== IN SUPPORT OF OUR YOUTHS ==
Namaskar,
Getting stuck harmful in habits is a common problem these days with many
people, but especially so with teenagers because they are more impressionable. That
is to say, they are more susceptible to falling prey to the negative
aspects of their surroundings.
THE BASIC FORMULA
Generally speaking the formula is, 'If one's company is good then people
are involved in good works; and, if one's company is bad then the tendency
is for many bad habits to develop'. And because the present social
environment is filled with so many degenerative behaviors, that is why many
people get negatively affected.
CANNOT REMAIN AS AN ISLAND
In this circumstance Margii parents, family members, and friends may not
know exactly how to solve the problem. Many of the cases may happen like
that. That is why Baba's direction is that at the earliest possible moment
a proper human society should be formed. Because if only a single house is
clean, and all the surrounding houses are dirty and filled with flies, then
the foul smell from those flea-infested houses will certainly reach to the
clean house also.
So until a proper human society is not formed, it is our duty to solve the
problem to the best of our ability and thus help our youth, young members
of the family, and one and all. And we should guide them and goad their
minds in the proper direction.
We know that in the natural course of evolution, human beings have come
step by step progressing from animal life. So animal tendencies are still
active in many people. That is why ordinary human beings easily get
attracted to negative practices. Actually it does not need any special
training to do negative works. You will not find many educational
institutions which teach about robbery. Even then in the present society
robbery or theft is quite common-- because of people's natural tendency
towards degeneration. So in this condition it is the duty of those who have
a more developed mind to help others progress.
POSITIVE SOLUTION NEEDED
To solve this problem of negative habits and addictive behaviors, Baba's
teaching is to guide and engage the mind in positive activities.
So simply trying to solve the problem by singing the chorus of negativity
such as inviting the patient to watch pseudo-culture movies or adopt "less
negative habits" like cigarettes in the place of cocaine-- these types of
"solutions" will not do. Rather it will create more temptation. Instead the
best approach is to engage people in positive things like music, art,
discussion groups, sports, and healthy competitions in social service.
These are the the types of activities that can help in such circumstances.
And this is Baba's explicit teaching as well.
MEDITATION A KEYPOINT
Baba also guides us that at the same time if a person does sadhana then a
positive result will come very soon. Because even inborn criminals can be
changed to positive with the help of sadhana and asanas.
So if any guardian is facing such a problem then this is the solution.
Because diversity is the law of nature; all are not the same. And by
following Baba's guidelines, then everyone will get the opportunity to
progress rapidly and not get caught up in negative habits.
BABA'S BLESSING
Here I conclude with this Ananda Vanii from our Beloved Guru.
Baba says, "...So no human being should ever belittle or slight themselves,
rather they should make rigorous efforts to become worthy mediums (media).
The wise and intelligent ideate less on their defects and demerits and more
on the Supreme desideratum." (Ananda Vanii #66)
brotherly yours,
Dinesh
Note 1: A RAMPANT PROBLEM
On and off again various margiis have raised the question of how to care
for and hopefully cure a laokik family member or non-margii friend from one
or another addictive behaviors such as drug use or gambling etc.
Unfortunately these problems are not isolated incidents; but rather are
common ailments of the present society.
Note 2: IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENT
In this following teaching from the discourse 'Vya'tireka-1', Baba is
guiding us that the best way to cure addicts from their negative behaviors
is not to remind them directly of their addiction but to engage their mind
in healthier and higher pursuits. Please read the following quotation:
Baba says, "The best psychological cure for addicts is to put them in an
environment where they will be unable to think of their object of addiction
for any length of time. To proclaim, "Don't do this, it's bad," is futile,
for it is a negative approach. If you say, "Don't drink wine", you are
still injecting the concept of wine into the alcoholic's mind, thus making
it impossible for him to forget it and kick (quit) his bad habits. You are
giving alcohol negative publicity, and it again becomes his mental object.
Thus whenever he gets the opportunity he will certainly drink it again. And
it may be that this negative approach encourages the alcoholic to become
even more addicted. It is a defective approach."
"These days the sign "No smoking please" is placed in many public
places, but it will not reduce the amount of smoking. If society wants
people to stop smoking, its approach should be to divert the smoker's mind
to other objects. A chain smoker should be encouraged to get involved in
various pursuits such as music, dance, songs, culture of fine arts, etc.,
for if the mind remains engaged in these things it will forget its object
of addiction. But the person who thinks, "I'll stop drinking wine the day
after tomorrow-- no, let me see, why not tomorrow", can never kick the
habit, for wine remains the mental object. The mind will try to materialise
whatever it thinks about in the external world - this is its nature."
(APH-6, p.373-74)
Note 3: WHY THE EYES ARE IN THE FRONT
One other important point to be aware of is that Baba tells us not to think
about past misdeeds. We should forget about them. That is why HE has
designed human beings to have both eyes in the front-- so that we may look
forward and march towards the Goal.
Thinking about past negative events will cause those things to come again
and again; this is the concept of AM.
So to think over and over that "I am sinner -- I am sinner", this
psychology is not good. If any negative habit is there then one should try
to avoid that and engage in higher pursuits. That is why we have seen in
Dharma Samiiksa that if anyone committed something negative then always
Baba first gave atonement. And then guided their mind toward different
social service activities. Only if HE found that after this still people
also went on thinking and engaging in those same negative things, then He
became very furious.
Because according to AM philosophy the human mind has tremendous quality:
What way the mind thinks, the whole personality can metamorphose in that
direction. So if an honest person thinks about his past misdeeds like
stealing then that negative habit will again appear. That is why Baba has
given the system of pratyaha'r, 'offering of one's mental colors'. And this
is exactly what we do in Guru Puja, so this also one of the important
practices.
All along His teaching in countless places BABA has guided the entire
society on this very point because in certain religions like Christianity
they give a lot of preference to remind about their past sins. And most of
the time that sin is unknown-- what they did they do not know. This thing
is present in small or big form in most of the religions. Because of this
also AM has given completely new ideas.
So our way in AM is not to condemn people for their sins or wrong actions.
Baba says, "In ancient times people were made outcastes on trivial charges
of social crimes. We do not subscribe to such beliefs." (AV-5)
Rather our viewpoint is to rectify people and free them of their old habits
so they may progress.
Note 4: BRINGING A NEW ERA
In the following quotation Baba shows the path how we may overcome various
social ills and guide people along the path of welfare.
Baba says, "There are certain common and natural tendencies in human life.
Those tendencies are of either a degenerating or an exalting nature, that
is, they are either of a depraving or an elevating nature. We should
encourage the elevating tendencies and discourage the depraving tendencies.
In certain portions of this world, depraving tendencies such as pornography
exist. Protesting will not stop or check it unless we also do something
positive to check it. If we do something positive, it will create a new
stir in the human mind. Pornography and other depraving tendencies will be
completely discouraged and checked. That will be our course of action. We
have to create new literature, new books, new music, new songs...we have to
create a cultural stir. These are our immediate duties. We have to chalk
out a programme and act accordingly." ('Rule of Rationality', PNS-12)
End note: Baba has given the solutions to all the problems, so if ever
anyone wants solve any problem they should refer to AM teachings and see
what Baba says.
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Special Formula of Tandava
Baba says, "Tandava: As long as a dancer remains above the ground, he
derives much benefit; when he touches the ground, then those benefits are
assimilated by the body. That is why in the tandava dance there is much
jumping, because jumping requires the practitioner to remain off the ground
for a fairly long period of time." (NSS, p. 23)
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