== MISUSE & ABUSE OF MANAN ==
Namaskar,
In this present era, while living in this mostly capitalist dominated
world, it is necessary for one to be careful lest they fall in the
capitalists' degrading trap. Because with their crooked ways, the
capitalists infuse certain negative thought patterns to suit their greedy
ends.
As we know the Sanskrit term 'manan', i.e. thinking, can be spiritually
elevating or totally degenerating. In the case of the latter, those crude
thoughts have a terrible effect on the human psyche-- on one's mental
structure, causing depression & utltimately degradation.
Baba says, "Regarding this faculty of thinking, if it is done in a
methodical way, the result is certainly positive...But if it is not done in
a methodical way, the general result is negative." (YP, 'Mind Grows in
Magnitude')
So all should be aware about the sneaky ploy executed by today's capitalist
exploiters. Because their goal is to make people misuse and abuse their
power of manan, just so that they (the capitalists) can make huge money.
PATH OF THE YOGI: AS YOU THINK SO BECOME
Of course, for ages & ages yogis have held a deep belief in the dominance
of mind; and yogis have long cultivated the habit of positive & systematic
thinking in order to build a healthy mental arena.
For that reason yogis pointedly spend their days practicing the pure
approaches to manan, shravan, niddhidhyasana. That is thinking godly
thoughts (manan), listening devotional ideas (shravan), and ideating on
Parama Purusa (niddhidhyasana).
Because yogis understand well the theory, 'As you think so you become'.
By this way there is a distinctly positive momentum in the mind and it
advances inwards towards the cosmic nucleus. That is, the mind gets
transformed and restructured by the continued practice of mantra japa and
dhyana. By thinking in that uniquely spiritual way the mind becomes more
subtle and sublime and moves towards that spiritual Goal.
This is the cherished way of the yogi.
DUPLICITY OF CAPITALISTS
Capitalists-- on the other hand-- are matter-centered and in their crude
theory they do not (openly) recognise the concept of mind. Rather capitalists
believe that matter is everything. That is their expressed philosophy.
Yet, they have one trick up their sleeve as well.
Because, in their devilish dealing, the capitalists employ mental
tricks in order to control the public. That is they infuse their own ideas
into the public mindset in order to get the public to think about their
products. This is how the capitalists abuse the practice of manan-- mental
thinking.
So on the one side in theory such capitalists proclaim that this universe
is matter centered and one can just ignore the mind. That is their stated
agenda. But their practice is something quite different. They understand
that the best way to control a person is through the mind and not through
matter. And that is how they sell their products, by staining people's minds.
They infuse within people the mental desire to look or be a certain way by
buying certain products. That is the sales-pitch of capitalists.
CAPITALISTS INTENTIONALLY DEGRADE THE PUBLIC MIND
THROUGH THE ABUSE OF MANAN
That is why we see that through their endless advertising campaigns and
media onslaught the capitalists' chief plan is to colour the public
mind-set with propaganda about their products. Through radio, tv, films,
internet, newspapers, magazines and so many other avenues, the capitalists
spread their crude messages to the consumers-- in an attempt to get their
slogans deeply embedded within the public psyche. This is their dastardly
method.
Thus in their hypocrisy those capitalist agencies know that if they can
capture the public mind then they make millions and billions of dollars.
That is why in their commercials they invent catchy songs and attractive
slogans which they hope the public will recite and remember. Such as 'Have
it your way at Burger King', or 'Ooh-la-la Sasson' for Sasson jeans', or
thousands and thousands of other slogans and advertising messages that get
repeated millions of times during the day.
Even if one walks into any elementary or primary school, then it is evident
that the tender minds of our children are already littered with the ideas
of big-business. Because the children walk around singing the songs of
those capitalist commercials etc. And that type of abuse of manan-- that
type of negative thinking-- adversely affects their development of mind.
But for the capitalists it means profit, profit, profit.
So this is the heinous trick going on these days. Indeed this is exactly
what happens: Those phrases get infused into the public psyche and the
peoples' mind becomes saturated with that capitalistic propaganda. In which
case their whole mental arena becomes distorted and full of that capitalist
junk.
Baba says, "Now, everywhere, in cent-per-cent of the cases, there is
wastage of human psychic potentiality. The psychic potentialities of human
beings are immense, but people do not utilise them because most of their
valuable time is wasted in undesirable thoughts, in psychic extravaganza."
