Sunday, July 7, 2013
Smile with Inner Beauty
Sweetness is the result of a long journey inwards to the core of life and the ability to rest there and watch.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Realization
Realization
Gradually, as I train my mind to keep returning to these thoughts, it will become better able to stay focused. I'll then be in a better position to start experiencing the sweetness of silent communion with the Supreme.
I can create small intervals between thoughts. For example, may have been contemplating the role of God as my Supreme Mother, listing in my mind the qualities of God as the Mother. If I slow these thoughts, and start creating pauses between them, I'll allow the mind to move momentarily into a silence in which there'll be great refreshment.
This is the beginning of the fourth stage, that of realization of truth. Each one's capacity and ability to experience this stage is unique, and it happens in different ways for different individuals. But the essence, however described, is that I feel I am in God's presence, and God's qualities are resonating with my own original qualities, so that I feel my own fullest potential to be realized. In this experience, the mind comes to a state of absolute stillness, and my sanskaras - personality traits - are quiescent. It is not an empty silence, but one filled with peace, purity, love, wisdom and power.
This stage of realization comes as a unified whole: only afterwards can I put labels on different aspects of it, rather as someone might describe having had a good sleep only when they awaken. There is total absorption in the experience as it happens. Later, I will be able to say yes, I now know what love and truth really mean.
Gradually, as I train my mind to keep returning to these thoughts, it will become better able to stay focused. I'll then be in a better position to start experiencing the sweetness of silent communion with the Supreme.
I can create small intervals between thoughts. For example, may have been contemplating the role of God as my Supreme Mother, listing in my mind the qualities of God as the Mother. If I slow these thoughts, and start creating pauses between them, I'll allow the mind to move momentarily into a silence in which there'll be great refreshment.
This is the beginning of the fourth stage, that of realization of truth. Each one's capacity and ability to experience this stage is unique, and it happens in different ways for different individuals. But the essence, however described, is that I feel I am in God's presence, and God's qualities are resonating with my own original qualities, so that I feel my own fullest potential to be realized. In this experience, the mind comes to a state of absolute stillness, and my sanskaras - personality traits - are quiescent. It is not an empty silence, but one filled with peace, purity, love, wisdom and power.
This stage of realization comes as a unified whole: only afterwards can I put labels on different aspects of it, rather as someone might describe having had a good sleep only when they awaken. There is total absorption in the experience as it happens. Later, I will be able to say yes, I now know what love and truth really mean.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Power to Decide
The power to decide Sometimes, I'm not so much faced with a choice between truth and falsehood, as with having to balance competing aims or priorities in deciding on a course of action. There's huge value in getting this right, because poor judgment can entangle me in consequences from which it might take years to recover. If I'm deflected because of my attachments or desires, I'll lose my ability to decide accurately.
Understanding myself as a soul, and keeping my heart full and free through relationship with God, puts me in the best possible position to judge correctly. I'll be like the statue of Justice, wearing a blindfold as she carefully weighs the evidence: free from prejudice arising from superficial appearances, above the influence of situations and the emotions and opinions of others, perfectly centred, she is optimally placed to sense the right way forward.
The power to co-operate In India, there is a saying that when everyone gave a finger of co-operation, the mountain of sorrow was lifted. If we look with open eyes at the world of today, and at current social financial and environmental trends, it's clear that there is widespread suffering and sorrow, that it is likely to get worse, and that to remove it will be a task like lifting a mountain. Meditation ignites a conviction that the task will be done. Although we have such different backgrounds, cultures, personalities, and so on, meditation takes us to a place of understanding from which it becomes easy to share our resources, work together, and give our own finger of cooperation in the task.
The way meditation achieves this is interesting. Look at the other side - at what prevents co-operation: it is ego, where I am in a state of self-aggrandizement, hungry for personal praise or fame, and not concerned about the team. In ego, I think I am the only one who can do a task, the only one who knows, the one who is right. Ego kills cooperation. Ego is closely connected to body-consciousness. An enormous 'I and my' factor comes in when I think of myself as this body, and lose sight of the soul. My race, my colour, my gender, my physical appearance, my education, my family, my job, my position, my possessions - all these become part of the build-up of ego. Working with others, who may at any moment challenge my ego with their own distinct agendas and needs, becomes stressful.
The more I practise meditation, and develop and live with the consciousness that I am a non-physical soul, a being of light, the quicker the ego associated with all those physical factors melts away. Colouring myself with God's company, I see others as the children of God. I know myself as part of the family of human souls who have the same original qualities as me. In soul-consciousness, there is no way I can feel superior to others, though I'll value their specialities. We are brothers - equal, yet distinct.
In this consciousness, a natural humility develops a genuine respect for each other. There is a strength and happiness in the awareness of being a child of God, but I'll see others as the same. There is neither the ego of feeling superior, nor the inverted ego of an inferiority complex. I am not negating myself, I am recognizing the value of the self, but I'm also appreciating the value and qualities of all others around me.
