THE DYNAMIC POWER OF STILLNESS

Kakoli Banerjee

(Monograph for the Foundation Course for Facilitators, 2005-2006)

CONTENTS

Introduction……………………= …………………………̷= 0;………………………page 2

Chapter 1…………………………R= 30;…………………………&#= 8230;………………….page 3

The need

Chapter 2…………………………R= 30;…………………………&#= 8230;…………………page 6

What is inner stillness and the causes of its disturbance=

Chapter 3…………………………R= 30;…………………………&#= 8230;…………………page 11

Stillness and the three modes of nature

Chapter 4…………………………R= 30;…………………………&#= 8230;…………………page 19

Parts of the being that cause disturbances

Chapter 5…………………………R= 30;…………………………&#= 8230;…………………page 21

Active vs Passive silence

Chapter 6…………………………R= 30;…………………………&#= 8230;…………………page 23

Stillness- the source of spontaneous action and intuition=

Chapter 7…………………………R= 30;…………………………&#= 8230;…………………page 24

Initiating stillness, facilitation methods

Conclusion……………………&#= 8230;…………………………= ………………………page 26

References……………………&#= 8230;…………………………= ………………………page 27

Bibliography……………………= …………………………̷= 0;…………………….page 28

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

Total no. of words: 13,492=

DYNAMIC POWER OF STIL= LNESS

INTRODUCTION

The process of selec= ting a suitable topic for the Final Monograph should be a relatively easy process.= But it is not.

At this point, it is important to give an insight to the reader about the background of my work = and the path that I have chosen to walk. It is also the reason why I chose to j= oin the Foundation Course for Facilitators (2005-2006) being conducted by the T= he International Centre for Integral Studies, New Delhi.

Four years ago, a lo= ng phase of immense inner trauma culminated into what psychologists probably call ‘clinical depression’. While nearly succumbing to it, by what I= now know as the sudden awakening of the consciousness, I found a Reiki teacher.= I practiced regularly without knowing what to expect. By the end of the month= , I was a new person… a person who was calm, strong and detached enough to leave behind all attachments to people, material possessions, and a conventional ‘good’ career. Armed with nothing other than a pos= itive attitude, I arrived at Auroville where my inner journey truly began. Circumstances brought me back to the city but by then I had learnt to liste= n to an inner voice and not be influenced by the surrounding environment. With s= ome difficulties, I broke away from conventions and a lot of pre-conditioning.<= o:p>

Looking back, I now = realize that it was the inner stillness which Reiki helped me achieve and then my solitary days in Auroville which prepared me for the next phase of my life.= My spiritual journey was just beginning.

I had no plans for t= he future (some may call it a lack of ambition… to me, it was all about surrendering to the Divine Will) and again being guided by a higher instinc= t, soon found myself to be a part of the Satya-jyoti Trust which meant being responsible for the inner and outer growth of a group of young women who had been rescued by other NGO’s from situations of abuse or trauma. The w= ork involves rehabilitating them in every respect… a secure lodging, the basic physical comforts, the inter-personal dynamics, the infrastructure and place to learn a skill which could become a source of income, their pattern= s of behaviour which is often clouded by the past… in brief, guiding them = to find their inner beings and also to live in harmony with their circumstance= s and surroundings. In order to facilitate this, I realized that I did not have t= he inner resources and hoped the Facilitation course would help me find the answers.

During this Course, = I have had several opportunities to go within and keep searching for the key to my progress. This quest has led me to the awareness that the only way I can prepare myself is to find a way to be always connected to the Divine within= me, which will automatically guide me to do the right thing, at the right time,= in the right way. The key to this ‘connection’ is Inner stillness,= a stillness which results in action that is guided by a Higher Force, a still= ness which gives an ordinary human the strength and ability to achieve ‘super-human’ feats.

Hence, my Monograph = is all about “THE DYNAMIC POWER OF STILLNESS.”

Chapter 1: The need

“Even as the troubled surface of rolling waters cannot properly reflect the full moon, b= ut only gives broken images of it, so a mind troubled by the desires and passi= ons of the world cannot fully reflect the light of the Ineffable. The Eternal is seen when the mind is at rest. When the sea of the mind is troubled by the winds of desire, it cannot reflect the Eternal and the all divine vision is impossible.” Sri Ramakrishna

Establishing inner s= tillness and then acting from that realm of inner calm, is the foundation stone for spiritual growth. =

The question for me is: while living an ordinary life, how does one achieve absolute stillness within the Being, so as to remain unmoved in every circumstance, yet be able to act with a firm conviction and purpose, without being taken for granted or trampled upon or being affected by censure and criticism, secure in the knowledge that any action which results from the contact with my inner Self, cannot be wrong?

The answer to this question is probably the key to my progress. Although it is = very relevant and applicable to the work I do with the Satya-Jyoti Trust, not on= ly for my own growth but also for each individual in the group, a very clear concept of the need, benefits and practice of inner silence will be of help= in any situation and circumstance.

My involvement as a Trustee with Satya-Jyoti is an inner calling. I did not pl= an or choose to do this. Growth of Consciousness was my only aspiration. I listened to an inner voice (which was a just a sense of identifying what ma= de me truly happy) and went with the flow. However, during the course of my wo= rk, I realized that unless I successfully stopped ‘living outside’,= I would neither be a good facilitator for the psychologically affected group = of young women who are now my responsibility, nor be a good partner for my spiritual collaborator. There are several moments when I react to circumstances/ situations and people around me, particularly when things= do not happen the way I think they should. There is an instant disharmony = and turbulence within which disconnects from the Divine, thus causing unhappine= ss and pain. How can I stop that from happening?

The following passage from one of the letters written by The Mother, throws some light on the answer:

“If it is like that, it is probably because you are living outside, allowing yourself to be disturbed by outward contacts. One cannot find happiness of a lasting character unless one lives within. Work, action, must be offered to= The Mother, done for Her sake only, without any thought for yourself, your own ideas, preferences, feelings, likes, dislikes. If one’s eyes are fixe= d on these latter things, then at every step one gets some friction either in the mind or vital or if these are comparatively quiet, on the body and nerves. Peace and joy can only become stable if one lives within the Mother.”= ¹

Does this mean that if I am entrusted with a responsibility and I undertake to do the work

…without any personal motive whatsoever

…with no intent to earn more than what I rightfully deserve (no greed),

…with no desire for credit, fame or success,

…with no selfish concern for personal comforts or space or time,

…if I have the goodwill to share, learn and teach without holding anything back…then I can find the strength in the quiet conviction that not= hing and no one can shake my inner poise? Having achieved that inner stillne= ss, can I then trust my instincts to guide me in the right direction without ha= ving to use my mental faculties?

For example, this mo= nograph that I have to work on and finish within a certain date… if my aim is= to impress and get recognition and appreciation for it, the natural tendency w= ould be to do extensive research, refer the works of spiritual masters, use impressive words and phrases, throw in attractive audio-visual aids etc. In= the real world, it will work and my Project may be considered a success, never = mind the fact that I may have to make mammoth efforts and tax my gray cells to t= he maximum in order to achieve that. But in all honesty to myself, will the content be the Truth? Will it really be as powerful as that which may come = from an inexplicable inner source if I start with a silent prayer and then empty= my mind of all thoughts and concentrate only on the Truth of the chosen theme? Something within tells me that if I work on this Monograph believing that t= he only audience is The Divine and the sole purpose of this Project is my inner growth, then there is a possibility that others may find it useful as well.=

Case Study 1: How do I know my approach with Shakuntala is driven by a pure motive and hence the right course of action?

From my journal, = dated 4^th May 2006: Shakuntala is a youn= g girl between the age of 16 to 19 (she says she is 16, her mother says she is 19)= who has seen her mother and older sister being abused by the father. The three = of them have now come to Satya-Jyoti in search of a livelihood and a secure shelter. Being uneducated and not having learnt any basic skill, they were = initiated into housekeeping activities, which is not to be confused with the traditio= n of keeping servants who are considered a lower class and treated so. At Satya-Jyoti, everyone is treated at par irrespective of the work they do, a= nd individuals are taught that no work is big or small. However, this family arrived with the pre-conceived and conventional belief that household work = is inferior and Shakuntala in particular, became rebellious. The first two mon= ths, I tried to be a friend, patiently trying to teach her the finer nuances of their work, which included flower arrangement, playing music, basic reading= and writing, experimenting with new recipes, etc. Not only did she resist all learning, she spoke aggressively and defiantly, disrupting others’ balance as well. I realized it was causing anger within me too and decided = to withdraw and stopped interacting with her as a friend. I am not ‘nice’ to her any more and she continues to sulk.

I am aware that she = wants to graduate from household work to sewing with the others. But is giving in to= her desire the right solution? How do I know that my current attitude towards h= er is not wrong?

I don’t.<= /o:p>

I only know that wha= t I am trying to teach her is for her inner and outer growth and no other motive whatsoever.

Hence, so far, I hav= e not tried to analyse or attribute her actions to any deep rooted trauma, treat = her like a patient and let her get away with her way. Neither have I stopped to question my own reactions.

“…if y= ou want your speech to express the truth and thus acquire the power of the Word, ne= ver think out beforehand what you want to say, do not decide what is a good or = bad thing to say, do not calculate the effect of what you are going to say. Be silent in mind and remain unwavering in the true attitude of constant aspiration towards the All-Wisdom, the All-Knowledge, the All-Consciousness. Then, if your aspiration is sincere, if it is not a veil for your ambiti= on to do well and to succeed, if it is pure, spontaneous and integral, you will then be able to speak very simply, to say the words that ought to be s= aid, neither more nor less, and they will have a creative power.”²

<= /span>

From the above words= of The Mother, it is very clear that the necessary and appropriate action or speec= h or thought can be a spontaneous process without having to struggle to find the answers. This may very well be the realm of the sixth sense…of being intuitive or psychic.

There are innumerable references to this fact by Sri Aurobindo in discussions with his disciples regarding the ability to become a poet or write an epic by just listening to one’s inner voice.

The Mother gave us t= he following example of the time Sri Aurobindo began writing The Arya, in 1914= . “…It was neither a mental knowledge nor a mental creation which he transcribed: = he silenced his mind and sat at the typewriter, and from above, from higher planes, all that had to be written came down, all ready, and he had only to move his fingers on the typewriter and it was transcribed. It was in this s= tate of mental silence which allows the knowledge – and even the expression – from above to pass through that he wrote the whole Arya, with its s= ixty four printed pages a month.”³

She tells us that th= e first condition for true spontaneity is self-forgetfulness, a total self-giving, = the absence of the ego. We shall take a closer look at that later.

