Save Oneself From Bad Memories

To: AM-GLOBAL
From: Cinmay Deva
Subject: Save Oneself From Bad Memories
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:43:11 -0400

Baba

"Bhul kare du're thekechi tumi bhul bheunge dio..." (1827)

Purport:

Baba, due to my own defects I am not able to get close to You. Because of not following Your dharmic guidelines, my progress is hindered and I am just keeping myself away from You. Baba, by Your grace, please remove all my shortcomings and weaknesses and bring me in Your closest proximity, take me in Your lap. In my life I have received an abundant amount of love from You; You have graced me so much. Baba, now I am offering my love to You-- please grace me by accepting it.

Baba, in the sky there is a deep blueness and my tender heart is full of love for You. Baba, I do not want my love to remain hidden & secluded in my little heart. By Your grace please allow the reddish glow of my heart-- i.e. my love-- to merge in the vastness of the distant blue sky. Baba, please let my love reach up to the highest realm-- reach up to You.

Baba, when I sing the song and ideate on You there is a deep feeling of longing in my heart. By Your grace You have given the tune and in that way I sing for You. Baba, may my heart's inner longing be goaded & pointed exclusively toward You. Baba by Your grace, I should always contemplate and think of You; my life should revolve and dance around You. My life should be successful, please grace me...

== SAVE ONESELF FROM BAD MEMORIES ==

Namaskar,
Memory plays a huge role in the life of any sadhaka - in the life of any human being. People want to remember things but often are unable to remember all that we wish to recall.

Memory is not just about recalling facts and figures, passwords and PIN's, but serves as a key aspect of our overall happiness. We should remember those sweet and dharmic points that keep us moving in the right direction, and we should forget those painful moments that weigh us down.

So memory plays a crucial life in the proper growth of every human being.

Unfortunately, the power of memory is often misused as people dwell on things that haunt them from the past and forget to recall those finer ideas that will bring love, momentum, and light into their life.

As sadhakas, we are in better position than the general public. Our sadhana and devotional practices reinforce sentient ideals and keep our psyche buoyant and free - not sunken and bogged down.

Even then, we all have room for growth and improvement; we should better understand memory and the functioning of mind in this regard.

Baba has outlined three distinct ways to enhance our memory and hence enhance the quality of life. We should learn and practice these points and share them with all we know.

#1: BE POINTED IN APPROACH

Baba's first mandate for developing a strong memory recall is to be pointed and concentrated. If one is studying chemistry, one should not also be talking on the phone and listening to music at the time. Then one will not be able to remember the subject of chemistry. Because the mind cannot simultaneously involve in two things with full concentration. The mind will be bifurcated and the memory will be retarded.

Baba says, "One mental flow is engaged in memorizing the subjects being studied, while another mental flow entertains various other thoughts such as: 'What will my parents and seniors say if I fail in the examination? The juniors in my locality will cease to respect me, they will say all kinds of unpleasant things...' and so on. Obviously that boy's mental power has become bifurcated." (APH-5, p.357)

So the mind should be completely fixed on what you want to remember. If the mind is in a fickle state or moving from one pabulum to another - from one thing to another - then remembering any point will be quite difficult, if not impossible. So fixed concentration is needed.

At the same time, one should not entertain other types of thoughts - such mental diversions should pushed aside.

Baba says, "What should a wise person do in such circumstances? He should think nothing else except: 'I will memorize whatever I'm reading now, without bothering about my gains if I succeed or my losses if I fail in the task. I will not allow any portion of my mind to flow in an undesirable direction, and thus I will keep my mind exclusively engrossed in the task of learning'." (APH-5, p. 357)

Accordingly, we should only think only about that thing that we wish to learn and remember. That is Baba's teaching.

For instance, if one is walking down the street and remembering their ista mantra, then one should not also think about that when they get home they have to pay their taxes nor should they think about the fact that last year their business sales were low. If one wants to remember their ista mantra, then that sadhaka should think about their mantra - period. No active attention should be paid to any other thought, word or idea. By this process one will develop a stronger and stronger ability to remember their ista mantra.

One other critical component is that one can generally create pointed concentration only if the topic is of interest and value to them. If anyone thinks that something is useless or unimportant, then they will not be able to concentrate properly and hence will not remember that idea or teaching.

