow
the 16 Points, the more psychic strength you will acquire. It will not take
you long. The only way to develop spiritual strength is to surrender
everything to Him - the more you surrender yourself to Him, the more you
will develop your soul. Such development will lead to not only 10,000
people surrendering before you, but the entire universe. This is right
exercise. Exercise is necessary, not only in the physical sphere, but also
in the psychic and spiritual spheres." (AV-7)
Namaskar,
Divyajyoti
Note: ANOTHER BENEFIT
Here is another benefit of Sixteen Points.
Baba says, "Of course, if you follow Sixteen Points, your longevity will be
greater." (AV-5)
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Stages of Human Life
Note 1: Here following are the Sanskrit terms demarcating the various
stages of human life. Accompanying them are corollary English terms.
However since the English language does not formally divide human life
in the exact systematic way as in Sanskrit, then everyone should give
their further suggestions for how to best express the English counterpart.
Note 2: Baba has formed these categories of life based upon changes that
come as a result of changes in: age, psychological outlook, physical &
psychic development, etc.
Baba says, "Human life is composed various stages. And the collection of
all the stages encompasses the entire human life. And just as human
beings have these ten stages, similarly the life of each and every
living being is composed of these ten stages. So depending upon the type
of living being and environmental conditions such as climate and
temperature etc, the duration of each of these stages varies, either
increasing or decreasing. Following are the stages of life for a human
being living in a tropical country."
1) Ma'trgarbha: anuma'nika 10 ma's (Mother's Womb; approx 10 months)
2) Shaeshav: 0 to 5 (Infancy)
3) Balyaka'l: 5 to 14 (Childhood)
4) Kaeshora: 14 to 16 (Youth)
5) Paogan'd'a: 16 to 18 (Teenage / Adolescence)
6) Yauban: 18 to 39 (Early adult life)
7) Praor'hatva: 39 to 50 (Middle age)
8) Ba'rdhakya: 50 to 72 (Older adult life / senior citizen)
9) Jara': 72 to 100 (Elderly)
10) Atharva: 100 + (Centenarian)
(Laghu Nirukta p.349)
Note 3: Ma'trgarbha: In Varna Vicitra part 1, Baba comments that the
duration of this first stage is ideally 10 months & 10 days. That is how
long the fetus remains inside the womb, in the best of circumstances. If
however, the fetus is born before this time, then the new born will not
be properly mature. In that case its physical and mental development has
not occurred up to the optimal degree. This stands as yet another proof
how human life begins in the mother's womb and therefore the act
of abortion is not accepted in A'nanda Ma'rga.
Note 4: Jara' means those whose bodies has begun shrinking. (Stage 9)
Note 5: Atharava means those who are almost immobile. (Stage 10)
Note 6: Due to the excess in-take of protein and fat and due to
chemicals in the food, the age of puberty in so-called developed
countries is rapidly decreasing. Now some young girls reach puberty at
the tender age of 8 and some boys begin puberty at the age of 9. The
extremely early onset of adolescence is the result of terrible
imbalances in lifestyle and ultimately this creates serious problems in
the society. Because suddenly 10 year old girls are getting pregnant and
producing their own babies, yet they themselves are still young children
and completely unable to take care of their offspring. This is the
tragedy unfolding in various so-called developed countries.
Note 7: This entire cycle of life is the divine liila of Parama Purusa.
A baby is born and blooms up to its full development and then gradually
it shrinks in its old age. This is the divine play of "Hari & Hara".
That is why this world is called Jagat-- because everything is mobile.
Everything is changing; nothing is stationary. Those who have come will
one day go. Those who have gone, they have gone in order to return
again. This infinite liila of Parama Purusa is going on from
beginninglessness up to eternity. In reality, this liila is miserable
for jinanis; but for bhaktas it is blissful. In this cosmic liila
everyone has their own particular role to play. And those who remember
that they are part of a divine drama, they enjoy; and those who forget,
they cry. But in the real sense everything is blissful because everyone
is dancing around Parama Purusa.
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