From my journal, = dated 2^nd June 2006: There has been a perceptible difference in Shakuntala’s attitude. She does not sulk as muc= h any more. Does her part of the household work without difficulty. I am still not ‘nice’ to her, although more pleasant than before. There is no guarantee that this change will last forever. My job is to create the right atmosphere and then leave it at that. I have introduced her to basic sewing which she started eagerly but does not do it regularly now. Most likely she gets restless and bored with the same embroidery three days in a row but instead of entertaining her by giving her new things to do, the root cause = of the restlessness has to be removed. She needs to be still within.

Chapter 2: What is inner stillness and the caus= es of its disturbance.

In Sri AurobindoR= 17;s word:

“The words ‘peace, calm, quiet, silence’ have each their own shade of meaning, but it is not easy to define them.

Quiet- acañcalatā

Calm- sthiratā=

Peace- śānti

Silence- niścala-niravatā.

Quiet is the condition in which there is no restlessness or disturbance.

Calm is a still unmoved condition which no disturbance can affect – it is a less negative condition than quiet.

Peace is a still more positive condition; it carries with it a sense of settled a= nd harmonious rest and deliverance.

Silence is a state in which either there is no movement of the mind or vital or els= e a great stillness which no surface movement can pierce or alter. <= /span>

Quiet, calm and peace can all be described as tranquility: silence is akin to what= is meant by stillness.^=
221;⁴=

It is a state of inner and outer calm, a mind empty of thoughts, stripped of t= he ego, detached from the body and all material connections. There can never be absolute stillness unless one has learnt to truly and constantly live within and above ordinary consciousness. Those who are sincere seekers of this gro= wth of consciousness are likely to have found moments of stillness and greater = insight… some more than others.

What does it mean to= the un-initiated?

While writing this p= assage, I ask Mamta (one of the girls at the Trust), if she knows what ‘st= hirta’ means. She has no clue. After a conversation which lasts half an hour, I realize that her mind is constantly at work… worrying about three pri= mary issues…her future, others’ day-to day reactions towards her, her inability to do things the ‘right’ way. She has no family to fa= ll back on, no personal material assets, and for the first time in her life, is being treated like an individual. She does not believe in a God. When I ask= her if she is aware of all the goodness within her, she denies having any goodn= ess.

Mamta does not talk = much. She often withdraws into herself and is silent and uncommunicative but duri= ng that time, her mind is anything but still. She has not experienced being st= ill. There have been moments of calm and peace (“while working in the garden”) but that moment could disappear any minute with an “un= happy thought”. She firmly believes those thoughts cannot be stopped and he= nce “how can my mind ever be still?”

Mamta’s condit= ion represents most of the human population’s.

In our lives, we eit= her grow up with certain conditioning, or some specific experiences, which create a = pattern of behaviour and thoughts. Sometimes they can manifest as desires, needs, ambitions…all of which take us in a particular direction. Whenever we feel we have been wronged, we react – either by fretting and fuming or brooding, or getting angry. Whatever the expression, inner or outer, what we lose is our poise, the inner stillness which may not be there at all or los= t in an instant.

Most of us are unabl= e to identify the exact cause of our reactions and generally blame the outer circumstances.

Shanti is about 45 y= ears old and has two adolescent daughters. She came to Satya-jyoti with her daughter= s, because the elder of the two had been abused by the father. Shanti got a vicarious pleasure out of dwelling in the past and kept bringing up the iss= ue of the ‘immense tragedy’ that had befallen them. As a result, s= he refused to live in the present, appreciate the opportunities that they now = had to start afresh and instead continued to live a turbulent, miserable existe= nce which affected everyone around her. She was quick to blame others, not for = once acknowledging that it was her own mental noise that was the cause of the present suffering which affected her work, her attitude to life and her daughters as well.

It is therefore very important to realize that there are no outer circumstances which cause the turbulence within.

What are the inner movements in every-day life which make it so difficult to be still within?<= o:p>

=

1.Desires/ Preferences/Attachments: Most = of the time, our actions are motivated by a certain need. It could be for love or attention, for physical needs- sex, hunger, general comforts, for money (security), for living up to the standards of social environment… the list of our desires is endless.

There is nothing wrong with being ambitious, aspiring for riches and comfort. But= if, after the effort of earning the material comforts, one loses them due to any circumstance and that causes unhappiness, then that kind of ambition is wro= ng. And in most cases, that is what happens. Also, when one has ambition that is based on greed, then there is no end to one’s needs.

The thing is, the more we want, the less is the inner calm. Whenever any of our action is motivated by a personal desire, there is every possibility of mak= ing choices which are selfish, choices which may cause pain or difficulty to others, but our own need makes us blind to that and we end up justifying our actions to ourselves as well as to others. The more we justify, the less is= the inner quiet.

It is necessary to consciously remove all such desires and preferences.

From my own limited experience, the awareness has grown, that each time I have h= ad to take a decision regarding any issue, which could affect my own comfort, = and if I have been remotely inclined towards favouring myself, it has been extremely difficult to make the right choice. The moment I have let go of thoughts of my own well being, I have had to deal with more difficult matte= rs but have eventually emerged a winner.

S and N were becoming impossible to handle. I had two choices: 1. Suggest sen= ding them back from where they had come. 2. Take them with me to Satya-jyoti and facilitate the seemingly impossible task of their inner growth. The second choice was fraught with difficulties, and my initial reaction was to resist. However, after a few moments of quiet introspection, I knew that I actually= had only one choice…the second one. The moment I realized that, all inner doubts disappeared and I was calm and ready for the work ahead.<= /span>

Sometimes, the preference for something seemingly good can also be the cause for negat= ive inner movements and create mental noise. A significant portion of my resent= ment towards others arises when I notice a disdain for the environment, apathy to clean surroundings and habits, to discipline and order, to care and attenti= on to detail. Such instances can cause momentary blindness and flashes of anger and reaction. The solution is probably to accept one’s own limitations before finding faults with others and then to step back and start with faci= litating a change in others’ attitude within the sphere that one works, while constantly setting an example. I must accept the fact that there is little I can do about the spread of industrial waste over the green patch in the outskirts of Bhiwadi (a town that I have to cross on the way to the farm) or about the illegal stone mining in the hills bordering the farm, hence not l= et it affect my inner calm.

All passions, created by the movement of the vital, make it impossible to be st= ill within. Hence, all forms of human love, irrespective of whether between men= and women, parent and child, between friends, as long as it has the power to gi= ve immense joy or pain, is a form of attachment and has the capacity to create disturbances within. Unless one has learnt to see the Divine in every individual and love every person with the same intensity, one remains vulnerable. In such a love, there is no emotional high (which is usually wh= at the vital of every average human seeks) but at the same time, there is no emotional low either… resulting in a serene calmness and poise at all times.

This reminds me of an amusing conversation I recently had with a friend who seems unhappy because she finds it difficult to open up and ‘give’ herself freely. Her opinion was that in loving everyone, one becomes like ‘the toilet paper of the Divine, to be used and thrown.’ Instea= d of getting angry, I found it immensely funny and my instant response was to say that I did not mind as long as I could do anything useful for the Divine.

2. Ego: The notion that ‘I exist’, ‘I want’, ‘I know better’ or ‘I= can do better’ or ‘I am better’ is often the reason for many = an emotion and reaction. It is the ego that makes each one of us a separate in= dividual…and the moment we differentiate ourselves from others, we become egoistic. No o= ne can see their own egos but they dislike egoism in others. Most disagreement= s, arguments and strife happen because of our egos, either individual or collective. An honest and objective criticism can hurt the ego unless one is genuinely open and receptive. When a silent mind encounters such criticism,= it would not react… instead it would be grateful for the feedback, step = back and dispassionately verify its truth, then offer it to the Divine with a pr= ayer to correct the defect and finally, forget about it.

Going into the details of trying to understand the ego-sense, the need and ways to annihilate it, would be the work of an entire project in itself and at this point I cannot pretend to understand it fully. What is clear is that when o= ne ceases to feel important about one’s own self, it is easier to become= a tiny part of the whole, to know that one is only an instrument of the Divine and therefore detach from anything that gives personal pain or pleasure. Wh= en in that state, nothing and no one can disturb our inner calm.=

All of the above can= create an instant reaction which actually takes place within a fraction of a second after the perception of a sensation. For the average human, the sensation is good if the ego is pampered or if a desire is fulfilled. (At that point one= is not aware that this pleasant feeling is only on the mental surface and deep within, one may continue to be agitated.) If one perceives this sensation as something pleasant, one responds with a smile. However, if one is criticize= d or disobeyed, the ego is hurt and the instant reaction is that of anger and hitting back, not realizing that such a reaction makes us temporarily disconnect with the Divine within us and thus vulnerable to taking wrong decisions.

3. Habits and past conditioning: = Our habits can be in the form of outer vital needs or subconscient thoughts whi= ch form ideas and beliefs.

It is easy to form a habit in everyday life… the kind of bed one sleeps = in, the way one gestures while talking. These may be good habits or bad habits.= A habit is also a form of attachment and whether good or bad, in order to be a true instrument of the Divine, it is necessary to be like a slate which can= be wiped clean at any moment, to be written on as the Divine wills. It is only when one resists the breaking of a habit, that there is disturbance within which can result in discomfort, sulking, depression or anger.

In all honesty, although positively more comfortable in the air-conditioned comfort of city life, I try not to be affected by the heat and humidity of Auroville or while working on the farm. This arises from the awareness that= the day I become habituated to the vital needs of physical comfort, I will ceas= e to give myself totally to the Divine. This awareness helps me to retain a cert= ain calm irrespective of the situation I find myself in.

The traditional and pre-conceived thoughts are far more difficult to break. Som= e of them are deep rooted enough to have found a place in the subconscient. Havi= ng grown up in a conventional family, I had to go through a lot of inner clean= sing before accepting the fact that my life would not be what it ‘should h= ave been’…marriage, children, a ‘home’. Initially, the = very thought of not having the above, took me down to the depths of dark moods a= nd resulted in frequent outbursts of resentment. Now there is a joyful accepta= nce that this is how it was meant to be and I am one of the chosen ones to serve the Divine exclusively.

