Baba's Guideline: Managing Tough Situations

Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 06:15:43 +0530 To: AM-GLOBAL From: "Pandit_Sudhakar" Subject: Baba's Guideline: Managing Tough Situations Baba PS Intro: In the life of a sadhaka sometimes sadhana is good and one feels very close proximity to Parama Purusa-- Baba. Then everything in life is pleasing & charming: Blissful. Naturally though, over the course of their systaltic movement, sadhakas inevitably experiences a phase of pause in their sadhana. In that time deep, devotional spiritual ideation and strong sadhana are almost impossible; instead the mind becomes dry. One's surroundings become tasteless and in the heart the sadhaka starts to feel that 'something is missing'. Because in the absence of the Divine Entity-- Baba-- one's surroundings become bland & mundane. Even then in the hearts of good sadhakas, they still have deep longing for Parama Purusa-- Baba. And that blissful, devotional yearning is known as melancholic longing. In the following song, this entire idea has been expressed through the metaphor of the bakul flower garden etc. "Jabe ei path diye esechile, viithika' pus'pe bhara' chilo..." (PS 2141) Purport: Baba, when You came to my home by this path, that time the garden lane was full of sweet, fragrant flowers. By Your divine presence, my mind became spiritually intoxicated with the divine aroma of those flowers. On that occasion also the flow of songs was floating in the air. Baba, since You did not come, even today that bakul flower lane is just lying there vacant-- unused. Innumerable flowers have fallen and become one with the dust. Where has that sweet flower fragrance of the bakul flower gone. Now all its aroma is completely dried up. O' my dearmost, since You have not come to this lane for so long, everyone has forgotten how beautiful and charming that garden was. Because of Your presence. Baba, anyhow still today the flowers on the trees are surviving, but due to Your absence, the garden lane has lost all its charm. So those trees are just weeping thinking how the days of old were so charming and blissful in Your presence. Because in those days You showered Your grace by coming down that garden lane. Those days were so magnificent and blissful. But now You are not coming. So by remembering Your august visit those trees are very unhappy. Their melancholic tears have totally drenched the garden lane. And those trees repeat again and again that despite having everything: The flower, the lane, the atmosphere, and greenery-- despite all these things, in the absence of the One, i.e. You Baba, this entire world becomes utterly meaningless and empty. Baba, please be gracious. Do not remain distant-- always remain inside my heart. Baba, please grace me so that I always feel Your divine presence...

BABA'S GUIDELINE: MANAGING TOUGH SITUATIONS

Namaskar, Life is full of ups and downs and unexpected situations. We all face unexpected times and tough situations that make life overwhelming. However, even then we will not be at a loss for how to proceed. By Baba's grace, He has given us all the right practices and solutions and addressed every circumstance. In one particular English discourse delivered in Patna (1971), Baba graciously gives us an exact 4-step sequence for what to do when we are in an extremely difficult moment. By following His below guideline, we are sure to be successful and maintain proper adjustment and equipoise even in the most challenging and unexpected situations.

UNEXPECTED OR EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES

The baby is sick...my father-in-law has fallen...my son got in a car accident...my best friend was robbed...my deadline at work...my wife is giving birth...my car broke down...I lost my wallet...my plane was delayed....grandfather is dying... So many unexpected and extreme situations arise in life. So many things occur that are beyond our ability to plan - that take us away from our daily routine. Now in this 21st century, life is extremely busy. People are on the go all the 24hrs. So when one big, unexpected event occurs, then life becomes beyond our ability to manage. We cannot attend to our regular duties as we are fully focused on dealing with the task at hand - whether it be a birth, death, or something critical in between. It is in that very extreme circumstance that we are to strictly adhere to Baba's guideline. Then we will be in accordance with dharma and in the best position to gain success and serve others.

