Power of Awareness
Role of Will
![](3D"monograph_power_of_awareness_roohi_files/image001.jpg")
Harveen Kapur (Roohi)
Project
Title
Power of Awareness
Role of Will
A
Project for the Foundation Course for Facilitators
(2005-2006)
Facilitator
: Ameeta Mehra
A
course by The Gnostic Centre,
Student
: Harveen Kapur (Roohi)
Total
Number of Words : 10, 196
Power of Awareness
Role of Will
Contents
Introduc= tion…………………………&= #8230;…………………………= ;…4
Self Reflection.................................................................= ...................5
Process used to bring awareness………………………= 230;………….7
Self Reflec= tive Journal………………………̷= 0;………………..7
The key to progress………………………R= 30;……………………….8
Control of Speech…………………………= ;………………………...10
Control of Speech –= ; A presentation………………………= ………...14
Exerci= se for the group………………………= 230;………………..14
Questi= ons to the group…………………………= ……………….15
Self reflective questions………………………= 230;……………...15
Sharpen awareness………………………= 230;……………………….17
Beauty to Behold…………………………= ;…………………….17
Flowers……̷= 0;…………………………= 230;…………………….18
Becoming aware of oneself………………………̷= 0;………………19
Questions&#= 8230;…………………………= …………………………..19<= /p>
Being centered………………………R= 30;…………………………&#= 8230;20
Questions……= 230;…………………………&= #8230;…………………..21
Being conscious when disturbed………………………= 230;…………22
Establ= ishing peace in the mind…………………………&= #8230;…….22
Experiencing the power of awareness………………………= 230;……24
Road blocks…………………………= ;…………………………..24=
Road ahead…………………………= …………………………...24=
The role of Will and Prayer…………………………= ;………………25
A True Story of Will and Faith…………………………= …………..27
Conclusi= on…………………………= 230;…………………………&= #8230;..29
Bibliography……&#= 8230;…………………………= ……………………...30
Suggested
Appendix 1…………………………R= 30;…………………………&#= 8230;.31
Faith – A Presentation
Power of Awarene=
ss
Role of Will
Introduction
I
once heard a discourse by a learned man and he said something very simple
– like wise men always do. If I was to ask people at random what they=
are
thinking – nine out of ten will answer – “I don’t
know!” This statement quite shocked me because it rang so true. Even =
as a
child when my father would catch me day dreaming and asked – “W=
hat
are you thinking?” The answer always remained the same – “=
;I
don’t know!” And it was very true; usually I did not even know =
what
I was thinking.
As
I delved a little deeper into this thought I realized how little I controll=
ed
my life. Every detail of my day seemed to be preprogrammed and I would run
through the day like a mechanical robot. Wake up at a certain time, exercis=
e,
go to work, eat and sleep. Mostly whilst I performed the various activities=
of
the day, I was thinking of something else. Usually I was thinking of the pa=
st
or dreaming of the future and very rarely was I in the present moment. All
through this period I was also very dissatisfied with the work I was doing,=
I
would find it quite mechanical.
The
events in my life have thankfully always been led by a deep need to connect=
to
something higher, more spiritual and to something that would give be a grea=
ter
sense of purpose. Once I began to read and speculate, I realized that even =
if I
wanted to change, whether it was myself, my environment or bring any small =
and
significant change in myself, I would of course have to start with myself, =
and
within myself I would have to first get to know myself, and for that I would
have to become aware of myself. Once I reached this simple realization, I b=
egan
as it seemed to be on a long journey. I also began to realize the great amo=
unt
of effort one needs to put in and how endless this really is.
Last
year I had the privilege to enroll for the Foundation Course for Facilitato=
rs.
This period has, by the very nature of the course, brought tremendous chang=
es
in me and forced me to drop some habits that I was carrying from the past a=
nd
concentrate on working upon myself. It has been highly enriching as I have
realized the number of layers we carry. For my main project I decided to wo=
rk
on ‘awareness’ as this is what I feel I have done the most work=
in,
for the past year – become more aware of myself. I will relate the sa=
ga
of the last year, my journeys into various awakenings, realizations –=
the
work I put in and some exercises I followed along the way.
Self reflection
One
of the most significant learning’s for me through this course and the
better part of the last year are –
- Dropping the pa=
st
- Realizing that =
I have
no hold on the future
- Becoming aware =
of the
present
I
have put these down as three simple bullet points but their impact goes much
deeper. For a long time I have believed in certain psychological ailments t=
hat
modern medicine has named me to suffer from and all its band of doctors have
with all their strength of wisdom made me believe. But in this whole, there=
was
always one problem, that deep down I did not believe that I was suffering f=
rom
an incurable desease. No matter how many episodes happened, I believed that=
I
would one day rid myself of all this. This course has had a profound effect=
in
me, it has made me believe that by following a disciplined life, by being a=
ware
of all impulses, desires, craving and emotional disturbances that continuou=
sly
ravage through our minds and bodies – our vital being, and we can cure
ourselves of all desease.
Here
is a story of Buddha as narrated by Osho in his book “Awareness ̵=
1;
the key to living in balance”.
You have tried not to be angry, y=
ou
have decided so many times, but still it happens. You have tried not to be
greedy, but again and again you fall in the trap. You have tried all kinds =
of
things to change yourself, but nothing seems ever to happen. You remain the
same.
And here I am saying that there i=
s a
simple key ---- awareness. You cannot believe it. How can awareness, just
awareness, help when nothing else has been of any help? Keys are always very
small; keys are not big things. A small key can open a big lock.
When people would ask Buddha, =
220;
What should we do not to be angry, or what should we do not to be greedy, or
what should we do not to be so much obsessed with sex or food?” his
answer was always the same: be aware. Bring awareness to your life.
His disciple Ananda, listening ag=
ain
and again to every kind of person – different problems, but the
prescription of the physician remains the same – became puzzled. He s=
aid,
“What is the matter with you? They bring different kinds of illness
– somebody brings greed and somebody sex and somebody food and somebo=
dy
something else – but your prescription remains the same!”
And Buddha said, “Their ill=
nesses
are different – just as people can dream different dreams.”
If two thousand persons fall asle=
ep,
they will have two thousand dreams. But if you come to me and ask how to get
rid of this dream, the medicine will remain the same: wake up! It is not go=
ing
to be different; the prescription is going to be the same. You can call it
awareness, you can call it witnessing, you can call it remembering, you can
call it meditation – these are different names for the same medicine.=
[1]
I
have gone through fifteen years of medication and finally realized that the
modern psychoanalyst goes into the past. He believes in going into the past=
and
changing it. I now realize that the problem cannot be changed in the past
because – the past does not exist anymore. I would have to live many =
life
times to rectify the problems that I have created in this life time based o=
n my
past alone. And then in those life times I would create more problems. This=
is
so impractical. In this course I have learned the technique of self reflect=
ion
and maintaining a self reflective journal. This is a very powerful techniqu=
e.