4. Environmental conditioning: A = lot of mental noise is created in response to what is happening around us. Instead= of setting our own standards, we try to live a life whose standard is set by t= he society. If anything happens to make us fall short of that standard, turbul= ence occurs. Trying to live up to others’ expectations can be emotionally exhausting and when stretched to the limit, it can result in nervous breakd= owns and depression. Unfortunately, in our society, success is measured in riches and in the race to ‘arrive’, one loses contact with the inner s= elf. In the hectic pace and constant activity of our lives, in response to the h= uge amount of external stimuli and the avalanche of information that is now available at our fingertips, we forget how to be silent. How to go within, = step back, find your True Self and set our own standards.

Although I come from a family of ‘achievers’, with an immensely successf= ul brother and a very well settled sister, cousins who are ‘doing very well’, having tasted the fruits of a ‘great career’…= ;. it was not difficult for me to step back and away simply because I found it= did not matter what others did. It mattered whether my own life made sense and = if I had the courage and conviction to choose my own path and stick to it. One cannot run away from society and the effects of the environment we live in. What is important is to rise above petty comparisons, open yourself to a Hi= gher Force, and then follow your own instincts.

5. Resistance to change: Our vital generally tries to cling to everything that we are familiar or comfortable = with, be it a habit, a belief or an outer manifestation. If one is not sufficient= ly centered, then any unforeseen circumstance, which induces a change, can des= troy one’s peace. Sometimes one is aware that a change is imperative, yet = the obstinate lower vital clings to old habits, thus resisting change and creat= ing a division within the being.

E had been living alone for some time and had got quite used to her own space although she lived in a community where no one could claim anything as their sole property. It was a matte= r of time before M was asked to move in with her. E was not asked or given a cho= ice. She resented the encroachment although she was aware that M was a very accommodating person and fun to be with in her own right.=

The friendship that E and M had earlier shared, is now under tremendous strain.=

Given the fact that E had no other choice, she had become her own enemy by resist= ing the change and creating unnecessary ill will.

In fact, I thought E was an excellent example of a person plagued with inner confusion, self-doubt and insecurity while maintaining a perfectly serene o= uter poise. Her mental noise, which can probably be attributed to certain episod= es in her past life, is the devil within her, although she usually thinks othe= rs to be the cause of her unhappiness

From the above it is= easy to understand why ‘thinking’ is the same as ‘mental noise’. Just as the silent sounds of nature are often taken over with man-made noise, the natural stillness of our inner beings is disturbed by t= he chattering of our ego selves. It starts from the time we wake up in the morning, plan the day, deliberate and worry, mull over tiny inconveniences = and imagine every possibility that the future may hold. Most of the time we eit= her live in the past or anticipate the future… hardly ever living in the present. This lack of mindfulness, if allowed to rule, can create a vicious cycle and entrap a person completely. These thoughts, which are usually only our imagination at work, can cause rifts with others and disharmony within ourselves.

Chapter3- Stillness and the three modes of Nature

=

It is all very well = to say that one must be this…and one must do that. But what about the inhere= nt nature that we all are born and grow up with? How do we transcend the role = of Prakriti, which makes us what we are?

In The Synthesis of Yoga (Part 1, c= hapter X), Sri Aurobindo describes ‘The Three Modes of Nature’, Tamas, Rajas and Sattwa very explicitly.

“ Sattwa is= the force of equilibrium and translates in quality as good and harmony and happiness and light; Rajas is the force of kinesis and translates in qualit= y as struggle and effort, passion and action; Tamas is the force of inconscience= and inertia and translates in quality as obscurity and incapacity and inaction”⁵.

If we understand the= exact characteristics of the three modes, what causes them to exist, what happens= if we forcibly try to subdue a particular mode, and finally, in Sri Aurobindo’s words, how can we surpass the three lower modes in order = to reach the mode of eternal calm, it will be easier for us to understand the process to go within in order to find inner stillness.

The main characteris= tics are:

Rajas:= = The good qualities of Rajas are primarily the kinetic energy, the ability and power = to plan, create, act and overcome. Not be fazed by difficulties and challenges. The desire to excel and succeed.

Unfortunately, along= with the above, Rajas brings some evils as well: The evils of desire and passion, the need to possess and be in control, falsehood and aggression to achieve = ends at any cost, unbalanced joy and sorrow leading to strong and fierce reactio= ns.

Tamas:= Consists of everything dark and negative.

Unconsciousness, Inc= apacity, Unintelligence, Sloth, Indolence, Inactivity, Mechanical routine, Negligenc= e. Weak resignation, Dull acceptance, Constitutional feebleness, Movements of fatigue, Depression, fear, cowardly recoil, Submission to the environment, = to the pressures of men and events and forces.

Sattwa= : Full of light and poise, Clarity, Directed to= good, to knowledge, to delight and beauty, to happiness, right understanding, rig= ht equilibrium, right mind, right will and feeling, right impulse, virtue, ord= er, Warmth of sympathy and closeness, Fine adaptation and sympathy with environ= ment

From the above it is= obvious that it will be wonderful to be always in the Sattwic mode but unfortunatel= y, “No existence is cast entirely in the single mould of any of these modes of the Cosmic Force; all three are present in everyone and everywhere…. The = wise are not always wholly wise, the intelligent are intelligent only in patches, the saint suppresses in himself many unsaintly movements and the vile are n= ot entirely evil: the dullest has his unexpressed or unused and undeveloped capacities, the most timorous his moments or his way of courage, the helple= ss and weakling a latent part of strength in his nature….”⁵

A combination of the= se 3 modes of nature exists in all of us… maybe one more than the other. Depending upon the extent to which we allow them to work upon us, our mind works accordingly and our outer personalities take shape. “In the reception of the environing contacts and the reaction to them the three mod= es determine the temper of the recipient and the character of the response.= 221;⁵

=

Without necessarily = judging the person, if one knows the other individual well enough, it is often poss= ible to identify which of the three gunas is predominant in him.

I have known S very = closely for the last 15 years. He is ambitious, likes to lead a good life with all = the comforts that it has to offer, works very hard for it, constantly strives to earn more, is extremely careful with his money, is proud to be in the upper echelons of society, enjoys parties with a passion for good food and alcoho= l, is god-fearing and honest with his business associates, enjoys traveling all over the world and talking about his success and achievements. He is honest, successful and committed at work and ambitious.

The same person is e= xtremely fearful of losing what he has and as a result, goes into serious episodes of self-doubt and then does not trust any other individual. He does not know h= ow to give, to family, to friends, without expecting something in return. Strangers, those who are financially or emotionally weak, do not exist for him. When ignored by others, = broods and becomes passive, leading to tamasic inaction. He can be aggressive, critical, demanding and petty.

Because of his ‘nature’, S has never known inner peace and has not experienced moments of stillness. All his business decisions are made with the use of t= he active mind. He suffers from insecurity about the future, fear of lonelines= s. Yet, he is helpless and unable to change his life.

(It is extremely dif= ficult to do a similar analysis of one’s own nature as an impartial and discerning witness. I tried but failed.)

So where do these qu= alities come from?

All the three modes = are there in the Universe as a part of the cosmic energy and it is Prakriti or Nature which is the propelling force for moving the three qualities around like a puppeteer whi= le the mind or the ego is just the tool or the puppet. All that we consider our ‘nature’, emotions, reactions, responses, abilities, strengths, weaknesses are nothing other than “the play of the Nature to which= the soul, attracted, won and subjected, lent its passive concurrence” 5 Thus, Nature is not the only deter= mining factor, the soul has a role to play, it can determine the dominating mode a= nd the combinations. If the Purusha is in harmony with the lower Prakriti, and allows it to execute, then one continues to remain ignorant of the fact tha= t it is indeed possible to rise above the play of Nature.

However, it is not e= nough to become aware of that possibility but also important to know how to do it.

“An escape = from the action of the two inferior gunas is very evidently indispensable if we are = to transmute our present nature into a power and form of the divine consciousn= ess and an instrument of its forces…Tamas unenlightened and Rajas unconverted, no divine change or divine life is possible.

An exclusive reso= rt to Sattwa would seem to be the way of escape: but there is this difficulty tha= t no one of the qualities can prevail by itself against its two companions and rivals.”⁵ If we are aware that a certain desire or need = is the cause of disturbance or pain and we try very hard to curb it, then Rajas wi= ll get subdued but Tamas will rise. There will be an unhappy withdrawal and disinterest leading to negative detachment. If Rajas is completely absent a= nd one is predominantly sattwic, the quietness in the soul will turn into a pl= ace of tranquil but passive inaction, more sattwa-tamasic. Tamas contradicts Rajas by inertia and Sattwa by narrowness, obscurity and ignorance and, if either is depressed, it pours in to occupy its place.”=

“If we seek= a compromise between the three modes, sattwa leading, the others subordinate, still we have arrived at a more temperate action of the play of Nature. A n= ew poise has been reached, but a spiritual freedom and mastery are not in sigh= t or else are still only a far off prospect.”⁵

=

The next obvious que= stion that arises is: How does one achieve this supreme harmony of the three mode= s?

“… it must be by a quiescen= ce of action in a luminous peace and silence in which all necessary movements are done without any conscious reaction or participation or initiation= of action by the mind or by the life-being, without any ripple of thought= or the eddy of the vital parts: it must be done under the impulsion, by t= he initiation, by the working of an impersonal cosmic or a transcendent Force. A cosmic, mind, life substance must act, or a pure transcendent Self-Power and Bliss other than our own personal Being or its building= of Nature. This is a state of freedom which can come in the Yoga of works through renunciation of ego and desire and personal initiation and the surrender of the being to the cosmic Self or to the universal Shakti; = it can come in the Yoga of Knowledge by the cessation of thought, the silence of the mind, the opening of the whole being to the cosmic Consciousness, to the cosmic self, the cosmic Dynamis or to the supreme reality; it can come in the Yoga of devotion by the surrender = of the heart and the whole nature into the hands of the All-Blissful as t= he adored Master of our existence.”