For instance, if one goes vegetable shopping then upon their return they will most certainly remember what they purchased and how much it cost, but they will not remember all the faces of the other customers or recall what other people purchased. Because those things are not important to them.

MEMORY CAN BE DISASTROUS

Embedded within this first point of pointed concentration is that we should have both keen awareness and vivek (discrimination) regarding those things that we are trying to remember.

Specifically, we should not remind ourselves again and again about memories that are harmful to us. This much understanding we should have.

Yet all too often, a distraught widow thinks again and again about the death of her spouse, or a man recalls the day his wife left him, or people think again and again about mistakes they made long ago in the past.

In short, people commonly think about the sadder or more shocking moments of their life. They cannot do anything to change those events, yet for months and years they bring those sorrowful memories into their mental plate on a daily basis. This in turn invites much anguish and pain in their life.

If one really cannot rid oneself of a negative or horrifying memory - if they are unable to free oneself of that terrible thought mentally - then changing one's environment or taking away external reminders of that occasion can help remedy the situation. For instance, do not revisit the scene of a car crash that killed your baby. That physical reminder will immediately trigger that painful memory in the mind.

Side by side, equally detrimental though less painful, people may also spend much time remembering their past glories - such as how they scored three goals in a football match 40 years ago, or how they became class president in high school, or so many other useless things from days bygone. These also do not contribute to their growth as human beings or sadhakas. Yet people churn these events in their mind again and again.

Thus along with proper concentration, we must be careful about the types of things that we are remembering - are they helpful for our development of mind, or not.

#2: REPETITION NEEDED

Baba's second mandate for developing a strong and proper memory is regular repetition.

For instance, if we want to remember a sutra or shloka or one of Baba's discourses, then first we must follow point #1: Employ pointed concentration to the subject matter. But that in and of itself will not be enough. The human mind has its limitations and over time we will forget.

In that case, to keep the point alive in the mind regular repetition is needed. In the beginning we may need to review by reading or listening to the topic monthly or even weekly. Thereafter, the span of time between review sessions can increase to 3 months, 6 months or even yearly, until finally we reach a point when those ideas are fully rooted in the mind and we have them for life - they will not be forgotten.

So the above is an excellent way to remember good ideas.

In contrast, if there is a painful memory, then we should take the opposite approach. Above we are using books and cassettes as external stimuli to keep the mind fresh in the mind. Conversely, if there is a place - such as our deceased sons's bedroom - that reminds of some horrific event etc, then we should be sure not to revisit that place as
it will only reinforce those painful memories in the mind.

So this point of reinforcement or review works in two directions and can be used to remember important things as well as free ourselves from old, painful memories.

#3: DO DHYANA

Baba's third mandate on enhancing one's memory is doing dhyana sadhana, i.e. sixth lesson.

Here is one of Baba's unique teachings where He is indirectly referring to Himself. Some jinanis may not be able to understand Baba's below teaching, but any devotee will certainly recognise that in the below citation Baba is talking the dhyana of Ananda Marga.

Baba says, "The psycho-spiritual approach which strengthens the memory, and makes the intellect omniscient. A good way to stabilize the memory is to meditate on someone you have seen or heard about who possesses a unique photographic memory. This will increase your own memory." (Faculty of Knowledge-5)

By keeping Baba's image in our mind - then our mind becomes like His mind - in which case there is nothing in this universe that we will not be able to remember.

KEEP THE MIND LIGHT

Here Baba reminds us of one important teaching from Lord Buddha. Namely, if one wishes to cross the ocean of samskara then one must make the mind light and free - one cannot cross that ocean if one is weighed down by all kinds of worries from the past of fears about the future. Such memories are an impediment and just shackle us.

So the mind should be pure and focused in the present.

Baba says, "When you are to move fast, your mind should be light; if the mind is heavy it will not be able to move fast. What makes the mind heavy? So many impurities of thought...

Muinca pure muinca pacchata majjhe muinca bhabassa pa'ragu'

[Remove all the water from the boat of your body;
being free from water, it will become very light.]