Process used to bring awareness
One
of the simplest and yet most powerful tools that I discovered was to keep a
daily journal. At first I would simply go over the whole day and record the
significant details. Later I began to use the light and shadow technique in=
my
journal. We were introduced to this during our course and I found it extrem=
ely
beneficial. Given below is a =
small
format of a self reflective sheet that we filled on a daily basis. This hel=
ped
be to become aware of the times I was losing control of the situation, why =
was
I losing control and also helped to identify what I needed to aspire to hav=
e in
my life to avoid such situations.
Through
this technique I had an insight into my daily habit of gossip or need to
indulge in useless banter. I have given below the exercise I undertook to c=
urb
this habit and I can say that today I am more conscious of what I speak.
If
in your mind you go over the various movements and reactions of the day like
one repeating indefinitely the same thing, you will not progress. If this
reviewing is to make you progress, you must find something within you in wh=
ose
light you can be yourself, your own judge, something which represents for y=
ou
the best part of yourself, which has some light, some goodwill and which
precisely is in love with progress. Place that before you and first pass ac=
ross
it as in a cinema all that you have done, all that you have felt, your
impulses, your thoughts, etc. Look at the screen before you, certain things
pass by well, without throwing a shadow; others, on the contrary throw a li=
ttle
shadow; others yet cast a shadow black and disagreeable. Why has it left a
shadow? What was there in this act that was contrary to the will of self
knowledge and self mastery?...If you continue this game – for truly i=
t is
a game, if you do this sincerely – I assure you that in six months you
will not recognize yourself, you will say to yourself, “What? I was l=
ike
that! It is impossible!”[2]
Self Reflective Journal
|
Date |
XX.XX.XXXX |
|
Action |
E.g. Feeling frust=
rated
and useless, no purpose in life. |
|
Light |
The light of peace=
, mental
stillness and to stay in the moment |
|
Shadow |
Dwelling in useless
thoughts of the past and the future. Not focused in the present |
|
Origin |
Ego and mind |
|
Aim/Ideal |
Organise my time m=
ore
productively. Do things that bring me joy? Involve myself completely in a=
ll
the activities that I undertake. |
|
Change |
Need to organize m=
y days
and find reasons to look forward to them. |
|
Remarks |
I feel like this w=
hen I am
not gainfully employed and feel that the whole family has an agenda to fo=
llow
through in the day, which is lacking in my day. |
By
regular introspection and observing this diary a lot of truths about
one’s own nature became clear to me. To identify the key to my progre=
ss
became an easier task now.
The key to progress
Also
in the very outset we were to identify a key – a small key that would
enable us to change in some significantly powerful way. I stumbled with the=
key
– thought it was self organization and then finally realized that my =
key
to change was control of speech. I am presenting here a part of my self
reflective journal that shows a process that I used.
I
had for the last two weeks, thought that the key to my progress lay in my b=
eing
more organized. But while doi=
ng the
self reflective journal each day, I realized that this was required more for
material organization. My day=
and
the day of my family was going well organized, well planned and even in my =
day
I had for the last two months been quite focused with my routine and work at
La’venir School. So I d=
ecided
to look deeper within for the root cause.
Ameeta
said – It is something that recurs and undoes any work or progress I
might have made. That is how I
understood it. The biggest da=
mage
done to me has been my ability to fall into depression.
When
faced with failure or rejection –
I
lose faith in myself, my self confidence and Will, earlier it was even my w=
ill
to live.
Now
when I analyze and question my behavior I feel that perhaps it is my ego and
pride. Then I realized that I
actually give up and lose my Will Power.
I read the following
passage in Living Within and could relate perfectly.
“What
gives me the feeling of inferiority, of limitation, smallness, impotence, is
always this turning back upon oneself, this shutting oneself up in the boun=
ds
of a microscopic ego. One must
widen oneself, open the doors. And
the best way is to be able to concentrate upon what one is doing instead of
concentrating upon oneself.”[3]
I
also saw that I would do this in the past –
…Take
someone who is writing a book, for instance. If he looks at himself writing the=
book,
you can’t imagine how dull the book will become; it smells immediatel=
y of
the small human personality which is there and it loses all its value. When a painter paints a picture, i=
f he
observes himself painting the picture, the picture will never be good, it w=
ill
always be a kind of projection of the painter’s personality; it will =
be
without life, without force, without beauty. But if, all of a sudden, he become=
s the
thing he wants to express, if he becomes the brushes, the painting, the can=
vas,
the subject, the image, the colors, the value, the whole thing, and is enti=
rely
inside it and lives it, he will make something magnificent.[4]
In
these above paragraphs I found the key to my progress. I always stand back and observe my=
self
while I work. These last few =
months
at the La’venir school, I forgot myself at work, and there is a sudde=
n lightness
in my being, a sense of freedom and of course an overwhelming feeling of we=
ll
being. I feel very alive.
I
read these words of The Mother –
The
first step is: Will. Secondly,
sincerity and aspiration. But will and aspiration is nearly the same thing,=
one
follows the other. Then,
perseverance. Yes, perseveran=
ce is
necessary in any process, and what is this process?… First, there mus=
t be
the ability to observe and discern, the ability to find the vital in
oneself. After a very sustain=
ed
observation, you will be able to distinguish between the different parts and
recognize the origin of a movement.
Quite a long time is necessary for this…But once you have found
out the different parts ask yourself, “What is there of the vital in
this? What does the vital bri=
ng
into your consciousness? In w=
hat
way does it change your movements; what does it add to them and what take
away? What happens in your
consciousness through the intervention of the vital?” Once you know this, what do you
do?...Then you will need to watch this intervention, observe it, find out in
what way it works. For instan=
ce you
want to transform your vital. You
have a great sincerity in your observation and the resolution to go to the =
very
end.[5]
Aspire that the light from above may come and p=
urify
it.[6]
Now to do all this I will require a lot of
perseverance and a very strong will.
Control of Speech
But
I feel I need to follow one more process.&=
nbsp;
A very unfortunate episode that occurred two months back, made me
realize a lot of things. I am=
going
to describe shortly what happened and what I learned from it and what I nee=
d to
change within me for my progress and growth. This goes very much hand in hand w=
ith my
perseverance and for the transformation of my vital.
A
few months back, I told another friend, this vile gossip against her that w=
as
doing the rounds. This foolis=
h act
of mine, of indulging in gossip, got my closest and dearest friends into su=
ch
trouble and caused them much pain.
My friend actually lost his job.&nb=
sp;
I felt what I did was quite unpardonable, and though I never intende=
d to
do harm, the consequences of this completely unmindful act have left me
shocked.