“This supreme harmony cannot come ex= cept by the cessation of the egoistic will and choice and act and the quiescence of our limited intelligence. The individual ego must ce= ase to strive, the mind fall silent, the desire-will learn not to initiate. Our personality must join its source and all thought and initiation co= me from above.”
“A radically different movement has = to draw us back from the gunas and lift us above them. The error that acc= epts the action of the modes of Nature must cease; for as long as it is accepted, the soul is involved in their operations and subjected to th= eir law. Sattwa must be transcended as well as Rajas and Tamas….The = Gita prescribes to this end a new method of self-discipline. It is to st= and back in oneself from the action of the modes and observe this unsteady flux as the Witness seated above the surge of forces of Nature….The detached Witness is able to see entirely without the least blinding by egoism the play of her modes of the Ignorance and to pursue it into all its ramifications, coverings and subtleties-for its full of camouflage and disguise and snare and treachery and ruse…= ;He escapes from the sattwic egoism of the altruist and the saint and the thinker; he shakes off from its control on his life-impulses the rajas= ic egoism of the self-seeker and ceases to be the laborious caterer of self-interest and the pampered prisoner or toiling galley slave of pas= sion and desire…Thus convinced and conscious of the essential vice of= the ego-sense in all our personal action, he seeks no longer to find a mea= ns of self-correction and self-liberation in the rajasic or sattwic ego b= ut looks above, beyond the instruments and working of Nature, to the Mast= er of works alone and his supreme Shakti, the supreme Prakriti.” 5

The steps to transcend above the three modes, as I understand them, would then = be:

- An awarene= ss of the planes of one’s being and the effect of the play of Nature on the= m.

- An awarene= ss of the disharmony between the soul and the forces of Nature.=

- An underst= anding that if one of the modes is forcibly subdued in favour of the other, the disequilibrium and disharmony continue.

- A will and aspiration to transcend above the play of the three modes.

- Opening the whole being to cosmic Consciousness, silence of thought and intellect and t= he ego (possible when one has absolute Faith and surrenders to Divine Will), being= an impersonal witness to the influence of the dominating modes (writing a daily journal in all honesty).

In practical terms, = what is needed to transform our lower nature in order to achieve perfect yogic pois= e, are the following:

-Sincere Aspiration: Time and again the Mother has said that the first condition= is that one must feel the need for it. Most of us, when in a situation where a human solution seems impossible, call on a Higher Force to interven= e. The average human who is busy with the every day outer life feels that need only once in a while. But the person who is on the path of yoga, who is see= king a transformation, feels that need constantly… every waking moment. If this call to the Grace is sincere, it awakens an intense aspiration and a consciousness which opens one to the Grace and it is in this condition that= it becomes possible to change one’s nature.

“When one aspires for something, if at the same time one knows that the aspiration will be heard and answered in the best way possible, that establishes a quietude in the being, a quietude in its vibrations…”⁶

-Faith : An observation = from my daily journal on 31^st May 2006: “I feel overwhelmed today by the volume of work. There are two commitments to be made today and= two others have already been made. All of them pertain to deadlines and lead eventually towards more income. I have come to terms with the ‘earning money’ aspect of the Trust. It is necessary to earn money and grow so that we can take in more people. However, I have been finding it difficult = to strike a balance as to exactly how much we should take on and commit oursel= ves to, without becoming another ‘factory’. Toady there was a breakthrough. It suddenly dawned on me that I cannot take a decision by usi= ng my rational mind and plan our moves with reasoning. If I do that, there is = some disharmony somewhere. I am confused and doubt my own motives. Whereas, if I leave it to The Mother and just act spontaneously, do what feels right with= in, take up the opportunities that come our way and then have enough Faith and leave it to Her, then all that happens will be a happy natural progress= ion. The outcome will then be totally according to Divine Will and I will only b= e a channel for Her Force.

Today, saying ‘No’ to any of the forthcoming projects did not feel rig= ht. I was worrying where the investment amounts would come from… suddenly that did not seem to matter any more. There was a feeling of lightness with= in and interestingly, one of the issues got resolved on its own in the next few hours.”

The next time I come upon a similar decision making situation, I know all I hav= e to do is stay still (not question or reason too much), have Faith that the Div= ine is operating through me and listen to the voice within. <= /p>

-Consciousness: To be conscious is not just to be awake and active. It is also to be aware = of the Self, the presence of the Force and its sublime powers. Only when one becomes aware of succumbing to the play of Prakriti and being tossed around= on waves of ignorance, swayed by thoughts and feelings, grief and joy and all kinds of reactions, that one aspires for a Higher Consciousness and it usua= lly happens during moments of silence.

The higher the consciousness, the greater is the harmony of the three gunas in = the individual.

To me, consciousness also means clear thinking and the ability to express the thoughts clearly, precisely and honestly without letting our thoughts and expression get clouded by emotion, personal preference, egoism or circumsta= nce. Again, this is only possible when the mind is silent and free of all unnecessary clutter.

When in contact with another individual who is angry, frustrated, unhappy or restless, the vital vibrations of such a person can invade our consciousnes= s if we are not guarded and infect us with the same negativity. Sometimes it can almost be like a physical blow. If one has a very high level of consciousne= ss, it is possible to protect oneself and prevent such vibrations from entering, thus retaining a yogic calm despite the presence of the disturbed person.

-Detachment and equanimity: Most important requirement for inner stillness. First a= nd foremost, one must detach from all outcomes and focus only on the present. = It helps tremendously to detach from relationships and material things but it = is also equally important to detach from all compulsions. It is only when one = has surrendered everything to the Divine, that it is possible to be absolutely = calm and still and not feel a twinge if one is wronged or if another object is t= aken away and it is in such circumstances that one can maintain absolute equanim= ity.

Today I am Satya-jyoti and Satya-jyoti is I. Tomorrow, anything can happen which = may separate us. Am I ready for it? Actually, I have not given it a thought but= I do know that if such a situation arises I will need time and space to go wi= thin and then take the path that seems appropriate. It is meaningless at this po= int to ponder over a hypothetical question.

Recently, I had the good fortune to witness Divine Will in action and the joy that ca= me from surrender without an attachment to personal plans. Last week my trip t= o Pondicherry was s= upposed to be for only 3 days which included a Friday (15^th of July) and= the weekend. I had a return ticket for Monday (17^th July) morning. T= he person I had a prior appointment with, suddenly decided to leave for Bangalore after I= had arrived in Chennai. Although this meant I would either have to return later again or spend some extra money to extend my ticket, strangely, there was no anger and just a calm acceptance. My ticket was postponed to Wednesday. On Monday evening Nirod da passed away and I was there to pay my last homage to him. Incidents such as this make me aware that we are mere instruments of t= he Divine.

Equanimity is to remain undisturbed in the face of any eventuality. =

“equality brings an entire ch= ange of the view and the attitude. The first result of the equal mind and the sp= irit is to bring about an increasing charity and inner toleration of all persons, ideas, views, actions, because it is seen that God is in all beings and each acts according to its nature, his svabhava, and its present formulations.”⁷⁼

-Selfless intentions - Goodwill. This has already been partly discussed in Chapte= r 1. If everything that one does is consecrated to the Divine, without the involvement of the ego or personal desires, it naturally creates goodwill towards others and brings about an inner calm. However, that does not mean = that one never shows any anger or never scolds anyone. If the intention is true = and there is goodwill at heart, the admonishment is also a refined and a necess= ary act which only has a positive outcome in the long run. Such an expression of anger usually does not create any ripples within and there are no negative vibes. It is easy to cloak one’s reaction with the disguise of goodwi= ll and one must watch out for that. Most of the time we are busy fooling ourselves. We justify everything we do from our own point of view, becoming= totally blind to the fact that it is the movements of the lower vital or our ego th= at is attempting to satisfy itself. There can be no inner quiet without absolute honesty with one’s own self.

-The Will: “If there is a constant use of the will the rest of the being learns however slowly to obey the will and then the actions become in conformity with the will and not with the vital impulses and desires. As for the rest (the feelings and desires etc. themselves)if they are not indulged= in action or imagination and not supported by the will, if they are merely loo= ked at and rejected when they come, then after some struggle they begin to lose their force and dwindle away.”⁸

Unless our will is strong, it is ea= sy to fall into inertia or a rajasic egoistic mode and become a puppet in the han= ds of Prakriti.

Using the will is different from making an effort. A strong will is an intention,= a prayer and an aspiration. There are no passions involved with it. One does = not feel dejected if the will does not immediately respond. However, an effort = is an egoistic action. The Mother says “…to obtain mental silence,one must learn to relax, to let oneself float on the waves of the universal force as a plank floats on water, motionless but relaxed. Effort = is never silent.”⁹⁼

-Outer silence in everyday life: From my journal dated 18^th July 2006: The last 3 days spent with Uma and Manoj at Bliss in Auroville were beautif= ul. It felt like I was home. The easy silence that floats around Bliss is rejuvenating. Although we were meeting after a long time, there was no unnecessary chatter, no catching up on the past. The conversations we had w= ere full of lightness and humour, all related to the present. Manoj’s birthday was celebrated in a special way. A small group of friends cooked a simple meal. Bliss was decorated with simple flower arrangements, candles a= nd incense. The evening was spent together in silence. The food was eaten in t= otal silence (as is the ritual in Bliss for all meals). As I close my eyes now a= nd try to capture memories of the evening, the words that come to mind are: beauty, peace, goodwill, harmony… all are elements which connect us to our innermost being.

Brevity of speech: An outer silence, however forced, gradually calms the thinking mind. Most o= f us speak many more words than is actually necessary to communicate. Not surprisingly, the more mentally developed one is, the less one speaks and v= ice versa. Precisely and briefly spoken words have a far greater impact than a = long litany which meanders around.

Music and art: Acts of drawing or painting, singing or listening to music that elevates the consciousness, reading or writing poetry… are all activities that can introduce inner stillness within the being. Also, any repetitive physical w= ork done in silence, e.g. polishing wood, rowing a boat, harvesting the crops, weeding the grass…can do the same if one does the work with a higher consciousness (with the sole intention to do it perfectly).

Meditation: Befo= re I started practicing reiki, meditation frightened me. I did not believe I cou= ld sit quietly for a long period. Reiki taught me to go inward and gave me the freedom to fall asleep if I wanted to. Then I started going to the Matriman= dir in Auroville. Initially, the quiet, cool, majestic yet serene all white inn= er chamber just made me feel good. I felt secure and happy and started enjoying the silence inside. The ritual of the long, unhurried walk up the ramp, or = the peaceful air under the banyan tree were as special as the inner chamber. On= ce inside, I could close my eyes and freely let all my thoughts pass through. Strangely, I never did fall asleep yet sometimes I felt like I had just wok= en up. I was in no hurry to get anywhere, hence I could spend time there (as l= ong as I wanted to) twice a day. Initially, I would rest my back against the wa= ll or the pillar. Gradually I started sitting straight and observed my breathi= ng. That stopped the movement of my thoughts. Sometimes my thoughts would take = over and I would forget to focus on my breath… but that did not matter.