“You should make your mind light. You should give up all worldly thoughts, all base thoughts, all depraving thoughts, and make yourself light.” To make oneself light means to free oneself from impurities. A magnet can easily attract a piece of iron, but if that piece of iron is full of impurities, that very magnet may not be able to attract that iron. So the Supreme Self, Supreme Lord, is always attracting you, but because of your heaviness due to worldly impurities, you are not being attracted by Him." (AV-31)

Thus, if one is bogged down by all kinds of crude thoughts then remembering Baba will be extremely difficult.

We are to get rid of those old, worn-out memories and think only about Him.

BABA'S BLESSING

By Baba's grace, He has blessed us with the realisation that He is the most venerable Entity in this universe and only He should be remembered. At the same time we should systematically remove those thoughts which we do not want to remember. This will help us immensely in life. Finally, when remembering Him becomes our fixed habit (dhruva'smrti) then our success and salvation are assured, by His grace.

Baba says, "Those who have developed a memory capable of retaining information do not forget anything any more. That is, they always mentally remember God. Then what happens in that condition? They get their memory firmly implanted – firmly based in a solid foundation – and they never forget. And that condition of never forgetting anything, is called dhruva'smrti. And memory then stands firm and sure. Then you have full control over your memory according to your wish. Such people are called dhruva'smrti – they can always remember God and thus feel a special kind of a'nanda or bliss in their minds." (AV-6)

Namaskar,
Cinmay

Note 1: MORE TEACHINGS FROM BABA ON MEMORY

Here are a few more of Baba's invaluable guidelines on enhancing one's memory.

Baba says, "One whose mental power is weak, whose nerve-cells are feeble, who has little will-power, who cannot make his mind singularly pointed or concentrate sharply, has a short memory. He is unable to remember what has been seen or thought after a lapse of time." (AV-6)

Baba says, "At the time of learning something, you should empty your mind of all other thoughts, giving full importance to what is being learnt...As a result, you will develop your thinking capacity." (APH-5, p. 357)

Baba says, "The exact mental reproduction of what has been previously perceived is called smrti or memory. For instance, you once perceived an elephant by observing a real elephant and seeing its huge body, legs, eyes, ears, nose and trunk. The physical form of the elephant struck the retina of your eyes creating a vibration in your optical fluid, and was ultimately imprinted in your mind as the image of the elephant. Now some time later when you see an animal with the same type of limbs as those of your previously perceived elephant, you immediately conclude that this animal must also be an elephant. Your conclusion is based on your previous perception. This is memory." (AFPS-7)

Baba says, "When the memory becomes established, unfailing and spontaneous, it is called dhruva'smrti, or constant memory. Dhruva'smrti, or constant memory, is an essential prerequisite for spiritual sama'dhi or bliss." (AFPS-7)

******************************************
Importance of Sadhana

Baba says, "Numerous rich and beautiful cities of the historic past are now buried under the earth. Many splendid palaces and mansions, many churches, temples, mosques and synagogues, and many pyramids have been reduced to rubble. With the constant change in the flow of time, how many major changes have occurred in the universe? Similarly, with the change in time and space, people also change. A small two year old child becomes a smart and active twenty-five year old youth. And the same energetic youth becomes an infirm, inactive old person in due course. Thus, nothing in this universe is permanent. Many gigantic animals of the past have become totally extinct from the surface of the earth. Royal pomp and opulence, the pride of power, the vast knowledge of mighty scholars have become things of the past, thrown into the dustbin of history. Many objects emerged in the past, remained on earth for a short time, and then disappeared according to the inexorable law of nature."

"The only eternal truth is Parama Purus'a. He is ana'di, beginningless, endless, all-pervasive; an entity beyond the scope of time, place and person. He is the only eternal, undecaying, imperishable, immutable entity. He is the Supreme Source from which the inanimate, plant and animal worlds have emerged. He is the starting point and the culminating point of everything. Hence, wise people should utilise their physical, psychic and spiritual power to realise that supreme omnitelepathic entity, to become one with Him." (PNS-18, p.6)

Note: Please read Baba's above teaching again carefully. It explains everything.
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How to Cure Oneself of Nightmares