I
do want to use ‘Control of the Speech’ as a tool to grow. This is the key against which I wa=
nt to
observe my daily journal. I a=
lso
realized that over the years I had fallen into the habit to repeat anything=
and
everything told to me, and also what ever happened to me. I actually hold no secrets and I g=
uess I
would have continued like this, had not this huge shock shaken me to realize
how dangerous that can be. I =
also
have realized over the last two months, that by curtailing my habit of chat=
ting
on the phone and gossiping, that I now have so many more hours in the day a=
nd
that I do much more constructive and concentrated work.
I read in The Mother’s booklet on “Control of the speech”:<= o:p>
If
there is gossip about other, and harsh criticism, not to join – for t=
hese
things are helpful in no way and only lower the consciousness from its high=
er
level.
To
gossip about what somebody is doing or not doing is wrong.
To
listen to such gossip is wrong.
To
verify if such gossip is true is wrong.
To
retaliate in words against a false gossip is wrong.
The
whole affair is a very bad way of wasting one’s time and lowering
one’s consciousness.
Unfortunately,
I realize I had indulged in all of the above. I guess it is only inevitable then=
that
it would have caused so much harm.
Then
I saw what I did to improve this, in the last few months. And there I saw a
pattern which I always seem to follow.
I
tried for a day to make amends. It did not really work. Once he lost his job
both he and his wife did not wish to speak to me. I carried this guilt and =
bad
feeling, everyday. It was like a gnawing painful feeling that did not leave=
my
consciousness for two months. Yet I
did nothing. I felt I was a useless human, and that I did not deserve to be=
a
friend to anyone. It affected my relationship with others also. I had, of
course, once again lost faith in myself and I wanted to run away from the
situation.
Even
when they tried to reach out to me, I abstained as I felt that I was not wo=
rth
it. I did not want to face th=
em
ever again. I actually never =
wanted
to meet them.
Whenever
I feel I have done wrong and especially when the result is disastrous ̵=
1;
if I failed an exam, harmed a friend or relationship, a personal relationsh=
ip
broke. Initially I feel depre=
ssed,
and a very low self worth. Th=
en I
wish to give up completely. I=
have
no will to go on and mostly it is with a relationship between two people.
I
wish to do the following exercise for one week –
Words
of the Mother -
I
suggest that every one of you should try – to say nothing but the
absolutely indispensable words. Not
one more, not one less.
Take
one hour of your life, the one which is most convenient for you, and during
that time observe yourself closely and say only the absolutely indispensable
words.
I
will do this between 6-7 p.m. from Monday to Friday and write my observatio=
ns
in my journal.
This
whole episode made me realize how important faith is and that to forgive is
very noble. It makes the othe=
r very
humble. These were the two st=
rong
emotions I felt when I spoke with my friend again – humility and
faith. Of course I realized t=
he
immense pain I caused, I saw how much courage she had to put the past behind
and also that she still had faith in me – when I seemed to have none =
in
myself.
I
wrote this last night
I looked in to her e=
yes,
I saw pain
Pain caused
By a careless act.
I
felt a surge of pain
A dull ache
That numbed
And drained me.
I felt both-
The accused and the =
victim.
I felt shame
And a desperate need=
to run.
Then I saw something=
else,
Her warm hands did n=
ot turn
me away,
She still cared,
Despite all.
How
many of us
Have the courage to<= o:p>
Forgive and forget
To move against the =
odds?
I
felt humble
Felt my inside crumb=
le?
Why was I holding ba=
ck?
What was I fighting?=
It was not my ego,
No, not even pride.<= o:p>
It was this feeling<= o:p>
That I was no good.<= o:p>
But – she did =
not say
that.
She looked at me bew=
ildered.
Why did you never tr=
y?
Why did you never re=
ach out?
I realized that once=
again,
I was trying to quit=
,
Take the loser stanc=
e-
Quit and walk away.<= o:p>
I
did not think
I was worth being a =
friend.
I had lost faith
In myself, once agai=
n.
I
realized
This was also the ea=
sy way
out.
How little I had gro=
wn?
My journey had not y=
et
begun.
I held her hand.
Realized I was being=
given a
chance.
Again life was showi=
ng me
How much I needed to=
learn
and grow.
Today I seek The Mot=
her,
Turn to her with com=
plete
Faith.
I have regained my
conviction
I believe in life ag=
ain.
I
reach out to you
Dear Mother,
Please guide me
So I do no more wron=
g.
I
pray to you
To take care of my l=
oved
friends,
They must have been =
sent by
you,
To make me believe i=
n me
again.
Please
make their every Endeavour
Worth more than thei=
r great
efforts,
They deserve to see<= o:p>
The beauty that lies=
in
their energies.
I was amazed to see
yesterday,
That my faith was no=
t with
me
It was there in her =
heart,
How foolish have I b=
een?
I
do resolve to make a change
To break this patter=
n
To learn from this
experience
And truly enrich the=
future.
So help and guide me=
Dear
Mother.
By maintaining my da=
ily
journal and closely observing what I speak, I have become more mindful of my
speech. My next endeavour has been to observe my thoughts, keep them positi=
ve
and focus them on the moment.
Con= trol of Speech – A Presentation<= o:p>
I
read in “Control of the speech” by The Mother:
If
there is gossip about other, and harsh criticism, not to join – for t=
hese
things are helpful in no way and only lower the consciousness from its high=
er
level.
To
gossip about what somebody is doing or not doing is wrong.
To
listen to such gossip is wrong.
To
verify if such gossip is true is wrong.
To
retaliate in words against a false gossip is wrong.
The
whole affair is a very bad way of wasting one’s time and lowering
one’s consciousness.
From
“Four Austerities and Four Liberations” – the Tapasya of Knowledge… by the
Mother and Sri Aurobindo.
“…Control
of Speech. Apart from a very few exceptions, only absolute silence is set in
opposition to loose talk. And yet it is a far greater and far more fruitful
austerity to control one’s speech than to abolish it altogether…=
;[7]
…..In
conclusion, I would say this: if you want your speech to express the truth =
and
thus acquire the power of the Word, never think out before what you want to
say, do not decide what is a good thing or bad thing to say, do not calcula=
te
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-Wisd=
om,
the All-Knowledge, the All-Consciousness. Then, if your aspiration is since=
re,
if it is not a veil of your ambition to do well and to succeed, if it is pu=
re,
spontaneous and integral, you will then be able to speak very simply, to say
the words that ought to be said, neither more nor less, and they will have a
creative power.”[8]
I
would like to go through the entire passage which I have not reproduced abo=
ve,
but is in “Four Austerities and Four Liberations”.
Exercise for the group:
Everyone
should spend five minutes in silence and then – Reflect upon a situat=
ion
when they indulged in gossip or spoke about somebody (character or behaviou=
r)
and it adversely affected that person. Write it down.