The power to decide Sometimes, I'm not so much faced with a choice between truth and falsehood, as with having to balance competing aims or priorities in deciding on a course of action. There's huge value in getting this right, because poor judgment can entangle me in consequences from which it might take years to recover. If I'm deflected because of my attachments or desires, I'll lose my ability to decide accurately.
Understanding myself as a soul, and keeping my heart full and free through relationship with God, puts me in the best possible position to judge correctly. I'll be like the statue of Justice, wearing a blindfold as she carefully weighs the evidence: free from prejudice arising from superficial appearances, above the influence of situations and the emotions and opinions of others, perfectly centred, she is optimally placed to sense the right way forward.
The power to co-operate In India, there is a saying that when everyone gave a finger of co-operation, the mountain of sorrow was lifted. If we look with open eyes at the world of today, and at current social financial and environmental trends, it's clear that there is widespread suffering and sorrow, that it is likely to get worse, and that to remove it will be a task like lifting a mountain. Meditation ignites a conviction that the task will be done. Although we have such different backgrounds, cultures, personalities, and so on, meditation takes us to a place of understanding from which it becomes easy to share our resources, work together, and give our own finger of cooperation in the task.
The way meditation achieves this is interesting. Look at the other side - at what prevents co-operation: it is ego, where I am in a state of self-aggrandizement, hungry for personal praise or fame, and not concerned about the team. In ego, I think I am the only one who can do a task, the only one who knows, the one who is right. Ego kills cooperation. Ego is closely connected to body-consciousness. An enormous 'I and my' factor comes in when I think of myself as this body, and lose sight of the soul. My race, my colour, my gender, my physical appearance, my education, my family, my job, my position, my possessions - all these become part of the build-up of ego. Working with others, who may at any moment challenge my ego with their own distinct agendas and needs, becomes stressful.
The more I practise meditation, and develop and live with the consciousness that I am a non-physical soul, a being of light, the quicker the ego associated with all those physical factors melts away. Colouring myself with God's company, I see others as the children of God. I know myself as part of the family of human souls who have the same original qualities as me. In soul-consciousness, there is no way I can feel superior to others, though I'll value their specialities. We are brothers - equal, yet distinct.
In this consciousness, a natural humility develops a genuine respect for each other. There is a strength and happiness in the awareness of being a child of God, but I'll see others as the same. There is neither the ego of feeling superior, nor the inverted ego of an inferiority complex. I am not negating myself, I am recognizing the value of the self, but I'm also appreciating the value and qualities of all others around me.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
An Invisible Currency
The give and take in our actions and relationships is known in the East as karma. Although the currency of this exchange is invisible, we can think of our relationships as entailing investments and withdrawals, as in a bank account or a business. If I withdraw more than I invest, there will be trouble.
For example, an executive is travelling a lot and his secretary deals with a huge amount of work while he is away. Instead of acknowledging how much his success depends on her loyalty and accuracy, and the responsibility she is fulfilling, he remains obsessed with his sales figures. Such a situation can only go on for so long. Usually, there'll come a moment when, after giving so much, the lack of appreciation becomes intolerable. The loyal worker will suddenly quit, perhaps leaving chaos in her wake.
Appreciation, to an accountant, means an increase in the value of assets. In the same way, appreciation within relationships increases their durability and value. It's a positive energy, which, when invested well, adds to our stock of that invaluable asset - goodwill.
How would meditation affect the above scenario? When we make the right connection with the divine, we are able to draw on unlimited stocks of goodwill. This produces a generosity of spirit from which appreciation of others radiates as a natural consequence. If the boss had been a meditator, he could not have become so disrespectful and unfeeling.
And the secretary? It might seem paradoxical, but meditation, by helping her to maintain her self-esteem internally, would free her of any need for her boss's love and appreciation. Her attitude would be that she was doing the work for her own satisfaction, and for the feeling that what she was doing was right and must bring its own return in its own time.
If at some point her boss were suddenly to recognize what a jewel she was, and change his behaviour towards her, that would of course be fine. She wouldn't be begging for it, but her patience and tolerance would increase the chances of its happening. If she decided there was a better use of her time and energy elsewhere that would also be fine. She would leave according to her own standards of decent behaviour, without an outburst of rage or recrimination.
But for as long as the job still suited her, she might decide to stay put, rather than be pushed into quitting - perhaps into a worse situation - by feelings of resentment and frustration.
Meditation helps us to keep our cool, greatly increasing the chances that we will judge situations correctly and act in ways that build a good future, rather than destroy what we have already earned.
The give and take in our actions and relationships is known in the East as karma. Although the currency of this exchange is invisible, we can think of our relationships as entailing investments and withdrawals, as in a bank account or a business. If I withdraw more than I invest, there will be trouble.