Now, meditation is not just a habit, it is a necessity. There is no need for a specific place or time any more. Whenever I face a big dilemma, I meditate. During those moments I sincerely call the Divine, sometimes I converse with= the Mother. It’s not that I find an answer miraculously, I just feel calm= and still within and then the necessary action just flows.

Swami Kriyananda’s article titled ‘Concentration on the Breath leads = to inner stillness’ throws light on the advanced practice of focusing on= the breath to the extent of staying breathless for long periods in order to rea= ch the point of perfect stillness. (Appendix 1)

-Sleep, rest and relaxation. The power of Nature: There are several occasions when I lose my cool with a person not because he has made a big mistake but because I am at the end of my patience, having had to run around trying to do multiple tasks, losing sleep, working in the hot and humid atmosphere, transferring my frustrations to the car which reacts with a flat tyre…! Here, I am letting my physical being disturb my inner quiet.

“Take care to rest enough. You must guard against fatigue as it may bring relaxat= ion and tamas. To rest well is not tamas, as some people suppose; it can be don= e in the right consciousness to maintain the bodily energy…”¹⁰

If one stops to listen, one can hear the body. If the body is tired, the mind = gets clouded just as a troubled mind makes the body sick. It is necessary to have adequate amount of conscious sleep in order to stay poised and calm.

One of the best ways to induce inner stillness is to be one with nature. All of= us have at some point felt an immense unspeakable joy while beholding a field = of yellow mustard flowers swaying in the breeze or the sight of white birds floating against a grey sky. Even a small patch of green or a small lily po= ol or a single tree has the power to soothe. In these moments there is a widen= ing of the consciousness.

“If you are reading something and come across a thought you do not understand – it is beyond you, you understand nothing and so in your head it lies like a brick, and if you try to understand, it becomes more and more like a brick, a stiffening, and if you persist it gives you a headache. There is b= ut one thing to do: not to struggle with the words, remain just like this (gesture: stretched out, immobile), create a relaxation, simply widen, widen… in this relaxing your headache goes away. You no longer think = of anything, you wait for a few days and after some days you see from inside: “Oh! How clear it is! I understand what I had not understood.” = It is as easy as that.”¹¹

Another wonderful way of widening the consciousness as explained by the Mother:

“…when you are bored by something, when something is painful to you or very unpleasant, if you begin to think of the eternity of time and the immensity= of space, if you think that all that has gone before and all that will come afterwards, and that this second in eternity is truly just a passing breath, and that it seems so utterly ridiculous to be upset by something which in t= he eternity of time has no place, no importance, because, what indeed is a sec= ond in eternity?...And in the space of three minutes if you do this properly, a= ll unpleasantness is swept away. Even a deep pain can be swept away….= 221;¹²

It now dawns on me that the solitary nights that I had spent in my hut in Auroville, hearing the frogs croaking through the ni= ght, sitting absolutely still to allow the mongoose to enter the room, letting t= he dog ‘Pasha’ come and go as he pleased, were all moments when my consciousness had been widening and I was being healed of my past without putting in any personal effort at all.

-Be a witness: Once one becomes aware of the play of nature and the operation of the menta= l, vital and physical beings within us, and aspires to bring about a change, it becomes necessary to first observe the movements honestly and objectively. =

Earlier, I did keep a diary, but that was either to record events or pour my emotions out whenever there was a need. As a part of the facilitation course, we were required to keep a journal and observe and record our inner movements. The first few months were difficult and it seemed like a task but on perseverin= g with the practice, it soon became an indispensable discipline. To be truthful, i= ts not that I make an entry every day, but whenever I go through a rough patch… a bout of anger or sulking, if I have allowed a preference and then brooded about it, if I have been irritable and impatient… I write about it to find the point of origin. Why did I react? How could I have don= e it differently?

It is not about finding faults with others or with situations and circumstances any more, it is about being an impartial witness to the play of your own na= ture in order to transform it.

=

Chapter 4- The parts of the Being which cause disturbances

In this chapter the = attempt is to identify those parts of our being which make it difficult to be still within. One needs to be aware of them so that any movement in those parts c= an be ignored until they cease to surge up.

For the benefit of t= he uninitiated, the main parts and subdivisions, along with their characterist= ics are briefly explained here.

The Mental, Vital an= d the Physical constitute the Outer Being: On the surface, the mental and the vit= al appear mixed up.

The Mental= : Part of nature that has to do with cognition = and intelligence, ideas, mental or thought perceptions, reaction of thought, me= ntal movements and formations, mental vision and will.

The Vital: The life force which is also the seat of desires, sensations, feelings, passions, energies of action, will of desire, possessiveness, anger, fear, depression, greed, lust, etc. Impatience is another aspect of the vital, directly related to desires. The stronger the desire, the greater the impatience. While free expression of the vital movements causes disturbance, so does forced suppression of the vital. Therefore the only solution seems to be to transform them from the lower vi= tal to a higher vital.

The Physical: The body consciousness, tamas, inertia, dulln= ess, fumes of the subconscient, all automatic functions, matters of health and illness. An aspect of inertia is passivity, which manifests as a weakness of the will.

SUBDIVISIONS:

The physical mind= : Some of the characteristics of the physical, na= mely, inertia, tendency to act mechanically like automation, repetitiveness, constriction and chaotic activity are reflected in the physical mind in the form of obsessive thoughts, compulsive behaviour, indecision, mental torpor= , doubt, obscurity, confusion, mechanical reactions to things and habitual modes of thinking. It is susceptible to the influence of the physical environment. Regarding this factor, the Mother says:

“One believ= es he has his own way of thinking. Not at all. It depends totally on the people o= ne speaks with or the books he has read or on the mood he is in. It depends al= so on whether you have a good or bad digestion, it depends upon whether you are shut up in a room without proper ventilation or whether you are in the open air; it depends upon whether you have a beautiful landscape before you; it depends on whether there is sunshine or rain! You are not aware of it but y= ou think all kinds of things, completely different according to a heap of thin= gs which have nothing to do with you.”¹³

^<=
/o:p>

One form of doubt th= at plagues the physical mind is indecision in the face of several desires pull= ing from different directions. It is common in those who have an active physical mind, those who foresee too many options at a time.

The vital mind: The function of the vital mind is not to thin= k or reason, but to dream and imagine, whether it is about success or failure, enjoyment or suffering, good fortune or ill fortune, fearful imaginations a= nd anticipations resulting in anxiety.

It is the vital mind= that creates the defence mechanism which is a way of warding off a painful feeli= ng, such as anxiety, guilt, etc. from the level of awareness. Rationalisation i= s a defence mechanism in which the mind colludes with the vital to provide expl= anations and justify impulses and desires of the vital.

The vital physica= l: This part is involved with the reaction of the = nerves and the reflexive sensations and feelings. It is also the agent of pain and disease of mind and body.

The Subconscient:= All that is consciously experienced sinks down = into the subconscient (not as conscious memories) but in the form of obstinate impressions of experiences which gets locked away out of sight until it cho= oses to come out, totally without one’s conscious will.<= /p>
The seeds which feed= the subconscious:

-all the potential p= rimitive reactions to life

-all that is conscio= usly experienced on the waking surface

-all that is suppres= sed without being got rid of

These seeds, which a= re in the form of fixed notions, im= pressions, associations, obstinate beliefs and samskaras,

sprout and come up t= o the surface, totally without one’s conscious will or participation, in various forms:

In dreams… in an incoherent, disorganized or distorted manner

As mechanical repetition of old thoughts, = same suggestions, impulses or sensations

As chronic or repetitive illnesses

As old mental, physical or vital habits

As ‘complexes’ exploding into = action

In order to find inn= er stillness, it is necessary to get rid of all the above disturbances and for that, apart from aspiration, sincerity, will and perseverance, one needs to develop the ability to observe and discern. Unless one knows which part of = the being the reaction is originating from, one will not be able to transform i= t.

=

Chapter-5 Active vs. passive silence

“The passive silence is that in which the inner consciousness remains void and at rest, makes no reaction to outer things and forces. The active silence is that in which there is a great force that goes out on things and forces without disturbing the silence.”¹⁴

^<=
/o:p>

How can stillness be ‘Dynamic’?

Active silence is th= at state of heightened awareness from which one acts when one is centered and still. There is no outer effort. When one is truly silent, one just does what has = to be done…no more, no less. But stillness alone is not enough…it = is also necessary to be place one’s consciousness as high as possible in one’s being.

=

One of my doubts abo= ut practicing silence, was that I feared becoming passive. I now realize that = this fear originated from the fact that I would lose my ‘individualityR= 17;, my leonine ‘personality’. I thought that if I became a calmer person, I would become boring…and for a person whose outer personality was her asset, it was indeed a frightening prospect. Apart from that, I feared that I would become lazy. With no one to prove anything to, I would not put in enough effort.

Fortunately, these w= ere just thoughts arising out of a ‘conditioned’ mind, or rather, a play= of the modes of Nature which I am prone to succumb to. As I kept going inwards= , I had little concern about what others would think of me. The most important matter was: Was I being true to the Mother? Then it was easier to withdraw = from the outer world, empty my mind of all pre-conceived thoughts and have faith that She would give me the work and if I was silent enough to hear Her voic= e, I would immediately respond.

At this point, I must mention a recent observation. Although I believe that most of everything th= at I now do is guided by a Higher Force and I am content to be the way I am, = others, who are more driven, may often perceive me to be passive. I realize thi= s is all quite relative because of my experience with a young American student w= ho volunteered to work with us for a month. She was well on the path of a spiritual search and spent more time reading and meditating than what we ca= ll ‘work’. She was the quiet kind and had a peaceful presence, but= did not lift a finger…even to make her own bed. It was a learning experie= nce for me and I resolved to put up a set of written rules for the next intern = we may have, but her passivity did leave me frustrated. The same may apply to = me as well from the point of view of a more active person. <= /p>
So when is it inerti= a born out of laziness and inertia resulting from a higher consciousness?