Or
Reflect
upon a time when the words you said, influenced the course of action in
someone’s life or influenced a situation or event. Write it down.
“When
a thought is expressed in speech, the vibration of the sound has a consider=
able
power to bring the most material substance into contact with the thought, t=
hus
giving it a concrete and effective reality. That is one must never speak il=
l of
people or things or say things which go against the progress of the divine
realization in the world. This is an absolute general rule. And yet it has =
one
exception. You should not criticize anything unless at the same time you ha=
ve
the conscious power and active will to dissolve or transform the movements =
or
things you criticize. For this conscious power or active will have the capa=
city
of infusing Matter with the possibility to react and refuse the bad vibrati=
on
and ultimately to correct it so that it becomes impossible for it to go on
expressing itself on the physical plane.
This
can be done without risk or danger only by one who moves in the Gnostic rea=
lms
and possesses in his mental faculties the light of the spirit and the power=
of
the truth.”[9]
“Never boast about anything, let your acts
speak for you,” New Year message of 1954.
Questions to the Group:
Did
you learn the most by indulging in lengthy dialogue, debate, argument, anal=
ysis
and criticism?
Or
When
you remain silent, open to knowledge, completely alert and in communion with
the teacher or what you are reading or trying to understand and learn?
What
is a more powerful tool to understanding – lengthy words or short
aphorisms that convey the message in a few words?
We
feel connected to another when – we can communicate without words or =
when
we have to almost shout out aloud what we are trying to say?
Exercise (to be done at home and at your own time) :
Words of the Mother -
I
suggest that every one of you should try – to say nothing but the
absolutely indispensable words. Not
one more, not one less.
Take
one hour of your life, the one which is most convenient for you, and during
that time observe yourself closely and say only the absolutely indispensable
words.
Try
this for one week. Set aside one hour each day and observe your self in that
hour. It does have amazing results.
Self Reflective Questions<=
/b>:
Do
you often catch yourself thinking about the future?
Take
a part of your day to observe your thoughts in the last one hour.
What
kind of thoughts did you have?
Did
you think about the past, future, present?
Were
they positive thoughts or negative thoughts?
What
can you do to reorganize or improve your pattern of thinking?
“To
work for perfection the first step is to become conscious of yourself.̶=
1;
The Mother
This
means to be conscious of one’s inner truth, conscious of the different
parts of one’s being and their respective functions. You must know why
you do this, why you do that; you must know your thoughts, know your feelin=
gs,
all your activities, all your movements, of what you are capable, etc. And =
to
know oneself is not sufficient: this knowledge must bring a conscious contr=
ol.
To know oneself perfectly is to control oneself perfectly…To perfect
oneself, one must become conscious of oneself.
But
there must be an aspiration at every moment.[10]
To
be in this state of attentive observation, you must have, so to say, antenn=
ae
everywhere which are in constant contact with your true centre of
consciousness. You register everything, you organize everything and, in this
way, you cannot be taken unawares, you cannot be deceived, mistaken and you=
say
anything other than what you wanted to say. But how many people live in this
state? It is this I mean precisely, when I speak of “becoming
conscious”.
Sharpen Awareness
The
first clue is to be fully mindful in the present moment. This moment, now, =
is
the only moment, always. Leonardo Da Vinci noted that, “in rivers, the
water that you touch is the last of what has passed and the first of that w=
hich
comes; so with time present.” Every tick of your watch takes place no=
w.
And so does every breath. Mindfulness is complete attention in the now, rat=
her
than worry about the past or investing in expectations about the future.[11]
Another
way to remain in the moment is to appreciate one’s environment,
especially nature. As one begins to keenly observe nature one realizes that=
in
the plant and animal kingdom, all species live very much in the moment and =
for
the moment. The birds chirp early in the morning and go about the day witho=
ut a
care. They are such a delight to watch. They seem completely absorbed in
finding food while hopping from branch to branch, yet there is a lightness =
to
their being as they seem to be enjoying each moment and seem to relish the
activity in hand.
The
following poem was written while on a weekend break in appreciation of the
peace and nature’s bliss.
Beauty to behold!
Into
the dark tranquility of the night
Between the sea of t=
rees
–
A maze of branches and leaves
Just the sound of the wind.
I sit and stare at the dark blue sky
The moon is yet to rise and shine
The crickets have yet to silence their incessant
chatter
And I have yet to put my pen to rest.
We all seek the mountains and fresh air
For salvation and a new beginning
Here we walk and breathe fresh
There we sit and soa=
k in the
scenic mystery.
In all of God’s
creations –
The development of m=
ankind
We city dwellers com=
e to
nature
To rest our tired so=
uls.
Why
then were cities created
With
their noise and pollution
We spill our lives t=
o meet
one task and the next
And then we return t=
o nature
to rest.
I think of late that=
this
probably was the scheme
Or
there would be no beauty to behold
If each day it lay a=
t arms
length
A breathe away to en=
joy.
I
seek this beauty from within
I
want to capture this essence
And carry it with me=
in my
daily life
I
wish to spread it like the perfume
Of the numerous scat=
tered
flowers
That strew the mount=
ain
side.
Oh God! Please grant=
me just
this wish.
In
today’s day and age people walk around so immersed in there problems,=
in
what they have to do next, how are they to meet the goals they set for
themselves that they do not even notice their surroundings. A beautiful flo=
wer
may bloom and die in their garden and they would not have noticed, a friend=
in
need would be trying to call and reach out to them but they will not notice.
This is reality. And then there are physical ailments that follow, tension,
stress, headaches and so on. I too was I the rat race a few years ago, and =
then
a few workshops and a natural inclination to spiritual practices made me st=
op
and think. My own journey and my own beliefs influenced my husband as we, w=
ho
leads a stressful corporate life but tries to strike a balance. He does an =
hour
of yoga and meditation each morning; we take time to listen to each others
problems and stresses at the end of each day. This small exercise keeps us
tuned to problems or help that other family members and friends might be ha=
ving
and we always try to lend a helping hand. Our conscious endeavour is to
progress and bring a conscious change in our lives to meet a balance.
Flowers
Some turn upwards wi=
th a
higher aspiration,
Some bow down as tho=
ugh in
prayer
Fragrance emanates f=
rom
their consciousness
Their secret lies in=
self
perfection-
Their Will to progre=
ss
A constant effort=
230;
And the joy of being=
in the
moment.
I wish to be an obse=
rver and
a silent worker
That takes each task=
But joyfully stays w=
ithin
To make the moment
A truly lived experi=
ence.
A technique describe=
d by the
Mother is reproduced below – it helps one become aware of
‘oneself’ by identifying with one’s consciousness.