To: AM-GLOBAL
Subject: How to Cure Oneself of Nightmares
Date: Sun 19 Dec 2010 06:28:07 +0500 (IST)
From: Ram Sahay Kulshresth

Baba

"Toma'r na'mer bhela'y bha'siye dilum pra'n'..." (P.S. 724)

Purport:

  O' my Dearmost Baba, my whole existence is floating on the divine wave of Your name. I do not want anything from You. Desiring something from You is to stray from the path. Baba, just I want to please You and surrender at Your lotus feet.   Baba, I will go on singing Your song, and adjusting to Your tune and melody. In my heart the resonance of Your tune and melody will always resonate by Your grace. And this way the caravan of my life will proceed-- keeping Your sweet love with it...


                        == HOW TO CURE ONESELF FROM NIGHTMARES =

Note: This is an important letter and the title itself is significant. All too often people think that nightmares come from outside their being. So they say, "I need to get rid of these nightmares." But in Ananda Marga we know that nightmares are a product of our own mind - they stem from inside the mind. So just as one does not get rid of heart disease but rather cures oneself of it - since the problem lies within, similarly, we do not get rid of nightmares, we cure ourselves of them. Because nightmares result from a defect within our own mind - from within our own being. And this is something which one can cure.


Namaskar,
Getting proper rest at night is an important part of the life cycle. Unfortunately, many people suffer from nightmares, bad dreams, and other psychic difficulties while "sleeping". Actually what they are experiencing is not sleep per se, rather they are in dream state. And this dream state disturbs both their physical and mental well-being.

As Ananda Margiis, we are working with all segments of the population as we implement Baba's divine teachings. In this endeavour, we come across innumerable people who suffer from nightmares and bad dreams. This is especially so in this materialistic era when many are plagued by psychic problems.

So we should understand well the science behind their difficulties as well as the practical solution.


                           POOR PARENTING CAN CAUSE LIFELONG NIGHTMARES

As we begin this topic, here is a real-life scenario that is deeply related with this entire issue.                                      

Whether it be in the remote village or an ultra-modern urban center, poor parenting techniques goad mothers and fathers to use fear tactics to discipline their child. They say things like, "If you do not eat your vegetables then an ugly monster will bite you when you are not looking", or they say, "If you do not behave then so-called goblins will invade your bed when you are sleeping". Most often parents are well-intentioned, but their approach proves disastrous. Their ploys have a deep-seated effect. This can often result in nightmares and fear complexes for the duration of one's life. So every Ananda Margii should be aware about this as we address this issue of nightmares.

For more about this, refer to the audio file - Baba's Warning About Infusing Fear in Children - along the left side of the AM-GLOBAL blogsite (http://www.am-global-01.blogspot.com/)  where Baba Himself talks about how one's nightmares as a child stick with a person their entire life. Here is the letter related with that sound file.

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-harmful-it-is.html

                                 AN IMAGINED IMAGE DURING WAKING HOURS

In a step by step process, we should investigate how the mind works: Specifically why do nightmares have a much more dramatic effect on the mind than one's imagination during waking hours.

Let's say during waking hours you are thinking about a so-called ghost, or reading or watching a scary tale. At that time with the immediate support of one's motor and sensory organs, that person will realise that their fear is unfounded. Because they will look, listen, touch and even smell all around, and rationally come to the conclusion that it was an imagined image. It is not real. So in a flash that problem fades from the mind and one will feel normal, as if nothing ever happened. So it really is not a big deal at all.


                                        WHAT IS TRUE SLEEP

When one is truly sleeping, then the unconscious mind, kárańa mana or causal mind, is awake - and the conscious mind sleeps. In addition the subconscious layers (i.e. the mind which memorises the day to day events and has the power of recollection) of mind cease functioning. That is true sleep. In that case, both body and mind are getting perfect rest. Then one is in a dreamless state. This happens primarily during the first 2 or 3 hours of lying down.

Unfortunately, in this hyper-busy digital era, most spend very little time actually sleeping.

Suppose you are sleeping six hours and the first three you are in deep sleep. That time dreams do not come. After that when sleep is not very deep, the subconscious mind starts functioning. So many ideas and stories are stored in the subconscious mind. And they start streaming across your mental plate. At that time you feel that those stories are real. And you say, after awakening, that you have seen it in a dream.