=

“There are = two kinds of stillness – the helpless stillness of inertia, which heralds dissolution, and the stillness of assured sovereignty which commands the harmony of life. It is the sovereign stillness which is the calm of the Yog= in. The more complete the calm, the mightier the yogic power, the greater the f= orce in action…The inaction of the tamasic man is a stumbling block to the energies around him, the inaction of the Yogin creates, preserves and destr= oys; his action is dynamic with the direct, stupendous driving power of great natural forces…”¹⁵

&nbs= p;

Someone who is on th= e path of integral yoga can be inert in order to be a true instrument of the Divin= e, yet there is a quiet vigilance in that state of passivity to the suggestions and movements of the lower nature. There is an inner and outer calm which m= ay appear tamasic to the ordinary man, yet such a person is someone who does h= is share of work quietly, has a heightened sense of awareness though he does n= ot speak much,

does not interfere i= n the lives and works of others unless asked, is not affected by the ups and down= s of life. This person will never be inactive for a long period of time.

The above are some o= f the qualities of people I actually know in Pondicherry and Auroville but my most profound experience so far has been with Nirod da= .

I got to know Nirod = da in the last two years of his life (after he crossed his 100^th year), when he hardly ever spoke and was more or less confined to his room. With h= is mighty yogic power, he was constantly at work and in the little time that I spent in his quiet presence, I felt my consciousness widening and a Force coming down which cannot be described in words here. He must have been doing similar or more work with many other aspirants and sadhaks.

This seems to be the= true form of active silence.

On the other hand, p= assive silence is the result of a vacant mind, where there is no thought, no conception, no mental action of any kind. Such a person may have to be cons= tantly told what to do and when he performs a task, it is not done mindfully. He m= ay have a calm exterior, speak less, but being passive to the movements of the lower vital, be extremely vulnerable and weak.

Stillness can be dyn= amic when the mind is silenced and then it begins to act, intensely and powerful= ly, yet retaining its fundamental stillness. Nothing originates from the mind, everything comes down from Above and gives it a mental form. The dynamic ac= tion of a still mind knows no boundaries and there is nothing that it cannot achieve. Sri Aurobindo’s volumes of work, his poetic genius, his sens= e of music… are all examples of this fact.

“Quietude i= s a very positive state; there is a positive peace which is not the opposite of conflict- an active peace, contagious, powerful, which controls and calms, which puts everything in order, organizes. It is of this I am speaking; whe= n I tell someone “Be calm”, I don’t mean to say “ Go and sleep, be inert and passive, and don’t do anything”, far from it!...True quietude is a very great force, a very great strength. In fact o= ne can say, looking at the problem from the other side, that all those who are really strong and powerful are always very calm. It is only the weak who are agitated…”¹⁶

Chapter 6: Stillness- the source of spontaneous action and intuition

The Mother’s o= wn words best describe the state of inner stillness in which one can get a higher insight without having to make a personal effort.

“It is an admirable state;= it is perfect peace of mind. There is no longer any need to accumulate acquired knowledge, received ideas which have to be memorized; it is no longer neces= sary to clutter one’s brain with thousands and thousands of things in orde= r to have at one’s command, when the time comes, the knowledge that is nee= ded to perform an action, to impart a teaching, to solve a problem. The mind is silent, the brain is still, everything is clear, quiet, calm; and at the ri= ght moment, by divine Grace a drop of light falls into the consciousness and wh= at needs to be known is known. Why should one care to remember- why try to ret= ain that knowledge? On the day or at the moment that it is needed one will have= it again. At each second one is a blank page on which what must be known is inscribed- in the peace, the repose, the silence of a perfect receptivity.”¹⁷

When in the above st= ate (which is more or less a state close to divinity), the action that one does= is spontaneous. Therefore, in order to be spontaneous, one needs to be perfect= ly simple and in order to be so, one needs to be absolutely sincere. To be absolutely sincere is not to have any division, any contradiction in one’s being.

Does this mean that = when the mental and vital disturbances have been silenced, one is highly conscious a= nd in a state of heightened awareness, yet absolutely still within, open only = to the Mother, one then has an intuitive awareness of the next course of action or the path to follow?

Most enlightened ind= ividuals do indeed have that knowledge, but is that intuition or is that the supermi= nd?

In Sri AurobindoR= 17;s words:

“The intuit= ion is the first plane in which there is a real opening to the full possibility of realization- it is through it that one goes farther-first to overmind and t= hen to supermind.”¹⁸

“The intuit= ive mind is an immediate translation of truth into mental terms half transformed by a radiant supramental substance, a translation of some infinite self-knlowled= ge that acts above mind in the superconscient spirit…as the intuitive mi= nd grows in us, as our whole being grows more moulded to an intuitive substanc= e, we feel a sort of half transformation of our members into the nature of thi= s greater self and spirit. All our thought, will, impulse, feeling, even in the end o= ur more outward vital and physical sensations become more and more direct transmissions from the spirit and are of another and a more and more pure a= nd untroubled, powerful and luminous nature.”¹⁹<= /span>

Thus we see that the= dynamic power of stillness affects the entire process of transformation and if sincerely aspired for, is the path that can lead us to the supramental.

A calm, steady and s= till mind is the right platform for concentration as well. Thoughts distract us.= “..concentration brings back all the scattered threads of consciousness to a single point, a single idea. Those who can attain perfect attention succeed in everything t= hey undertake…”²⁰

Chapter-7: Initiating stillness- facilitation methods

3 case studies

=

As a facilitator, ha= ving understood the need for inner stillness in order to transform, my search no= w is to find ways to intitiate the process in those people who are very disturbe= d by the volume of their mental noise, yet are unaware that it is within their o= wn capacity to change themselves.

My work started with the girls f= rom the village between the age group of 9 to 14. Uneducated, some full of energy, some quieter. Although I do not know them individually well enough = to know their natures, it probably does not matter. Going by the premise that = all ordinary humans go through similar vital movements, some more than others, taking them through exercises which would seem like play and yet be effecti= ve enough to silence their minds for some time, is the objective.

I have noticed it is difficult to make them sit quietly for a full minute. The only time when th= ey seem to concentrate fully is when they are doing something with their hands…making fabric flowers or drawing. They like to work in teams to compete with each other.

I play a soft music = and ask them to sit around in a circle. They are given a sheet of paper and colours. Then I blindfold them. For the next 10 minutes as they sit blindfolded, I t= alk to them about a lake, with flowers and tress around it and a boat. I descri= be the scenery in detail specifying the colours. Make it sound like a story. T= hen one by one they are moved away from the circle and the blindfold is opened. Without saying a word, they start drawing that scenery for the next 15 minu= tes. Those who finish early, sit quietly.

Once we collect the drawings, I talk to each one individually based on what their drawings refl= ect.

The second group<= /span> are the older girls from the Trust who are res= idents of the farm. I know them better and can more or less understand their inner movements.

Day 1<= span style=3D'font-family:Arial'>: 30^th June: 8am: Started with the g= irls today. Only R and S came at 7.30 sharp. S had been up at 6.30am and had finished one part of her day’s work.

I explained briefly = in Hindi about our outer being which makes us see, react, talk, think, act the way w= e do every day… and our inner being about which we are hardly aware. The m= ore we live in the outer world, the more disturbances we have within, all of wh= ich we attribute to other external sources. Hence there is a need to get in tou= ch with our inner beings (atma) and we can do that by closing our eyes and sit= ting quietly for 5 minutes. Be aware of surrounding sounds, try to focus on breathing. The girls listened attentively and shut their eyes. <= /span>

I guided them gently= to become aware of the sounds, their breathing, their bodies and finally, their thoughts.

Strangely, the 5 min= utes became 15 before I realized it was time to stop. The girls seemed peaceful… minimum movements, eyes remained closed throughout.

Then played a soft f= lute music for 5 minutes and after shutting it down, asked them to open their ey= es when ready.

R came out with a sm= ile, S seemed emotional (she was wiping her eyes) Decided to go first with R and a= sked her how she felt. Could not explain very well but said she felt very good. = It had not been difficult at all. Many thoughts had come and gone. =

S had regained compo= sure by now and her face lit up when she described the sound of the birds outside. = She now had a delightful childlike smile on her face (which I have seen after a very long time). However, again, did not talk more about the experience. I = did not probe and ended by saying we will try to start our day with outer silen= ce every day.

Question: How import= ant is it to ask them to share their experiences?

Day 2: Today we have= 4 of the girls. Shakuntala is more at ease because she now knows the process. Ma= mta needs it the most. There was a time when she would have been scared to open= her eyes but today is fine.

The third is an individual… my mother. S= he is someone who is seeking spiritual bliss, yet lives completely in the outer world. Will outer silence help her to go inwards?

Exercise for her: Fo= r 1 whole day, maintain complete silence. She can choose the day and then make = sure she does not utter one word… to the maid, to her husband. No telephone calls (however much the temptation or provocation). No TV. She can either listen to music, read non-fiction, or write. At night, before going to bed, write down about her experience.

She actually managed= to do it and gave me her written experience which was as follows:

“Woke up at 6a= m and went through my usual routine. It is 9.45 pm now. Haven’t faced any difficulty for not talking.

I am an outgoing per= son. I enjoy dressing up, meeting people, talking and laughing with them. Although= I do not talk much at home these days. Generally the TV is on in the afternoon and at night, but today I have not switched it on. I have not gone out eith= er. Hence I was getting a little bored and there was a feeling of emptiness. On= the other hand, this has given me more time to do my work. Has given me more ti= me to think. Have felt that it is not good to talk too much but there is nothi= ng wrong about going out, meeting people and watching tv. This keeps me entertained and happy and makes me think and worry less. I also realized th= at it is important to stay physically fit. I am still not so spiritual to think t= hat the Divine will take care of all. I believe that not just for one day but m= ore frequently, even in the midst of others and one’s own work, one should abstain from talking. During my Art of Living advanced course in Rishikesh,= I did not get bored at all. There was no desire to watch tv or to talk. I have read a few pages of the Gita today and also the book – 5 point someon= e. Don’t know if I should have read that. But not the newspaper. In the afternoon my son (in Californ= ia) was video-chatting on the computer with my husband. I went and stood there = but did not talk. He appreciated the fact that I was abstaining from talking to= day and appreciated it. That made me happy.”

On going through the= above, I can analyse the movements within the parts of her being but that is not t= he purpose here. I have explained it to her mildly and left it at that. If and when she feels the need to change, she may want to fall back on this exerci= se and then we can go a step further.