Becoming Aware of oneself
First
of all one must know what one’s consciousness is, that is, become
conscious of one’s consciousness, localize it. And for this there are
many exercises. But one of them is very well known. It is to observe oneself
and watch oneself living, and then se whether it is really the body which is
the consciousness of the being, what one calls ‘myself’; and th=
en
when one has realized that it is not at all the body, that the body express=
es
something else, then one searches in his impulse, emotions to see whether
it’s that, and again one finds out that it is not that; and then one
seeks in his thoughts, whether the thought is truly himself, what he calls
‘myself’; and at the end of a very short time one becomes aware:
“No I am thinking, therefore ‘myself’ is different from my
thoughts’. And so by progressive elimination’s one succeeds in
entering into contact with something, something which gives you the impress=
ion
of being – “Yes, that’s ‘myself’. And this
something I can move around, I can move it from my body to my vital, to my
mind, I can even, if I am very…how to put it?...very practiced in mov=
ing
it, I can move it into other people, and its in this way that I can identif=
y myself
with things and people. I can with the help of my aspiration make it come o=
ut
of my human form, rise above towards regions which are no longer this little
body at all and which it contains.” And so one begins to understand w=
hat
one’s consciousness is; and its after that that one can say, “G=
ood,
I shall unite my consciousness with my psychic being and I shall leave it
there, so that it may be in harmony with the Divine and be able to surrender
entirely to the Divine.” Or else, “If by this exercise of rising
above my faculties of thinking and my intellect I can enter a region of pure
light, pure knowledge…”then one can put his consciousness there=
and
live like that, in a luminous splendour which is above the physical form.
But
first this consciousness must be mobile, and one must know how to distingui=
sh
it from the other parts of the being which in fact are its instruments, its
modes of expression. The consciousness must make use of these things, and n=
ot
mistake these things for the consciousness. You put the consciousness in th=
ese
things, so you become conscious of your body, conscious of your vital,
conscious of your mind, conscious of all your activities through your will =
for
identification; but for this, first your consciousness must not be complete=
ly entangled,
mingled, joined, so to say, with all these things, it must not take them for
itself, must not be mistaken.[12]
Questions
Try to identify your=
self?
Who are you? Are you your body? Are you your thoughts?
When you can identif=
y with
‘yourself’, do the exercise above.
Being Centered
Awareness
is the technique for centering oneself, for achieving the inner fire. It is
there, hidden, it can be discovered.[13]
This
technique is to always remain connected with yourself from the inside. So if
you are sitting, then you are aware of your surroundings, the chair and also
the person who is sitting on that chair. You are connected to the outside as
well as aware of yourself from inside. This is a long and arduous journey f=
or
the mind is always flickering and taking you away from yourself. Here is a
small story that depicts what it really means to be centered.
Eugen
Herrigel was learning with a Zen master. He was learning archery for three
years. And the master would always say, “It is good. Whatsoever you a=
re doing
is good, but not enough.” Herrigel himself became a master archer. His
aim became 100 percent perfect, and still the master would say, “You =
are
doing well, but it is not enough.”
“With
one hundred percent perfect aim!” Said Herrigel, “Then what is =
your
expectation? How can I now go further? With one hundred percent accuracy, h=
ow
can you expect anymore?”
The
Zen master is reported to have said, “I am not concerned with your
archery or your aim. I am concerned with you. You have become a perfect tec=
hnician.
But when your arrow leaves the bow, you are not aware of yourself, so it is
futile! I am not concerned with the arrow reaching the target. I am concern=
ed
with you! When the arrow in the bow is arrowed, inside also your consciousn=
ess
must be arrowed. Even if you miss the target, it makes no difference, but t=
he
inner target must not be missed, and you are missing that. You have become a
perfect technician, but you are an imitator.”
By
and by Herrigel became disappointed, and one day he said, “Now I am
leaving. It seems impossible! It is impossible! When you are aiming at
something, your awareness goes to your aim, to the object, and if you want =
to
be a successful archer, you have to forget yourself – to remember only
the aim, the target, and forget everything else.” But the Zen master =
was
continuously forcing Herrigel to create another target inside. This arrow m=
ust
be double-arrowed; pointing toward the target outside and continuously poin=
ting
toward the inside – the self.
He
came to take leave of the master, and the master was aiming at another targ=
et.
Someone else was learning and for the first time, Herrigel was not involved=
, he
had just come to take his leave; he was sitting there.
But
then, suddenly, he became aware of the master and the double arrowed
consciousness of the master. For three years he had been with the same mast=
er,
but he was more concerned with his own effort. For the first time he saw and
realized – and suddenly, spontaneously, with no effort, he came to the
master, took the bow from his hand, aimed at his target, and released the
arrow. And the master said, “Okay! For the first time you have done it
and I am happy.”
What
had he done? For the first time he was centered in himself. The target was
there, but he was also there – present.[14]
I
have felt completely aware and in the present in moments when I am about to=
do
a difficult task or embark on an adventure. For example, recently we went r=
iver
rafting in the
Again,
on the same excursion, there was a rock at 20 feet height. People were jump=
ing
off it, into the river; they did have their life jackets on. I am a good
swimmer but have never been able to get over the fear of heights and have n=
ever
attempted such a feat. This time however, my eight year old daughter was
standing at the cliff – she was keen to jump. She would gingerly put =
her
foot forward and then draw back. I recognized that fear and decided to do s=
omething
about it. She told me that if I jumped with her, she would be fine. I could=
not
admit to her that I had not done it before and still harboured a fear. So
standing at that height, I took a deep breath and literally centered myself=
. I
suddenly felt no fear, nothing – then I held Rhea and jumped with her=
. I
have never felt more alive, free and aware of myself – mid-air I rele=
ased
my hold on her so that once in the water she did not go too deep in it with=
me.
It was a truly great moment.
Questions:
What
activities do you feel completely absorbed in?
Do
you feel a spontaneous and complete absorption in what you are doing?
Have
you ever experienced a complete disconnect from your emotions – no wo=
rry,
no pain, just the experience of that moment?
Being conscious when disturbed
Often
when one is disturbed, say angry – by using the technique of being aw=
are
of oneself, one can gain an insight into their own anger. By observing the
physical changes that go through the body when one is angry, one can control
anger as well. I tried this on certain occasions and realized that temper is
like a gust of wind that takes up one’s being and if one allows it, it
plays havoc with not only the way you behave but your physiological conditi=
ons
as well. I can now notice the rush of blood, the heat rising up from the le=
gs
and a quickening of my breathing. Then there is this restlessness and
irritation and at this point I make it a point to tell my kids, I am not in=
a
good mood so please do not try my patience. Usually if I wait for a few more
minutes, this feeling subsides and the upsurge of anger is no longer there.=
To
calm myself and consciously bring peace into my life, I tried doing the
following exercise of calling peace.
Establishing Peace in the Mind
First
of all, you must want it.