                                      AN IMAGINED IMAGE FEELS REAL

                    WHEN THE CONSCIOUS MIND CEASES TO FUNCTION

For most people, during the majority of their "sleep", the subconscious mind is busy at work. Only the conscious mind ceases functioning. In that case, various images stream across one's mental plate. And those images seem real because the conscious mind is not functioning. This is known as dreaming.

In other words during the daytime when you are thinking about so-called ghosts, it feels as though you are just imagining the scene. However during the night when in the dream state, that very imagined image seems totally real and one views that image or so-called ghost as reality. Hence you become terrified by the so-called ghost.

So that which you know to be nothing more than your imagination during daytime becomes very real and terrifying at night in a dream state. Why does this happen? Because during daytime, the conscious mind is working and one can verify with their motor and sensory organs what is real and what is not. Whereas during the nighttime the conscious mind is not working. And when the conscious mind is not working there is no verification process with the eyes and ears etc, so the imagined objects become our reality. Such is the power of those nightmares.

As a quick review, when we imagine the so-called ghost and so-called goblins during the daytime in wakeful state, we do not get terrified by them. The reason is very simple. The conscious mind is also at work, interacting with the physical world via the 10 motor and sensory organs. As noted above, this conscious mind can check anything going on all around to determine if it is real or imagined.

However, in the latter part of "sleep", the subconscious mind projects an image onto the citta (one of the layers of mind) and one starts dreaming, then that dream becomes our living reality. Why? Because the conscious mind is not functioning. The mind is not interacting with the mundane world via the brain and 10 motor and sensory organs. In that case whatever one thinks, i.e. dreams, one experiences as reality.

One might dream that they are in a business meeting; or one might dream of playing a sport; or one might dream of falling from the sky, or one might dream of so many things. And those dreams that a really scary such as when one is confronted by so-called ghosts or robbers, then that is a nightmare. And one accepts that frightening experience as being real.


                                           BABA'S EXAMPLE:

                  HOW OUR THOUGHTS DURING SLEEP BECOME REALITY

Indeed, in one discourse, Baba describes how one of his cousins would imagine football matches in his sleep and accept those games as being real.

Baba says, "During sleep when his subconscious mind was functioning and not the conscious mind, the memory of the football match came alive on his mental plate. As the conscious mind was inactive, the subconscious mind could activate the nerve cells directly, so as soon as his vocal chord shouted “goal” his legs, in adjustment with rhythm of the nerve cells and fibre, kicked the ball into the goal. " (Ananda Marga Philosophy in a Nutshell, Part 6)

Here the whole point is that when the conscious mind (wakeful state) is not functioning, then the imagined image projected by the subconscious mind becomes totally real such that even the physical body gets involved in that scene. That is why dreams can have such a dramatic effect.


                              MORE ABOUT HOW NIGHTMARES OCCUR

During sleep one might think of so many things: Visiting a certain place, talking to a particular friend, eating a favorite food - so many images might flash in the mental plate that one accepts as being real.

And when those images are of something scary then we call that dream a nightmare. It might be a monster, a serial killer, a so-called ghost, a so-called goblin, a robber, or a ravenous tiger. When we are faced with such horrifying images during our "sleep" due to the activity of the subconscious mind, then we are tortured by those dreams. Even though they are imagined, they are totally frightening for us because the conscious mind is not active. Because this is not active that is why imagined objects look real i.e. a so-called ghost, a so-called goblin, a robber, or a ravenous tiger.

This happens to so many people and they become terrified. Not only are they scared while dreaming, but the whole next day as well - even for months or even years after. And it can happen for many reasons. A nightmare might be based on something they saw during the day or it might result from an experience as a child. In any case, the mind has been negatively affected and it projects that image during the time of sleep.