For example, an executive is travelling a lot and his secretary deals with a huge amount of work while he is away. Instead of acknowledging how much his success depends on her loyalty and accuracy, and the responsibility she is fulfilling, he remains obsessed with his sales figures. Such a situation can only go on for so long. Usually, there'll come a moment when, after giving so much, the lack of appreciation becomes intolerable. The loyal worker will suddenly quit, perhaps leaving chaos in her wake.
Appreciation, to an accountant, means an increase in the value of assets. In the same way, appreciation within relationships increases their durability and value. It's a positive energy, which, when invested well, adds to our stock of that invaluable asset - goodwill.
How would meditation affect the above scenario? When we make the right connection with the divine, we are able to draw on unlimited stocks of goodwill. This produces a generosity of spirit from which appreciation of others radiates as a natural consequence. If the boss had been a meditator, he could not have become so disrespectful and unfeeling.
And the secretary? It might seem paradoxical, but meditation, by helping her to maintain her self-esteem internally, would free her of any need for her boss's love and appreciation. Her attitude would be that she was doing the work for her own satisfaction, and for the feeling that what she was doing was right and must bring its own return in its own time.
If at some point her boss were suddenly to recognize what a jewel she was, and change his behaviour towards her, that would of course be fine. She wouldn't be begging for it, but her patience and tolerance would increase the chances of its happening. If she decided there was a better use of her time and energy elsewhere that would also be fine. She would leave according to her own standards of decent behaviour, without an outburst of rage or recrimination.
But for as long as the job still suited her, she might decide to stay put, rather than be pushed into quitting - perhaps into a worse situation - by feelings of resentment and frustration.
Meditation helps us to keep our cool, greatly increasing the chances that we will judge situations correctly and act in ways that build a good future, rather than destroy what we have already earned.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Possessiveness and Dependency
Close personal relationships offer some of the biggest challenges to our ability to sustain peace and positivity. This is connected with the fact that family intimacy, while capable of being a source of inspiration and joy, can also bring about possessiveness and dependency. These are widespread diseases of the spirit in today's world, but can be cured by meditation.
A tell-tale symptom of these diseases is lack of courtesy. Our nearest and dearest become victims of behaviours which we would not dream of showing towards people with whom we are less familiar. It's not just a question of manners, but of respect.
So often, a hierarchy of relationships becomes established in which, for example, the father takes it for granted that he will be listened to by the mother - or vice versa. Or an older brother orders around a younger family member, not giving the sibling space in which to speak his or her own mind. Once established, these patterns tend to be carried with us through life, so that even when we have left the original family setting, we bring the same tendencies into our new relationships.
Meditation brings a very different element into the picture. As I become aware of myself as an eternal soul, an actor on the stage of the world, the realization grows that the role I am playing with others now is only one part of the whole.
I don't know where I was before I took this birth, nor where I will be afterwards. The same is true for those with whom I am close. I do have a particular responsibility towards them whilst we are playing our parts together, but this only lasts a short time within eternity. As husband and wife, for example, each has a particular role today, but who knows about yesterday or tomorrow?
In meditation, I stabilize in the consciousness that I am an eternal soul, and that all human beings are souls, members of a huge, all-embracing family. Roles will change, but as souls, we are brothers - we have no other relationship. When I bring this consciousness into family life, it provides a positive and secure foundation for everyday interactions. Renewing the awareness of eternal truths protects against limited feelings of 'my' husband, 'my' wife, 'my' son, and so on, where such feelings signify possessiveness and a desire to control, rather than family unity and loyalty.
I still have my own unique role to play. But misunderstanding and suffering are reduced when the part in me that tries to control others, or that abandons control to others, is left behind. Both of these are essentially negative behaviours, born of insecurity, not true responsibility or love.
By knowing myself as a soul in relationship with the Supreme, my self-respect returns. There is an inner detachment, and the feeling that here on the stage, I, the soul, am alone - it is just a role that I play here with others. From this strong vantage-point, I'll no longer feel a need to manipulate others, but instead will bring pure feelings of genuine love and appreciation into my relationships
Close personal relationships offer some of the biggest challenges to our ability to sustain peace and positivity. This is connected with the fact that family intimacy, while capable of being a source of inspiration and joy, can also bring about possessiveness and dependency. These are widespread diseases of the spirit in today's world, but can be cured by meditation.
A tell-tale symptom of these diseases is lack of courtesy. Our nearest and dearest become victims of behaviours which we would not dream of showing towards people with whom we are less familiar. It's not just a question of manners, but of respect.
So often, a hierarchy of relationships becomes established in which, for example, the father takes it for granted that he will be listened to by the mother - or vice versa. Or an older brother orders around a younger family member, not giving the sibling space in which to speak his or her own mind. Once established, these patterns tend to be carried with us through life, so that even when we have left the original family setting, we bring the same tendencies into our new relationships.