And
then you must try and must persevere, continue trying. What I have just told
you is a very good means. Yet there are others also. You sit quietly, to be=
gin
with; and then, instead of thinking of fifty things, you begin saying to
yourself, “Peace, peace, peace, peace, peace, calm, peace!” You
imagine peace and calm. You aspire. Ask that it may come: “Peace, Pea=
ce,
calm.” And then when something comes and touches you and acts, say
quietly, like this, “Peace, peace, peace.” Do not look at the t=
houghts,
do not listen to the thoughts, you understand. You must not pay attention to
everything that comes. You know when someone bothers you a great deal and y=
ou
want to get rid of him, you don’t listen to him, do you? Good! You tu=
rn
your head away (gesture) and think of something else. Well, you must do tha=
t:
when thoughts come, you must not look at them, must not listen to them, must
not pay any attention at all, you must behave as though they did not exist,=
you
see! And then repeat all the time like a kind of – how shall I put it?
– As an idiot does, who repeats the same thing always? Well, you must=
do
the same thing; you must repeat, “Peace, peace, peace.” So you =
try
this for a few minutes and then do what you have to do; and then, another t=
ime,
you begin again; sit down again and try. Do this on getting up in the morni=
ng,
do this in the evening when going to bed. You can do this…look, if you
want to digest your food properly, you can do this for a few minutes before
eating. You can’t imagine how much this helps your digestion! Before
beginning to eat you sit quietly for a while and say, “Peace, peace,
peace.” And everything becomes calm. It seems as though all the noises
were going far, far, far away, and then you must continue; and there comes a
time when you no longer need to sit down, and no matter what you are doing,=
no
matter what you are saying, it is always, “Peace, peace, peace.”
Everything remains here, like this, it does not enter (gesture in front of =
the
forehead), it remains like this. And then one is always in a perfect
peace…after some years.
But
at the beginning, a very small beginning, two or three minutes, it is very
simple. For something complicated you must make an effort, and when one mak=
es
an effort, one is not quiet. It is very difficult to make an effort while
remaining quiet. Very simple, very simple, you must be very simple in these
things. It is as though you were learning how to call a friend: by dint of
being called he comes. Well, make peace and calm your friends and call them:
“Come, peace, peace, peace, peace, come!”[15]
The
results of this exercise are amazing – one feels this peace enter into
every pore of their being. And it is not very difficult, as the mother says=
, in
the beginning keep it very simple and do it for just a few minutes. Also as=
one
starts feeling more quiet from within, you also notice changes in your body
easily, so when one is getting upset or angry, you can easily detect it bef=
ore
it reaches the level of the mind. These emotions exist in the vital plane a=
nd
enter the body when one is open to them. After doing this exercise one real=
izes
the truth in this and can easily observe changes in one’s moods and
feelings and can abstain from acting upon them.
Experiencing the power of awarene=
ss
I
was teaching at a play school – la’venir, which is run on the
principles of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. I was taking care of 2-3 year o=
ld
children. Here more than any where else I realized the power of being consc=
ious
and aware. I was told by my senior that you must allow the children to expl=
ore,
it is not necessary or possible for you to be physically present everywhere,
but you must be conscious and very aware of where each child is and what th=
ey
are doing. At first this completely made no sense to me. Then I slowly bega=
n to
practice it. Every morning I would sit in the meditation room and centre
myself, slowly I would bring the face of each child before me and concentra=
te
on her/him. After this exercise, it was as though a connection had been for=
med
between me and the child. In class when a few children would go and play
outside, I would just be aware of which child had gone and in which directi=
on.
Somehow, just doing this kept me so aware of them, if any one of them got i=
nto
any kind of trouble or began to fret, I would know almost immediately and be
able to help.
Road Blocks
For
any kind of practice to be effective and have a lasting effect, one has to =
be
consistent. Unfortunately the biggest drawback I have is my inability to
practice a thing consistently. The tools I have listed above, I actually did
practice them for a while. But I lack commitment and am no longer doing the=
m. I
find myself reverting back to my old ways, I am more controlled now and
definitely more aware, but I wish I had not given up my practice.
Road Ahead
I
have been thinking hard about this. I feel I would like to get back to work=
in
an environment where I can pursue my practices. I would like to work with
little children, do some of the exercises that I have mentioned. Specially,
knowing oneself, writing a daily journal, establishing peace in the mind.
Besides these I want to pursue my interests of writing and painting. I feel
very connected to myself in my creative pursuits.
The Role of Will and Prayer
On the 20th of June I started on a j=
ourney
to Hemkunt Sahib (a gurudwara in the Uttaranchal belt of the
It reminded me of the journey of life. Our near=
and
dear ones walked with us and we helped each other with a steady banter of t=
alk
and laughs. We stopped at the stalls that came along the way and ate togeth=
er.
The people we met on the way were like the acquaintances we make in our liv=
es,
we exchanged smiles and greetings. Helped a few with what we could, some we
shared a smile with. And all along I kept chanting a prayer. Each time I fe=
lt I
could walk no more, I chanted a little harder, and the way became easier. E=
ach
person carried a prayer in their hearts and with that we seemed to be
interwoven by a common chord. There were the old, the disabled and the very
young each undertaking this test of their Will for their own reasons. It wa=
s a
truly beautiful, humbling and uplifting experience.
On the second day we had to wake up early to as=
cend
the final mountain and when you look up it seems an indomitable task. When =
we
reached the top and entered the gates to the gurudwara the sight was beyond
words. There are seven snow peaked mountains that surround a lake which
reflects the skies and the mountains. It is a sight to behold. One forgets =
all
their aches and pains and saying the name of the Lord we all dipped in the =
holy
waters. The cold is easy to bear after the dip and a great sense of peace,
accomplishment and oneness with the Lord seems to descend upon me. I sat by=
the
banks and thanked the Lord and spent a few minutes in meditation and I know
that those moments I will carry with me for a lifetime. When I opened my ey=
es
there was a sheer expanse of blue water shimmering and reflecting in it the
great mountains that rose from its banks. I thanked the Lord for letting me
experience these moments. The joy in my heart and the lightness of my being
expressed itself and I felt my eyes moisten. I bowed down to this great nat=
ural
creation that seemed so much like the abode of the gods.
For centuries the people of this area had worsh=
ipped
this land as Lokpal and Devbhoomi. The tenth Guru of the Sikhs described th=
is
in his writings as being the place where he had done intense Tapasya and
meditation on the Lord in his previous life time. He described the place and
how it was surrounded by seven snow peaked mountains. Devout Sikhs took it =
upon
themselves to locate this place and in 1939 they made the gurudwara here. W=
hile
climbing this long path one has to wonder on the determination and commitme=
nt
of the pioneers seeking to find this holy place; as it is in the middle of
nowhere with no habitation for miles around it.