Baba says, "You may have encountered yet another type of demoniacal possession, which does not weaken the conscious mind very much in the wakeful state; but during sleep such strength of mind does not exist, and as a result during sleep, while lying on his back, the person sees a nightmare of an imaginary so-called ghost sitting on his chest. Dreaming is an act of the sub-conscious mind. In the dream state the imaginary so-called ghost of the sub-conscious mind takes form beautifully and repeats verbatim to him the language of his imagination. In the dreamful state he feels stupefied with fear, due to this excessive stupefaction he starts groaning, and people take it to be demoniacal possession. Thus what is generally called a “nightmare”, is usually the vision of a person whom the dreamer had oppressed in the past and whom the weak-minded oppressor now “sees” after that person’s death." (Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life - 5)

Such nightmares are so scary that anyone can get affected. For instance, even an Olympic champion boxer may lie down at night and face all kinds of fears and demons while "sleeping" as those dreams become a reality, irrespective of one's age or worldly status. That nightmare might occur simply because of what one was told as a child, or because of a horror movie, or for some other reason. And these nightmares might plague and chase a person for their entire life.


                                               FINDING THE CURE

Now that we have investigated what dreams are and how they occur, it is critical that we understand how Baba says we can cure this problem. After all, dreams, nay  nightmares, can really plague a person. They can deprive one of sleep and leave one feeling frightened.

Here following then are some of Baba prescribed remedies for curing oneself of nightmares.                                  


                                                PHYSICAL REMEDIES

In the physical sphere there are a few things that can be done:

1. Don't eat food late at night or sleep on a full belly: When undigested food remains in the stomach at night, then gas forms and that air rises and creates pressure. In result, the mind is affected and scary dreams, or nightmares, often result. Best then is to finish one's evening meal 2 - 3 hrs before sleep. Going for a short walk after the evening meal is also advisable. Then the food will be properly digested when one goes to bed. That is one way to help combat nightmares on the physical plane.

2. Be sure to sleep on the left side: The best way to sleep is on the left side as that ensures proper digestion. As Baba says the right nostril must be open for proper digestion and that is what happens when one lies on the left side. In contrast, the worst position for sleeping is on the right side as that effectively blocks the right nostril. Sleeping on the back and stomach are also to be avoided. One way to keep from sleeping on the back is to tie something uncomfortable object there - such as an apple-sized rock covered with a cloth - that prevents one from rolling onto their back. In a short while one will get habituated and one will naturally keep off the back and sleep on the left side. In addition during sleep do not keep your hand on your chest as you might think that is one so-called ghost sitting on your chest.

All of the above are Baba's guidelines from His discourses and reportings.


                                          PSYCHIC REMEDIES

In the psychic plane, there are a few things one can do that will cure one from having nightmares.

First, in the hours just prior to going to bed, do not watch or see negative movies or films and thereby pollute your subconscious mind.  In that case those horrifying scenes will bring nightmares. So the best thing is to engage in quiet, peaceful and sentient pursuits - like kiirtana, sadhana, and Prabhat Samgiita - in the hours leading up to bed.

Secondly, one should avoid any arguments or heated discussions just prior to going to bed. Those thoughts and feelings will then create disturbances in the mind during sleep.

The main thing to be aware of is that the conscious mind should not knowingly be involved in crude dealings (movies, scary stories etc) directly before bed. And best is to avoid those things entirely. Then the subconscious mind will not be plagued by such thoughts or images during the night.


                                            SPIRITUAL REMEDIES

In the spiritual field also there are practices to be done that will cure oneself from nightmares.

Singing kiirtan directly before going to bed will purify the mind and create a sentient vibration. In that case one will not be disturbed by foul or frightening thoughts during the night.

Secondly, doing mantra japa with one's ista mantra will certainly elevate the mind above all such lowly thoughts that might create nightmares. The mantras in Ananda Marga are siddha mantras - they have been charged by Sadguru - so repeating one's ista mantra will certainly cure the mind of all troubles like nightmares etc.

Thirdly, regular sadhana practice of all six lessons will further bring the mind into a positive track. During sadhana, the entire mind is cleansed and bathed. In that case, the subconscious mind is bound to be spiritually vibrated during the night.

The absolute final solution is to do sadhana in a dark cemetery during the night - alone. This type of sadhana will cure one of all such fears. That is the final solution and can be learned from an acarya.


                                             ONE FINAL NOTE

One last thought on this topic is that one should firmly understand that there is no such thing as ghosts and goblins. They do not exist. Therefore any nightmare about ghosts, goblins or any such monster or supernatural being is baseless and irrational. If a person can understand this in the depth of their mind, then that will go a long way in curing oneself of nightmares. For more about this see Baba's teachings in note 1 below.


