== ABOUT ONE'S LIKING AND ATTAINING HIM ==
Namaskar,
This whole letter is deeply linked with doing sadhana and attaining Him. As
we all know He is the abode of Bliss, He is that most subtle Entity, and He
is the Divine One. In that case we should best understand how we can all
march towards Him and get Him. And to do that one should be familiar with
the inherent tendencies and status of their own mind.
These below points were given to me by my family acarya and they may be
helpful for others as well. Kindly write in with your thoughts and
suggestions.
PEOPLE HAVE VARIOUS INTERESTS
In this trifarious world there are so many different activities and various
engagements. And about all those activities and engagements, people make so
many proclamations and declarations.
Some say they feel good doing this or they tell that they feel bad doing
that. Some say that doing sadhana is boring and that it makes them feel
sleepy whereas some say that their mind gets concentrated when they go to
the movies or when they sit at the computer and do email.
Some tell they feel energised when they play football and when they go
hiking; and side by side they express that they get tired when they study
biology or read philosophy. Some say they are at their best when they sing
kiirtan and others say they like going to the market and gossiping with the
people all day long etc.
In this way people have so many interests and disinterests-- so many
likings and dislikings.
So the question is, how does it all work; why does a person like one type
of activity and not another. Why is one activity exhilarating for one
person and why is it boring for another.
FROM ANIMALITY TO DIVINITY
In our Ananda Marga scriptures it is well described in countless places how
human existence is the movement from animality to divinity. This everyone
knows and in our practical experiences we can see this happening-- both
with ourselves and with others.
Baba says, "As a created being, everybody in the universe by birth is a
pashu, an animal. But the standard of beings is to be exalted towards
divinity, towards godliness. A pashu, that is, an animal, becomes man, man
becomes god. This process, the process of exaltation, the process of
upliftment, from animality to godliness, is your sa'dhana'." (AV-1, 'From
Animality to Divinity')
So to one degree or another, all are on the march from animality to
divinity. This Baba describes above. Some may be moving quickly some
slowly-- but all are moving.
And the key point behind it all is that each and every human being is at
their own psychic stature. Some are closer towards animality and some are
closer to divinity. It all depends on the quality or standard of their mind.
So there are various stages of mind and not only that but this mind is
ever-changing. It is not static.
So there are two points: The first is that everyone has their own radius to
the Cosmic Nucleus-- that means that everyone has their one unique mental
make-up. Just as no two snowflakes are exactly alike, similarly no two
human beings are perfectly identical. All have their own mental
characteristics and quality.
And the second point is that one's mental standard is ever-changing. Each
and every breath one is moving either closer towards divinity-- closer to
the Cosmic Nucleus, or one is moving towards animality-- away from the
Supreme Hub.
So everyone's mind is unique and everyone's mind is constantly undergoing
change. This situation everyone in AM understands.
PEOPLE DO ACCORDING TO THEIR MENTAL STANDARD
Now to apply this theory to the practical world, we can say this: That
people like activities according to their mental standard.
Here Baba gives us one clear cut example.
Baba says, "Let's say an alcoholic and a sa'dhu go from Patna to Benares.
The sa'dhu will join the company of other sa'dhus on some riverbank, while
the alcoholic will locate some pub." (AV-3)
So according to their mental standard people engage in the world. That is,
those things which are on par with the state of their mind are the
activities they like.
As Baba explains above, an alcoholic prefers to go to the pub as that
matches up with his mental tendency. That is why when he arrives at a new
place he will seek out a drinking pub. Hand in hand, that same alcoholic
will not like to go to the riverbank and do sadhana with the sadhus because
that activity is far above his psychic standard. Doing sadhana will not be
of any interest to him-- rather the alcoholic may feel bored or even
frustrated by it. Why? Because it is more subtle than his crude mental
framework.
Similarly, the sadhu will always prefer to go to the riverbank to have the
satsaunga of other sadhakas etc-- as that is on par with his psychic
standard. That sadhu will not like going to the pub and being surrounded by
all those alcoholics. The sadhu will find that entire scene at the pub to
be quite suffocating and abhorrent. Because his mind is subtle and
accustomed to refined activities like contemplation etc, whereas drinking
alcohol and engaging in lewd behaviour is quite tamasik. For that reason
the sadhu will not be attracted to going to the pub. Why? Because that
environment is much cruder than his mental make-up.
So according to their own mental status people like a particular activity
or not. They neither like things that are above their standard nor below
their standard. People like those engagements most which are directly on
par with their psychic state-- and doing those things gives them energy and
enjoyment. Those activities are suited to their psychic level; therefore
they like those things. So the whole equation hinges upon one's own mental
standard-- not the activity per se.