After experiencing and getting all the way to t=
he
Hemkunt Sahib I realized how Faith, prayers and Will can make one climb
mountains and overcome all adversities to meet one’s goal. Though the
climb back was equally arduous and my knees were swollen in pain, there was=
a
peaceful feeling of accomplishment. I felt as though I could accomplish any
task hereafter once I set a goal and worked towards it. I felt my Faith had
increased and I know that my prayers would see me through all adversities in
life.
There seems to be a close link between prayer, =
Will
and Faith
Before all one has to have faith in the Divine
– of things not yet experienced or sensed. Your Faith gives you compl=
ete
belief in the power of your prayers and then there is Will. One’s Wil=
l to
achieve anything, if it is a complete and solid Will, then all can be achie=
ved.
As one exercises there will to achieve greater and better things, the will
keeps becoming stronger. Behind will, prayer and every endeavour – th=
ere
has to be an unshakable faith.
The Mother said –
If you really want it, nothing in the world can
prevent you from doing what you want. It is because one doesn’t know =
how
to will it. It is because one is divided in one’s will. If you are not
divided in your will, I say that nothing; nobody can make you change your w=
ill.
But one doesn’t know how to will it. In f=
act
one doesn’t even want to. These are velleities: “Well, it is li=
ke
this…It would be good if it were like that…yes, it would be bet=
ter
if it were like that…yes, it would be preferable if it were like
that.” But this is not to=
will.
But if one wills, if one really=
knows that this is the thing, and truly wants this, and if one is oneself entirely concentrated in t=
he
will, I say that there is nothing in
the world that can prevent one from doing it, from doing it or being oblige=
d to
do it. It depends on what it is.
To learn how to will is a very important thing.=
And
to will truly, you must unify your being. In fact, to be a being, one must
first unify oneself. If one is pulled by absolutely opposite tendencies, if=
one
spends three-fourths of his life without being conscious of himself and the
reasons why he does things, is one a real being? One does not exist. One is=
a
mass of influences, movements, forces, actions, reactions, but one is not a
being. One begins to become a being when he begins to have a will. And one
can’t have a will unless he is unified.[16]
A true story of Will and Faith
I
still remember that night like it happened just yesterday. Sometimes the th=
ings
that we go through as little kids form an everlasting impression in our min=
ds,
that thereafter we recall them with such clarity that even certain colours =
and
smells evoke those memories.
I
was the youngest of the sixteen of us. There was my father, mother , elder
brother and sister, my father’s mother and sister, and the rest were =
all
my first cousins. In
Our
tea estate was on the banks of a river bed, usually the river ran dry, only
during monsoons did it swell up. Also since it belonged to the state
government, and we were in a remote part of
By
the time we were getting home it was dark and we were all merrily singing a=
nd
in high spirits. While we were driving across the bumpy river, suddenly we =
were
hit by an upsurge of water, quite like if someone broke the wall of a canal=
and
let the water flow out in it wildest fury. We were attacked by the rare but
sudden - flash floods.
Panic
broke out just as the water seemed to overtake every space in our vehicles.
Everybody started to simultaneously panic, talk together and shout
instructions. I saw my older cousin who had worn a saree, the sheer force of
the water current swelled around her saree and pulled at the soft material
threatening to sweep her away in its fury. Out of desperation, she pulled t=
he
saree off and got off the car in her petticoat. As we all moved out of the =
car
and into the fast increasing water of the river. My father spotted a highla=
nd
on which stood an electric pole. He made us all steer ourselves on to that
piece of land.
Looking
across we saw that our huge vehicles were half way submerged in water and g=
oing
down steadily. The sandy bed of the river was giving way under the heavy
vehicles. My father looked at what had been half an inch of stream and was =
now
a river in full spate. He made a hard decision, he would have to swim across
the flooded river to the other end and get help to rescue his family or els=
e we
would all perish. He knew that time was precious.
We were all sitting helplessly huddled together=
in
the middle of the swirling waters. We watched the disappearing figure of my
father as he braved the waters to get a rescue team from the other side. My
grandmother started to chant prayers, and on that dark, starless night, with
the rain gently falling on us, marooned on this piece of highland we all
chanted our prayers with such ferocity that we were filled with hope and it
seemed as though all our fears were drowned by the faith that my
grandmother’s voice seemed to instill in us.
My father was swept away by the currents and ev=
en
today when he recounts that time, he is not sure of how he got across the
river. The current of the river was so strong that he had no control on
himself, all he knew was that almost all his nearest and dearest family mem=
bers
were sitting in its midst and he was their only hope. He could only remember
praying and trying to manipulate the waters with all his strength. He final=
ly
made it to the river bank and was many kilometers down the river. He borrow=
ed a
cycle from a nearby hut and cycled across to the closest tea estate. There =
he
faced the problem of identification as he had lost his turban in the river,=
and
nobody could believe he was the smart sikh manager from the neighbouring es=
tate
in this disheveled state. Finally he spoke to the manager who obviously
recognized him and then began the rescue operations.
There were tractors and elephants mobilized and=
moved
to the river site. When we saw lights streaming at us from across the river
– it was like our prayers were answered. Then came the task of sendin=
g an
elephant across with the rope – they would not budge, so once again my
father, with a rope tied across his torso lead the way with an elephant
following. One by one we each went across the river, holding the rope. As t=
he
last one of us crossed the river – the unthinkable happened - the
electric pole around which we had all sat huddled together, came crashing d=
own!
That night has remained for ever etched in my m=
ind.
We all know that it was a miracle that we were saved. The odds were against=
us.
We had our faith in God, conviction in our prayers and my father’s
determination to make it. Only now can I say that we had a lot going for us,
for these three things – faith, will and prayer were all on our side.=
Con=
clusion
The work of being aware, conscious and centered=
in
oneself is a continuous process. I have to keep persevering. As I had earli=
er
identified, perseverance has always been a block for me, so I need to work =
on
that. I realize that for any work in the spiritual spheres, one has to have
faith. It is a complete necessity. Once one has the faith, then one is in a
positive state of mind, and the will is also much stronger. Faith is an are=
a I
have been working on also through this year as I felt that in my adversitie=
s I
tended to lose Faith in myself and the Divine.
Having written this project has brought forth a=
lso,
the areas that I need to work consistently on. I have only but just started=
on
my journey, the work I have to do is immense. I am going to keep perseveran=
ce
and faith as my new guides, while I unfold the mysteries of my life.
Bibliography
Awareness-
The key to living in balance, by Osho, published by St. Martin’s
Living
Within, By A.S.Dalal, published by Sri Aurobndo Ashram,
Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother on Education, published by Sri Aurobindo Ashram, <=
st1:place
w:st=3D"on">
Collected
Works of the Mother Volume 4, 1950-51, published by Sri Arobindo Ashram,
Da
Vinci Decoded, by Michael J. Gelb, published by Bantam Dell,
Our
Many Selves, by A.S. Dalal, published by Sri Aurobindo Ashram,
Suggested
How
To Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci, by Michael J. Gelb, published by Bantam De=
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A
New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle, published by Penguin Group,
The
Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle, published by Penguin Group,
Emotional
Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman, published by Bantam Books,
The
Tao of Pooh and the Te of Piglet, by Benjamin Hoff, published by Egmont Boo=
ks,
The
Happiness that comes from within, by Osho, published by St. Martin’s =
Appendix 1.