                                              BABA'S BLESSING

By Baba's grace, we have all the tools and teachings to lead a balanced life - free from all complexes and fears, including nightmares. We should help others in this regard as well.

Baba says, "Maintaining a balanced mind is one of the greatest virtues. There are no complexes in a balanced mind. One neither feels inferior nor superior to others; one never fears anybody nor ever gets perturbed. One maintains a mental balance." (AV-5)

Namaskar,
Ram Sahay


Note 1:                             GHOSTS DO NOT EXIST

In the preface to His book, "Strange Experiences", Baba clearly tells that He does not believe in ghosts and refutes their existence entirely.

Baba says, "Let me state at the very outset that I am not a believer in ghosts and spirits, demons and devils, or heaven and hell, because I have found no logic behind their existence. I know that whether ghosts and spirits or demons and devils, everything which bears the imprint of the supernatural is only the play of the mind. The appearance and

disappearance of such things takes place in the various kos’as [layers] of the mind due to variations or possible variations in physical or mental circumstances." (Strange Experiences, 'Preface')

In His above teaching, Baba further explains that the entire "ghost" phenomenon occurs within one's own psyche. As Baba says, it is just a "play of [one's own] mind".

Then in the Q & A discourse, "Some Questions and Answers on Ananda Marga Philosophy – Section B", Baba directly asks and answers this question about ghosts.

"Q. 56 Do ghosts really exist?"

"Ans.: – Those strange figures which we call ghosts are mainly figments of the imagination. When the mind is in a weak or vulnerable state, what was previously created in the imagination now appears to be real." (TK-3)

So in the above query, Baba tells that not only are ghosts imagined by one's own mind but that such so-called apparitions tend to occur with unit minds that are "weak" and "vulnerable".

And finally, Baba issues this most conclusive statement.

Baba says, "Ghosts do not exist." (SS-4)

Thus under no circumstances should anyone be led to believe or think that Baba or His philosophy supports the existence of ghosts.


Note 2:      BABA'S TEACHING FROM INTUITIONAL SCIENCE OF THE VEDAS

Baba says, "There is still another type of dream. Even when people are in a deep slumber, there may arise in their sub-conscious minds through their dreams, the prognosis of some good news or bad news, or even a huge calamity. The all-knowing causal or unconscious mind usually cannot express its all-knowingness due to the unsteadiness of the conscious and sub-conscious minds as well as due to its own expressional inability, but sometimes it can awaken in the calm conscious and sub-conscious minds of people in deep slumber visions of past, present or future and those visions overwhelm the sleepers minds. A surging vibrational flow emanating from the fountain head of the unconscious mind and vibrating the sub-conscious mind, is also a sort of dream; and that dream is not insignificant for its cause is the all-knowing causal mind. This type of dream we may call a supramental vision. Sometimes even in the wakeful state the cognitive flow of the unconscious mind penetrates into the subtle mind, as the result of which people even in the wakeful state, with a little concentration, can know events concerning their distant near and dear ones, this is called telepathic vision. Through the concentrated state of this telepathic vision, when conscious mind is more calm and sedate, people can visualize events concerning their distant beloved ones, enacted before their eyes in the external world or feel as if they are seeing them; this is called telepathic clairvoyance. Mistaking such acts as those of spirits many people come to believe in spiritism or spiritology. Truly speaking such incidents have no connection at all with spirits or ghosts. Telepathic vision and telepathic clairvoyance are intrinsically the same as supramental vision. They are born of the inspiration of the unconscious mind, the knower of the universe. To believe in ghosts and spirits is merely to perpetuate the cowardly mentality of the pre-historic people. But compared to supramental vision, the incidence of telepathic vision is very much less frequent, and still less is the occurrence of telepathic clairvoyance due to the activeness of the Kámamaya Kośa or the conscious mind. Nevertheless the supramental vision itself does not occur more than 8 to 10 times in the life of a person. The greater or lesser frequencies of such experiences wholly depends on ones sádhaná (intuitional practices) or saḿskáras (reactive requitals). (One, however, must bear I mind that self-acquired telepathy or self-acquired clairvoyance is something different.) (Subhasita Samgraha, part 2)

If you want to read more details on this subject please read Ananda Marga Philosophy, Intuitional Science of Vedas-5 and  Faculty of Knowledge-3. If you do not have either one of these discourses than kindly let us know.