PEOPLE'S MISUNDERSTANDING: BLAME THE ACTIVITY
Some people operate under the misconception that such and such activity is
no good because it makes them frustrated or sleepy. There are some who say
this about sadhana. And then they arrive at the faulty conclusion that
sadhana is not good because it make them tired etc. So they blame the
activity-- they blame sadhana. But this is not correct.
Because for other people-- for those who are more developed-- sadhana is
quite a blissful and enchanting experience. It is full of love and His
divine grace.
Here the whole point is that the activity itself that is not the problem.
The activity is what it is-- whether it be reading, kayaking, running,
studying, or doing meditation. The activity in and of itself is not the
root cause of one's boredom, interest, or frustration etc.
Rather the degree of interest and level of engagement one has with that
activity depends upon one's own psychic standard. Therefore it is not that
sadhana makes someone sleepy. Rather it is that one's mind is not
adequately advanced to properly engage in sadhana. In that case they feel
bored or tired. That is the way it works.
So it is not the activity that is at fault-- rather it is all dependent on
one's psychic standard. That is what makes an activity blissful-- or not.
EVERYONE SHOULD INCREASE THEIR STANDARD-- BECOME MORE SUBTLE
At the same time, as we have concluded above, one's mind is always moving
and always changing. It is always going up or down. Therefore, no one
should feel that they are stuck in the same place forever and ever. Since
the human mind is always changing and evolving, human life itself is
mobile. Therefore an activity one likes today one may not like tomorrow--
simply because their mind has changed.
In the general society, people's mental standard does not shift all that
much. It changes no doubt-- but not very much. Because they are constantly
thinking upon the same static ideas, in which case there is little room for
the mind to grow. Rather it may even get more crudified.
Whereas those on the path of AM can undergo a huge transformation. Because
invariably throughout the day one will attempt to engage in subtle pursuits
like kiirtan and sadhana and that will help the mind to grow. And not only
that but the more the mind does those spiritual activities the more the
mind becomes adjusted to them.
That is why we see that at the beginning sometimes new sadhakas struggle a
lot with sadhana but then as they practice more and more their minds dive
deeper and deeper into that sublime practice. Because their mental
structure has changed-- it has become more subtle.
So none should lose hope that sadhana is forever out of their reach. Rather
through on going practice and sincere effort one will certainly become more
involved in their meditation. In that case two things will happen: One will
derive more bliss from their sadhana and secondly one will lose interest in
those old mundane pursuits. Certainly this is something we have all seen
and experienced since coming into Ananda Marga-- since moving on the path
of bliss.
PARAMA PURUSA IS THE HIGHEST ONE
Again let us say that Parama Purusa is that highest and most subtle one. He
is the abode of ecstatic bliss and eternal life. Theoretically every Ananda
Margii accepts this truth. But in the practical sphere sadhana may not
always be so easy or interesting etc.
That is why from top to bottom we have to prepare ourselves for doing
sadhana by taking sentient food; doing half-bath and asanas regularly;
following yama and niyama; having satsaunga; doing manan (thinking of Him),
shravan (singing and hearing His name), niddhidhyasana (ideating on Him).
All these revolutionary practices transform the mind into a more subtle
sphere.
And then by His grace and by directing and channelising our minds towards
Him, little by little-- or even very quickly-- the mind will get
transformed such that it will be more highly attracted towards Him and have
a deep desire to engage in that subtle pursuit known as sadhana.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's divine grace by following the path of AM and sadhana the mind
will get more refined and subtle-- thereby allowing our existence to blossom.
Baba says, "If the mind is narrow, Brahma sa'dhana' is futile....The
narrowness of a unit mind in bondage is removed by the sustained effort to
perform sa'dhana' at home and in the society at large. Through the
all-embracing practice of sa'dhana' one will achieve the fullest expression
of one's potentialities." (SS-6, 'All Shine with His effulgence')
Here below is Baba's divine guarantee that we will attain Him.
Baba says, "All are moving towards the nucleus of bha'gavata dharma.
Everyone's individual journey ultimately terminates in Parama Purus'a. Just
as the earth is moving around the sun, and the moon around the earth,
similarly every individual human being is moving around Parama Purus'a.
Your sa'dhana' is nothing but an attempt to reduce the distance between
yourself and Parama Purus'a...Establish yourself in that dharma and your
victory is assured." (AMIWL-10, 'Bhagavad Dharma')
Namaskar,
Manomohan
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