Faith – A
Presentation
At
the very beginning I would invite the group to a 2 minute meditation after
which I would like you to contemplate and write for yourself - What does Fa=
ith
mean to you? If there is a symbol that comes to you or a drawing that you w=
ant
to represent it with, please feel free to do so.
Sha=
ring of
the group….
What is Faith?
The Mother has said the following about faith&s=
hy;:
Faith is a certitude without any proof
A Faith based on material truths is not faith &=
#8211;
It is a bargaining.
Faith is spontaneous knowledge in the psychic.<= o:p>
= <= o:p>
The perception of the exterior consciousness ma=
y deny
the perception of the psychic. But the psychic has the true knowledge, an
intuitive instinctive knowledge. It says, “I know; I cannot give reas=
ons,
but I know.” For its knowledge is not mental, based on experience or
proved true. It does not believe after proofs are given: faith is the movem=
ent
of the soul whose knowledge is spontaneous and direct. Even if the whole wo=
rld
denies and brings forward a thousand proofs to the contrary, till it knows =
by
an inner knowledge, a direct perception that can stand against everything, a
perception by identity.
= <= o:p>
In the ignorance and darkness of the beginning,=
faith
is the most direct expression of the Divine Power which comes to fight and
conquer.
Faith is the confidence in the Divine and the u=
nshakable
certitude of the Divine’s victory.
I had a strong Faith in the Guru’s and I =
still
revere their teachings. However, at a young age I felt that knowledge was my
true guru and I would turn to any book of knowledge and find my answers the=
re.
When I turn away from this latent Faith within myself that I find I hit upon
problems. I am passing around this paper which is in the words of Sri Aurob=
indo
–
To walk through life armoured against all fear,=
peril
and disaster, only two things are needed, two that go always together ̵=
1;
the Grace of the Divine Mother and on your side an inner state made up of
faith, sincerity and surrender. Let your faith be pure, candid and perfect.=
An
egoistic faith in the mental and vital being tainted by ambition, pride, va=
nity,
mental arrogance, vital self-will, personal demand, desire for the petty
satisfactions of the lower nature is a low and smoke-obscured flame that ca=
nnot
burn upwards to heaven. Regard your life as given to you only for the divine
work and to help in the divine manifestation. Desire nothing but the purity,
force, light, wideness, calm, Ananda of the divine consciousness and insist=
ence
to transform and perfect your mind, life and body. Ask for nothing but the
divine, spiritual and supramental Truth, its realization on earth and in you
and in all who are called and chosen and the conditions that are needed for=
its
creation and its victory over all opposing forces.
For=
the
group:
Make
a chart for yourself on how you would increase your Faith.
Would
anybody like to share…?
The
Mother and Sri Aurobindo have said the following on “Can Faith be
increased by Personal Effort?”
“Be
always faithful to your faith…”[17]
“To
sit down in inert passivity and say, “If I am to have faith I shall h=
ave
it, the Divine will give it to me”, is an attitude of laziness, of
unconsciousness and almost of bad-will.
For
the inner flame to burn, one must feed it; one must watch over the fire, th=
row
into it the fuel of all the errors one wants to get rid off, all that delays
the progress, all that darkens the path. If one doesn’t feed the fire=
, it
smoulders under the ashes of one’s unconsciousness and inertia, and t=
hen,
not years but lives, centuries will pass before one reaches the goal.
One
must watch over one’s faith as one watches over the birth of something
infinitely precious, and protect it very carefully from everything that can
impair it.”[18]
I
would invite everyone to make a personal road map for themselves on how they
would increase their faith.
I
made a road map for myself for this year and I am being partially successfu=
l in
doing it. I have kept it simp=
le so
that I feel comfortable in implementing it. At the core is the principle of
moving within myself and finding The Divine within myself_
=
My =
Path for
the Future
- Meditation -
Pranayama
- Writing
- Painting
- Research work
- Playing with my
children
- Gardening
=
Con=
clusion
=
I
realize that where I am, my journey has not yet begun on the planes that Sri
Aurobindo and The Mother describe. I always turn to The Mind, when actually=
it is
the Psychic that I should turn to. I feel I need to study the Psychic, ment=
al
and physical in greater details but with a deeper understanding of the Psyc=
hic.
[1]
Awareness- The key to living in balance, By Osho, pp-60.Published by St.
Martin’s
[2] Livi=
ng
Within, By A.S.Dalal, pp-127. (CWMCE, Vol. 4, Questions and Answers 1950-51,
pp-38-40) published by Sri Aurobndo Ashram,
[3]Living Within, A.S. Dalal, pp.65, CWMCE, Vol.4 (Questions and Answers 1950-51), pp.363-65.
[4] Livi= ng within, A.S.Dalal, pp 64, CWMCE, Vol.4 (Questions and Answers 1950-51), pp.363-65.
[5] Livi= ng Within, A.S.Dalal, pp-74, (CWMCE, Vol.4 (Questions and Answers 1950-51), pp-247-50.
[6] Livi= ng Within, A.S.Dalal, pp-80.
[7] Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother on Education, pp-143. Published by Sri Aurobindo
Ashram,
[8] Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother on Education, pp-151. Published by Sri Aurobindo
Ashram,
[9] Sri
Aurobindo and the Mother on Education, pp-146. Published by Sri Aurobindo
Ashram,
[10] Questions and Answers 1950-51CWM Vol.4, pp.33-37.
[11] Da Vinci Decoded, By Michael J. Gelb, pp-81, published by Bantam Dell
[12] Liv= ing Within, by A.S.Dalal, pp.124-126 (CWMCE, Vol.7, Questions and Answers 1955), pp. 254-255).
[13]
Awareness-The Key to Living in Balance, Osho, pp-57.Published by
St.Martin’s
[14]
Awareness-The Key to Living in Balance, Osho, pp-55-56.Published by
St.Martin’s
[15] Liv= ing With, By A.S. Dalal, pp.161-162. (CWMCE, Vol.6, Questions and Answers 1954, pp.313-314.)
[16] Our
Many Selves, by A.S. Dalal, pp.197-198. (CWM, Vol.6, pp.346-48), published =
by
Sri Aurobindo Ashram,
[17] Aim
Booklet “Faith in the Divine”, p-16, Published by Sri Aurobindo
Society,
[18] Aim
Booklet “Faith in the Divine”, p-16, Published by Sri Aurobindo
Society,