MOST JUST EAT FIRST

When common citizens are overwhelmed with life, sleep deprived, and too busy to take care of their basic duties such as eating and washing due to a critical dire circumstance, then when they get a spare moment the first thing they do is eat. This is the common way most people proceed - or if they are really crude they will have a smoke or a drink (i.e. alcohol). In AM also, when submerged in a crises or tough situation - while none of us will smoke or drink - some will indeed eat food the first moment they get. But this is not the proper approach. Baba's guideline is something altogether different.

BABA'S SYSTEM: HOW TO PRIORITIZE

In His highly unique discourse from Patna in 1971, Baba gives us the following formula for how to proceed in such situations. When totally overwhelmed by a life circumstance and when thrown from our daily routine, then Baba guides us that the first thing we should do is sadhana. So sadhana is #1. In His divine discourse of 1971 Patna, Baba instructs us that even if we have not eaten or bathed or done any of our regular duties because of unforseen circumstances, then as soon as we get even as little as 5 minutes free, then we should do sadhana. Because we are mental beings, and by doing sadhana even for just 5 minutes our mental equipoise will be restored. So Baba's gives top priority to doing sadhana. Then if we have a little more time then we should bathe. So taking a bath is #2. With the mental stamina attained from sa'dhana', then we next address our physical body and attend to basic human hygiene. Taking a bath, according to the AM system, will allow us to further revitalise ourselves. Thereafter, when we have done 5 minutes of sadhana and taken a bath, then Baba says we should take some time to relax. So relaxation is #3. Here relaxation does not mean rest or sleep. Actually in the discourse Baba makes a joke that one should only take rest when they reach the funeral pyre - not before. Everyone in attendance laughed. The main point is that rest and relaxation are two different things. By relaxation, Baba means taking a few minutes to calm the body and settle the mind. It allows a person come back to their normal flow - reach a state of balance. This period of relaxation might just be for a few minutes, but it is very important to do. Finally, after doing short sadhana, taking bath, and relaxing, then one should eat. So eating is #4. Taking food is the final step of this unique sequence which Baba has given in this 1971 English discourse in Patna. And by eating Baba of course means taking sentient food in a calm manner, chewing thoroughly and keeping the mind in a positive mode. So these are Baba's step-wise guidelines for how to proceed when encumbered by difficult life circumstances wherein one is thrown from their normal routine.

MOST PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE

Of course most of the world's population is totally unaware of Baba's teachings so when they get embroiled in a difficult situation, then they do not know how to proceed and their whole life falls into turmoil. In that case, it is not just a single event, but rather their entire course of life gets negatively affected. In addition to the problem at hand like an accident or family death etc, they may get sick, suffer from exhaustion, or fall prey to depression. Or not knowing what to do they may even get in a fight, injure someone, or unnecessarily abuse a loved one. All these things may happen in the heat of the moment. If we follow Baba's above mandate, however, we will always keep the mind in proper flow whereby everything will turn out as best as possible. The situation will not get compounded by other problems due to our own negligence.

IMPORTANCE OF SADHANA

By His system of prioiritization, it is quite clear that Baba gives great importance to sadhana. And of course in so many discourses Baba tells us that sadhana is the main thing in life. Baba says, "The main purpose of human beings coming here to this earth is to do spiritual practice...Sa'dhana' is the main theme of life. Whatever you do in the world, you should do it with a view to promote your sa'dhana' and help the sa'dhana' of others. Human beings come to earth to practise sa'dhana', to move closer to Iishvara, the Supreme Goal – to come closer to Parama Purus'a [Supreme Consciousness]. Thus, the deeds of human beings will not be like the deeds of animals. Whatever human beings will do, they will do in such a manner that the progress in their sa'dhana' will go on accelerating." (YP)

BABA'S BLESSING

By Baba's grace our lives are most blessed. He has given us the exact procedure to deal with every event in life - even unexpected ones. By this way we can get success in every circumstance and always abide by the tenets of dharma. So always remember: First is sadhana, second is bath, third is relaxation, and fourth is food. If we keep this system in mind and follow it, then we will be in the best position to handle every and any situation that comes in life. Namaskar, Sudhakar