While doing some res= earch on the Net, I came across a person called Genece Hamby in the United States. Her artwork, her poems and her article on stillness were inspiring and I wr= ote to her. She replied instantly and now she may be a visitor to Satya-jyoti in the near future. One of her article is attached. (Appendix 2)

Conclusion

This monograph has h= elped me find the key to my progress.

The notion that R= 16;I know better’ is indeed the root cause for many a disturbance within me which results in anger, impatience and irritation.

My ego needs to be surrendered more completely.

My work, which is th= e life I lead, has given me the opportunity to actively facilitate the growth of consciousness in self and others. This monograph has made my work easier by showing me the path and the exercises which were done, has started the jour= ney.

Most of everything t= hat I have written here has been a lived experience and I have not hesitated to u= se words from the Mother and Sri Aurobindo wherever necessary simply because I think that they have a power which is tangible.

In conclusion, one c= an say that Inner Stillness connects us to the Divine within us, to the Higher For= ce above, initiates growth of consciousness, transforms our nature and opens up our intuitive mind.

References

1: 2/1/1937. Learning to= live within, pg 265, SAA-1996.

2: The Mother-On Edu= cation, The four austerities pg 64., SAA2003,

3. The silence and b= eyond the silence…words of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo, =

pg 31,AIM booklet Aug 2001

4. The silence and b= eyond the silence…words of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo, =

pg 45,AIM booklet Aug 2001
5.The Synthesis of Y= oga (Part 1, chapter X), by Sri Aurobindo,&nbs= p; Sri Aurobindo Ashram, =

Pondicherry, tenth impression, 1996.

6.Living within, pg = 49, The yoga approach to psychological health and growth,

selections of the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, compiled by

A.S.Dalal, (pg 154) Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, tenth impression, 2000.

7. The Synthesis of = Yoga (pg 699, chapter XIII) by Sri Aurobindo, Sri Aurobindo

Ashram, Pondicherry, tenth impression, 1996

8. Letters on Yoga (= pg 1719, part4, section VI) by Sri Aurobindo, Sri Aurobindo

Ashram, Pondicherry, sixth impression 1995.

9. The silence and b= eyond the silence…words of the Mother and Shri Aurobindo (pg 36),

AIM booklet Aug 2001

10. Living within, T= he yoga approach to psychological health and growth, selections <= /p>
of the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, compiled by A.S.Dalal, (pg 86)

Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry<= /st1:place>, tenth impression, 2000.

11. Living within, T= he yoga approach to psychological health and growth, selections <= /p>
of the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, compiled by A.S.Dalal,(pg 151) S= ri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry<= /st1:City>, tenth impression, 2000.

12. Living within, T= he yoga approach to psychological health and growth, selections <= /p>
of the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, compiled by A.S.Dalal, (pg 154) = Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry<= /st1:City>, tenth impression, 2000.

13. Collected works = of the Mother (Cent Ed. Vol. 6) pp-258-259.

14. Letters on Yoga = II(pg 647, part 2, section IV) by Sri Aurobindo, Sri Aurobindo =

Ashram, Pondicherry, sixth impression 1995.

15. The silence and = beyond the silence…words of the Mother and Shri Aurobindo (pg 11 =

&12), AIM booklet Aug 2001

16. The Science of l= iving- a simple programme, (pg 17) AIM booklet 2006

17. The silence and = beyond the silence words of the Mother and Shri Aurobindo (pg 30),

AIM booklet Aug 2001

18. Letters on Yoga = I(pg 264) by Sri Aurobindo, Sri Aurobindo

Ashram, Pondicherry, sixth impression 1995.

19. The synthesis of= yoga by Sri Aurobindo, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry= ,

(pg 781, chapter xxi)tenth impression, 1996.

20. The Sunlit Path, Passages from Conversations and writings of The Mother, (pg

66, Concentration)Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry. Eighth impression 2004.

Bibliography

The Sunlit Path, Passages from Conversatio= ns and writings of The Mother, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry. Eighth impression 200= 4.

The Mother’s Vision-selections from questions and answers, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, 2002.

Letters on Yoga (I, II and III) by Sri Aurobindo, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, sixth impression 1995.

Living within, The yoga approach to psychological health and growth, selections of the works of Sri Aurobi= ndo and the Mother, compiled by A.S.Dalal, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicher= ry, tenth impression, 2000.

The Life Divine by Sri Aurobindo, Sri Auro= bindo Ashram, Pondicherry, twelfth impression 1997.

The synthesis of yoga by Sri Aurobindo, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, = tenth impression, 1996.

All India<= /st1:country-region> magazine booklets: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry<= /li>

-Replace ego by divine consciousness. 1998=

-What is consciousness? 1999<= /b>

-Two great steps in the sadhana of integral yog= a. 2003

-Know thyself and forget thyself. 2000

-The silence and beyond the silence.2001

-The science oof living: A simple programme. 20= 06

The Art of living, Vipassana Meditation as taught by S N Goenka by William Hart, Embassy books 1991.

Meditation for beginners, techniques for awareness, mindfulness and relaxation by Stephanie Clement, Health &am= p; Harmony 2003

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, Yogi impressions 2001.

Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle, Namaste publishing and New World Library, 2003.

Blink-the power of thinking without thinki= ng by Malcolm Gladwell, Penguin books, 2006.

The Tibetan art of serenity by Christopher Hansard, Hodder Mobius 2006.

APPENDIX -1

Concentration on the Breath Leads to= Inner Stillness
Excerpts from = The Art and Science of Raja Yoga, by = Swami Kriyananda

On every level of ment= al activity, it is concentration that is the key to success. The student takin= g an exam, but plagued with a popular song running through his head; the busines= sman trying to write an important contract, but worried over an argument that he= had that morning with his wife; the judge, distracted by the fact that a teenag= er to whose defense he is trying to listen bears a striking resemblance to his= own son: All of these persons could tell us something of the disadvantages of p= oor concentration. But I don't suppose anyone really needs to be told that lack= of concentration means inefficiency. <= o:p>

What is not generally = known is that a concentrated mind succeeds not only because it can solve problems with greater dispatch, but also because problems have a way of somehow vanishing before its focused energies, without even requiring to be solved.= A concentrated mind often attracts opportunities for success that, to less focused (and therefore less successful) individuals, appear to come by sheer luck.

A person whose mind is concentrated receives inspirations in his work and in his thinking that, to duller minds, may often seem the proof of special divine favor. Yet such seeming "favors" are due simply to the power of concentration. Concentration it is that awakens our powers and channels them, dissolving obstacles in our path, literally attracting opportunities, insights, and inspirations. In many ways, subtle as well as obvious, concentration is the single most important key to success.

This is particularly true in yoga practice. The mind, in meditation especia= lly, must be so perfectly still that not a ripple of thought enters it. God, the Subtlest Reality, cannot be perceived except in utter silence. Much of the teaching of yoga, therefore, centers on techniques designed specially for developing concentration.

Of these techniques, m= y guru [Paramhansa Yogananda] considered the most effective to be one which involv= es attentiveness to the natural process of breathing… The simplicity of = this technique causes many a beginner to ignore it. Yet in its very simplicity l= ies much of its greatness.

What is concentration? Concentration implies, first, an ability to release one's mental and emotio= nal energies from all other interests and involvements, and second, an ability = to focus them on a single object or state of awareness. Concentration may assu= me various manifestations, from a dynamic outpouring of energy to perfectly quiescent perceptions. In its higher stages, concentration becomes so deep = that there is no longer any question of its remaining merely a practice: The yogi becomes so completely identified with the object of his concentration that = he and it, as well as the act of concentration itself, become one.

In this way he can eve= n, temporarily, become one with something external to himself, gaining thereby= a far deeper understanding of it than would be possible by aloof scientific objectivity, that pride of Western heritage which has the disadvantage of setting man apart from nature, not in harmony with it. But in concentration= on our own higher realities, identification with them becomes lasting. For in = this case there is no other, more personal, reality to come back to. We are those realities. We are the infinite light, and love, and joy, and wisdom of God. Even now, our concentration should be developed with these higher direction= s in mind. And even now, our concentration should be so deep that the consciousn= ess of diligent practice is refined into an effortless process of divine becomi= ng.

Obviously, then, the most effective technique of concentration will be one which both interiorizes the mind, and permits a gradual transition from tec= hnical practice to utter stillness. The technique of watching the breath fulfills = both of these requirements-better, perhaps, than any other technique possibly co= uld. For not only is the breath one of the most natural focal points for the attention, but, as we shall see, the more deeply one concentrates on it, the more refined it becomes, until breathing is automatically and effortlessly suspended in breathlessness: Meditator, the act of concentration, and the object of concentration become one.

In the state of breathlessness, moreover, the senses themselves become automatically stille= d, permitting an undisturbed continuation of the concentrated state. Once the = mind is so perfectly focused, its concentrated power may be applied to any object one wishes. But because attentiveness to the breath involves the will in an act, not of doing, but of inward becoming (by concentration on the breath o= ne acquires the consciousness of being air, or infinite space), the natural direction of the mind in this technique is toward superconsciousness. (If t= he will is not involved at all, the mind tends to slip downward into subconsciousness.)

Why is the breath a natural focal point for the attention? Because it is the most universal obstacle to deep attention. Notice how, when you want to concentrate deeply on something, you automatically restrain your breathing.= A person holding a camera, and wishing to take a photograph with a slow expos= ure, must also hold his breath so as to minimize the movement of his arms. Instinctively we all understand, similarly, that the restless breath is an obstacle to holding the mind steady.

A devotee once complained to his guru that he was having difficulty concentrating in meditation. His distraction was a factory whistle that kept sounding near his home "Since the whistle disturbs you," said his guru, "why not concentrate on the whistle itself?" The disciple f= ound that by doing so his concentration became one-pointed; he became, in a sens= e, one with the whistle, accepting it now, since that it no longer seemed a disturbance. Thus he was able to pass easily from concentration on something outside himself to inward meditation on God.