(YP, p.134)
THE PUBLIC GETS TOTALLY DUPED
THEY THINK THE IDEA TO PURCHASE WAS ORIGINALLY THEIRS
So the whole sequence of events is quite nasty and sublime. Because the
capitalists invent invasive approaches to enter into the public mind set,
in turn the public psyche gets distorted and coloured by crude messages,
and in that subliminal tactic that public does not even realise that they
are getting affected by those crude propaganda campaigns.
Rather when Tom, Dick, or Harry walks into a store and they see an item
that they want to buy-- such as cologne or an automobile or a toaster etc--
then they really think that it is their inner heart's desire to purchase
that thing. They do not realise that this is a capitalistic schema imposed
upon their psyche.
Rather that brainwashed consumer takes total ownership of that desire and
they are convinced that the purchase of that item will satisfy their inner
longing.
And this happens to all members of the general public: men, women,
children. All start thinking that they must look a certain way, act a
particular way, and possess certain items. And they think that this is
their true internal longing-- that this will bring them happiness and
success. But little do they realise that they are getting cheated to the
bone by feisty capitalists.
Hence by the abuse of manan-- by infusing negative ways of thinking on the
minds of the common people-- those capitalists achieve their crooked ends
of selling their products. That is all they care about. And in their
duplicity they know that the best and only way to achieve this is to
recognise the dominance of mind and distort the public way of thinking. And
tragically this is exactly what they have achieved in this negative era of
capitalism.
And in result the common people suffern in innumerable ways such as
depression, anxiety, until ultimately they fall into crude samadhi etc.
GOAD MIND TOWARDS PARAMA PURUSA-- NOWHERE ELSE
As Ananda Margiis, we must never fall prey to the sinister traps set by
those hoarding capitalists. We must keep the mind clean and pure and be
vigilant not to become painted in the colour of consumerism. This is Baba's
strict warning.
Baba says, "From the psychic sphere also, unnecessary waves are to be
removed. This will remove many burdens from the mind. 'I must not bother
about petty things, because that will waste my time' -- people should
remember this. This removal or rather withdrawal of unnecessary and
undesirable thoughts emanated from the mind, will help you in rationalising
the major portion of your mental faculty, and so this must also be
practised." (YP)
Thus Baba's above guideline is to keep the mind free and clear of negative
ways of thinking-- our mental arena must not get polluted by crude thoughts
or capitalistic advertising slogans. By ridding the mind of such things,
then our human mind can be properly utilised.
Ultimately Baba guides us that we should direct all our thoughts towards
that Supreme One.
Baba says, "Withdraw the mind from physical objects and goad it unto Parama
Purus'a". (AV-14)
Baba's teaching then is not to let the mind get overwrought with the crude
effects of capitalism; rather one is to push the mind in a distinctly
spiritual way of thinking. That is the real manan-- otherwise degradation
will occur.
So we should chant our kiirtan and repeat our ista mantra all day long and
not for one second think about the propaganda of those cheating
capitalists. We should not allow their tactics to invade our mental arena.
This must never be allowed to happen. If it does one will become a slave of
capitalism.
That is why Baba's mandate is to infuse the mind with sentient thoughts and
sweet ideations. Here again is Baba's divine guideline.
Baba says, "You must have a spiritual goal. You must know what to do, what
not to do, how to do, why to do. And for this purpose, the movement is to
make the mind pinnacled, apexed, and bring all the propensities to that
point, and goad it towards your spiritual goal." ('Subjective Approach
Objective Adjustment')
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace each and every margii will grow in a clean way through
proper manan-- through proper thinking. This is Baba's blessing.
Baba says, "You will have to ultimately reach Parama Purus'a. This is the
pinnacled point, the supreme point of human glory. You should always
remember this, during your lifetime and even after your death." - Baba
Namaskar,
Purusottama
Note 1: MUST WARN THE PUBLIC
Through pracar, education, and constant effort we must awaken the common
public to the capitalists' negative and abusive strategy of manan. All must
be alerted about these tricky maneuvers lest the common become more and
more degraded.
Note 2: THE BEST PRACTICE OF MANAN
Here below Baba outlines the highest and most pure way to do manan.
Baba says, "Manana, that is, thinking only about Parama Purus´a and about
no one else. If any other person or thing comes in the mind, ascribe
Brahma-hood to that person or thing. This process is manana." (AMIWL-11,
'Mantra Caetanya')
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Futility of Materialism
Baba says, "Materialism is the sign of shallow knowledge. Due to lack of
proper understanding and ignorance people become materialists. Human beings
should study more and acquire sufficient knowledge. Then they will
understand that in materialism there is nothing." (DMC 84 Delhi, SS-16 (H))
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