Meditation brings a very different element into the picture. As I become aware of myself as an eternal soul, an actor on the stage of the world, the realization grows that the role I am playing with others now is only one part of the whole.
I don't know where I was before I took this birth, nor where I will be afterwards. The same is true for those with whom I am close. I do have a particular responsibility towards them whilst we are playing our parts together, but this only lasts a short time within eternity. As husband and wife, for example, each has a particular role today, but who knows about yesterday or tomorrow?
In meditation, I stabilize in the consciousness that I am an eternal soul, and that all human beings are souls, members of a huge, all-embracing family. Roles will change, but as souls, we are brothers - we have no other relationship. When I bring this consciousness into family life, it provides a positive and secure foundation for everyday interactions. Renewing the awareness of eternal truths protects against limited feelings of 'my' husband, 'my' wife, 'my' son, and so on, where such feelings signify possessiveness and a desire to control, rather than family unity and loyalty.
I still have my own unique role to play. But misunderstanding and suffering are reduced when the part in me that tries to control others, or that abandons control to others, is left behind. Both of these are essentially negative behaviours, born of insecurity, not true responsibility or love.
By knowing myself as a soul in relationship with the Supreme, my self-respect returns. There is an inner detachment, and the feeling that here on the stage, I, the soul, am alone - it is just a role that I play here with others. From this strong vantage-point, I'll no longer feel a need to manipulate others, but instead will bring pure feelings of genuine love and appreciation into my relationships
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Meditation and Communication
Meditation charges the battery of the soul, making available a positive energy that increases my capacity for creating positive and fruitful connections and relationships with others.
Connecting my mind with God is like plugging into a mains electricity supply. The energy received, vertically, from the Supreme Being - unlimited peace, love, purity, wisdom and joy - flows out horizontally into my actions and relationships.
The love and wisdom I receive from God enable me to love know and understand myself. The sense of God's pure good wishes enables me to respect myself. Communion with God answers my questions about myself, and brings me peace and fulfillment.
When I communicate with others from this stable space, it is as though my meaning is carried on a wave of goodwill, easily reaching the other person or persons. The meeting of minds precedes the transfer of meaning! In contrast, communication is difficult when I don't like and understand myself.My confusion and lack of self-respect, triggers confusion in others.
Meditation charges the battery of the soul, making available a positive energy that increases my capacity for creating positive and fruitful connections and relationships with others.
Connecting my mind with God is like plugging into a mains electricity supply. The energy received, vertically, from the Supreme Being - unlimited peace, love, purity, wisdom and joy - flows out horizontally into my actions and relationships.
The love and wisdom I receive from God enable me to love know and understand myself. The sense of God's pure good wishes enables me to respect myself. Communion with God answers my questions about myself, and brings me peace and fulfillment.
When I communicate with others from this stable space, it is as though my meaning is carried on a wave of goodwill, easily reaching the other person or persons. The meeting of minds precedes the transfer of meaning! In contrast, communication is difficult when I don't like and understand myself.My confusion and lack of self-respect, triggers confusion in others.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Cleanliness of Attitude
The light of meditation brings clarity to the self, about the self. This helps me to communicate much more clearly than when I am not sure what is going on inside me. Effective communication promotes understanding, and strengthens relationships.
More importantly, relationships are also connected with attitude and vision. Sometimes, I may feel I have said and done the right things, yet still someone is not behaving towards me as I would wish. It is valuable at such times to check my attitude towards that person and the vision with which I am seeing them.
I may find a slight feeling of disapproval, a resistance to something in their personality. Neither of us may be conscious of it, but this feeling casts a shadow on the other person. They are not receiving the acceptance or respect that they should, and that influences their ability to hear me, and the way they behave towards me.
The discipline of meditation enables me to clean out my thoughts, feelings and attitudes, ensuring that what I share with others is positive. Then it is much easier for others to connect with me in a positive way.
The light of meditation brings clarity to the self, about the self. This helps me to communicate much more clearly than when I am not sure what is going on inside me. Effective communication promotes understanding, and strengthens relationships.
More importantly, relationships are also connected with attitude and vision. Sometimes, I may feel I have said and done the right things, yet still someone is not behaving towards me as I would wish. It is valuable at such times to check my attitude towards that person and the vision with which I am seeing them.
I may find a slight feeling of disapproval, a resistance to something in their personality. Neither of us may be conscious of it, but this feeling casts a shadow on the other person. They are not receiving the acceptance or respect that they should, and that influences their ability to hear me, and the way they behave towards me.
The discipline of meditation enables me to clean out my thoughts, feelings and attitudes, ensuring that what I share with others is positive. Then it is much easier for others to connect with me in a positive way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)