A restless mind may be distracted by many things. In this condition, it may= be necessary for one to command its attention forcefully-by yoga postures, perhaps, and loud chanting. But once the mind begins to grow still, the greatest obstacle to its becoming more so is the breath. By concentration on the breath, mental fixity is attained. Concentration on the breath, unlike other forms of concentration, leads naturally to meditation, which my guru defined as the direction of one's focused attention on God, or on one of His attributes. Concentration on the factory whistle may bring about acceptance= of the whistle, but such acceptance is not in itself an inducement to meditati= on. The whistle remains a whistle. By concentration on the breath, on the other hand, the breath actually diminishes; its gradual refinement leads naturall= y to an interiorized, meditative state.<= o:p>

Only in breathlessness= can God be fully realized. Elsewhere in these lessons I have pointed out that t= he breath responds instantly to different mental and emotional states. Even the way in which it flows in the nostrils indicates one's state of consciousnes= s. The reverse also is true: As the breath flows, so flows the mind. Heavy breathi= ng can make the mind restless. Calm breathing calms the mind. By concentration= on the breath, too, the mind becomes calmer. This greater calmness is reflecte= d in increasingly gentle breathing, which in turn induces still deeper concentra= tion and calmness, a process that continues until mind and breathing both achieve perfect stillness.

It is possible to rema= in breathless for long periods of time without in any way damaging the body or= the brain. (Indeed, the rejuvenating effects on the entire being of superconsci= ous breathlessness are truly wonderful.) [When] the yogi attains breathlessness= in samadhi, the body is kept alive by the direct flow of energy from the medul= la oblongata. It is possible in this state to remain breathless for days, mont= hs, even for years. The body appears lifeless, outwardly, but inwardly one is filled with the consciousness of infinite life.

Periods of breathlessn= ess may come to you, while practicing… Don't be alarmed; they can't possi= bly hurt you, as long as you let the breath flow naturally, and don't try to ho= ld it in or out of the lungs by force. When your body needs to breathe again, = it will do so. By increasingly deeper calmness, however, you will find that you need less and less fresh air to sustain your body.

http://www.ananda.org/= meditation/support/techniques/breath.html

APPENDIX -2

A Sanctuary of Stillness
by Genece Hamby

Come to the place of stillness a place of calm knowing
that carries you into the sanctuary

Waves of sound heard and unheard
an oasis for the soul that unfolds
and dwells in profound silence<= o:p>

Daily, I imagine a world that is no longer upside down producing erratic frequenci= es that are harsh and destructive. I hold a still world where humanity lives w= ith the universal resonance and harmonious rhythm of God’s divine love. W= here we know resonance and dissonance within a continuous state of change, and c= ome to know the omnipresence that exists in all things. From this place, we live with a movement that is in harmony with the flow of life. We come to enhance our lives, to become more, and to heal ourselves of the wear and tear that comes with the process of living.

I believe many are being called to be advocates for stillness, especially tho= se of us who are stillness rich. Sharing our riches and inviting others to be dipped and brushed by the sea of grace. Like my grandfather who was a power= ful teacher of stillness without saying anything. It is transcending our need to pontificate for the sake of passing on information into creating opportunit= ies for experiencing one’s own sanctuary of stillness. There is nothing as sweet than the blossoming of spiritual awakening that creates the fragrance= and essence of God in everything. Let me give you a beautiful example.

As a young girl, my grandfather enjoyed teaching me about the nature of things through unusual methods. One day, he gave me an ear of corn and a coat hang= er that he had straightened with a pair of pliers. On one end, he bent the han= ger to wrap around the ear of corn and on the other end he created a small loop= and told me to go home and nail the looped end to my window sill. He also said = to leave my window open and to come home everyday straight from school and sit quietly by the window while doing my homework. Knowing my grandfather, I figured this was his way of teaching me the discipline of doing my homework= . He was probably helping my parents to find a solution for some of my school challenges.

Believing I knew his reason for sitting by the window in silence, I trusted and obeye= d my grandfather’s wish. On a daily basis, I would come home from school a= nd sit in the chair waiting – waiting, waiting, waiting while doing my homework. After about a week of this and getting bored with the whole thing= , I called my grandpa and said that I knew why he had me sitting there and prom= ised I’d try harder to study. He laughed! Then, he told me that was not in fact the purpose of the ear of corn and sitting by the window.

The next day, I went back to the chair and again sat for 30 minutes of waiting. Every day this became a ritual until one day something happened. A squirrel came up to the open window and as soon as he realized I was present, he dar= ted off. However, I was excited! I hurried to the phone and called my grandfath= er to tell him of the squirrel. Again, he laughed! He suggested I still come to the window and sit by the ear of corn the same time daily.

Within a few weeks, the squirrel began staying longer as he became more comfortable with my presence. Ultimately, he sat and ate the corn right in front of me.= I had remained very still not wanting to disturb his eating because for some unexplained reason, I knew the very essence of the squirrel and his needs beyond my logical mind. As I listened through silence, I heard and understo= od his language.

My grandfather taught me how to listen from inner stillness, from interconnect= ing to everything within myself and to everything that exists. He didn’t teach me about God, philosophy, religion or metaphysics. He didn’t pa= ss on information or tell me “how to” find stillness. What my grandfather gave me was more powerful than any book, any lecture, or any ministering. He gave me the power of knowing who I am in my essence and how= to pay attention, to be alert to the world around me. It was a magical experie= nce I’ve not ever forgotten. Even in his death, my grandfather was my gur= u. He left me with three messages: “You can always go home. Know the ‘nature’ of who you are. You belong.”

As a result of my grandfather’s wisdom, the way I found answers to life’s questions came from exploring my own inner nature. I learned by throwing myself to the wind, baptism by fire, jumping off a ledge, putting myself on the line, and taking the road less traveled to discover the depth= and breadth of who I am and who I was meant to become. I no longer needed my grandfather’s lessons or a squirrel to bait me into silence. I found = what he wanted me to discover – my own sanctuary of stillness.

Mornings became a ritual of sacred silence and stillness. I began meditating, sittin= g in the silence, and listening to the nature of things heard through and around= me. Covenants were made each day as I placed my life’s questions on the a= ltar of my soul. There were no rituals outside of me -- no required candles, wav= ing crystal wands, or reading. Answers came, waves of nothingness dissolved my seeking mind and curiosity gave way to something greater, something more revered than my ego’s dance.

Unfortunately, much of our world is stillness deprived instead of stillness rich. We appea= r to be either trapped by the success of being too busy being busy and keeping up with all of the demands that claim our most precious energies. We seek the outside world for answers as we overload our circuits with too much informa= tion and data that can contribute to a false sense of Self. Or, we appear blocke= d in our self-expressions from fear of breaking out of our conditioned lives. Ev= en in the world of human consciousness and metaphysics, I am amazed at the num= ber of people encountered who are stillness deprived. It seems that our present= way of life prefers the static filled chatter and clamor that refuses solitude = and quiet. What I think is more terrifying is that we are adapting our capacity= for harsh and destructive noise where there is no mute button to push or power button to turn it all off. We are losing our stillness to the polluted noise and obsession of living in a materialistic and busy world.

Silence is golden; a refuge from the mentally deadening noise of a current culture = that is increasing and pushing many people further away from the sanctuary of stillness. To live life by uninterrupted disturbances, the moments unfold something of beauty and grace beyond our senses. Stillness acts as a gatewa= y to the essence of who we are and to the vast sea of ecstasy that lies undernea= th our thoughts.

Here is my own experience of reaching the sanctuary of stillness:

“Crisp mountain air chills me as I sit. Everything is still, except for one bird in the atrium who occasionally chirps. Trees undressing in preparation for win= ter rhythmically sway to the slight breeze while blue skies look contented after two days of autumn showers. Sitting quietly, I can hear the stillness all around me.

In the solitude, I close my eyes and the first few minutes are chattering thou= ghts that empty into one another as a gushing stream. I allow them room to expre= ss, to bubble up and flow through without forcing them out. There is a detachme= nt to the perceptions and thoughts that rise and fall; passing through without elaboration.

At some point, I stand on the shore that beckons my heart and mind to give way= to the waves of my soul. My inner landscape opens the door and I am free= to travel the universe unfettered by the chatter and clamor of existence. = ; I step over into the abyss…

I live for the stillness
that rests between the words
the distant spaces of thought
suspended by silken threads of light.

The web of life capturing my attention,
sticking to the soles of my feet
which are rooted in sensual knowing.

Deeply alive and fearless
of the stretched lines
crisscrossing into nothingness.

I step over into the abyss
of silence and no words
no thoughts
no voice to be heard.

Darkness and light
become the illusion
for in this place there exists
nothing and yet all.

The universe is empty
without anything
moving through it.

I am the I AM.

Here, I sit in this sanctuary of stilln= ess, unveiling the limited illusions that do not contain God's divine love. In my sanctuary, the silence holds my soul in a sweet embrace and nourishes the w= ell of my heart. Pure joy bubbles up as bliss, a bliss that rises up to meet my Spirit and spirals me into light.

Stillness pulls us into the fountain of God and deeper into the covenant of grace. An= d, when we allow grace to fill us with the omnipresence, our sanctuary of stillness becomes our permanent home. Then, our lives become a distin= ct and silent voice resting deep in the stillness. Bliss slips in and yields i= ts fruit; gives us the wisdom to know we are here where we belong.

No other place to be except inside of me.

©Copyright 2005 Genece Hamby. All Rights Reserved.Learn more about the "Sanct= uary of Stillness" at: www.sanctuaryofstillness= .org
Genece Ha= mby is in the midst of transitioning two programs she designed that are now being licensed to a gr= oup of people who are certified in the methodologies. Personal Branding DNA (www.personalbrandingdna.com) and Your Essential DNA (www.youressentialdna.com) assist individuals in discovering what makes them powerfully unique—what mak= es them Distinct, Notable and Authentic.

Currently, Genece is focused on authoring her first book, “I Can Hear the Grapes Speak”, a novel about an unlikely friendship between an old woman mys= tic and a young modern woman who ultimately becomes a powerful healer as the my= stic prepares for her passing.As a poet, mystic, storyteller and advocate of stillness, Genece’s life is guided by an inner teacher, by observing = the nature of things, and by allowing herself to surrender and go deeper into stillness. She lives with a knowing that everything on Earth is alive with = an essence and an unspoken language that contains and transmits wisdom. Everyt= hing is individual and everything brings an element of beauty and grace to the interconnectedness, to the life line on Earth. She listens carefully to the unspoken language. Whether engaged in an energy exchange with a grape, huma= n, a rock, a cat, a canyon, a tree, the ocean, plant life, whales, eagles--or whatever, Genece listens to the rhythm—to the language that isn't alw= ays heard by our ears. It is the language that is only heard through our inner ear—our listening from the inside. All people, places and things spea= k to her and she listens.Being in rhythm with the unspoken language, the essence= of all beings opens the door to stillness. It shows Genece the way to oneness,= to belonging, to knowing who she is as God.