Note 3:                   MORE ABOUT THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND

What is the subconscious mind? It is that part of the mind which memorises the day to day events. This aspect of mind is our power of recollection. With this subconscious mind you can remember your friends, what you ate yesterday, what you did 10 days back or 10 minutes back. Everything is stored in the subconscious mind. This subconscious mind does not need help from the indriyas, i.e. sensory and motor organs, to re-create stored images in the mind. For instance, even if your grandmother lives 100 miles away, with your subconscious mind you will be able to visualise your grandmother in your mind. The motor and sensory organs are not needed.

Without the help of the the subconscious mind we cannot do anything substantial because one will not have the required memory or knowledge. One will not even remember one second into the past. One will forget.

The conscious mind only works with the help of motor and sensory organs. When those organs are not functioning the conscious mind cannot do anything. It does not store any information. When you saw the monkey at the store then it is the subconscious mind that memorises that image. Later on when you tell your story about the monkey with the help of the subconscious mind then you will be able to clearly visualise that monkey in your mind.


Note 4:                         MORE ABOUT THE DREAM STATE           

Baba says, "It has been said, “When a person creates a kingdom in his dream…” What is a dream? To dream is to think while sleeping...."

"During sleep these thoughts, in the absence of contact with the hard realities of the external world, appear to be real. Thus people who are not at all affected in the waking state by propensities of fear, anger, etc., may be deeply affected by them during dreams; because, as I said earlier, in the waking state, people know that they are imagining; but during sleep, they do not realize that the play of their imagination is going on. So during that period their dream-thoughts become hard reality for them."

"During the time of waking, because there is much resistance from the external reality, there is not much speed of imagination; but during sleep, in the absence of this resistance, there is great acceleration. Within one second people can imagine a vast epic like the Mahábhárata. Sometimes during dreams the dreamers, propelled by such propensities as anger or greed, restlessly move their limbs about. If those moving limbs come in contact with any hard object, the imaginary dream is broken, the dreamer's sleep is disrupted and the dreamy fantasy woven in nets of imagination comes abruptly to an end." (Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Disc: 16)


Note 5:            WHY PEOPLE DO NOT ALWAYS DREAM IN THEIR SLEEP

Baba says, "Dreaming means thinking or recollecting during sleep. Now the first question that arises is this: Why do people not always think or recollect during sleep? During the wakeful state, people are always thinking or recollecting. Even when people meditate in the wakeful state, they are thinking of, or recollecting, Supreme Consciousness. In the waking state, the mind never remains inactive. Then why does it not always dream during sleep?"

"The answer is, the sleeping state means a state of rest for the mind. But if, before or at the time of sleep, one is tormented with deep sorrow, or becomes overjoyed with extreme happiness, or is afflicted with a serious disease, or is brooding over imaginary pains and pleasures – then during sleep if the gases in the body rise and create vibrations in the nerve cells, one starts thinking and recollecting. That is why people do not always dream during every sleep." (Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Disc: 16)


Note 6:                           MEETING BABA IN DREAM

Baba says, "In the lives of many people, a time may come when their days are full of the thorns of miseries, but at night, during dream, they transcend their pains and pleasures. Then, meeting their Iśt́a in dream, they beam with joy and laughter in the ocean of bliss. All the sufferings and sorrows of their lives, great or small, merge into that indescribable ocean of bliss. Those who experience this type of dream are truly fortunate."

"Even in the waking state their lives are drenched in the drowsy sweetness of that dreamy atmosphere, and then in their lives, that dream becomes a reality. As a result, the waking state for them becomes meaningless."

"Then cannot those dreamy persons do any good to the society? Yes, certainly they can, and in a better way. This state of drowsiness is not dullness or crudeness; rather it is the golden opportunity to fully utilize one's existence by touching the feet of Táraka Brahma, as long as there is life." (Namah Shivaya Shantaya, Disc: 16)