Whispering Wednesday

Hari OM

Watching the opening ceremony of the Paralympics yesterday, I was struck by one word that kept arising in the commentary... ABILITY. Not, you note, DISability. 

In English, we tend to have only those two terms to define an aspect of life that is actually very complex. You will not be surprised to learn that there are over thirty offerings available in Sanskrit! Some have a fine line of difference, but all have a purpose and are specific to distinct factors in one's capability (ah, there's a third word in English!) The word I would most apply to the parathletes, perhaps, is शक्तितस्/shaktitas. Many of you will be familiar with shakti as meaning power. Tas is an adaptation of tat - meaning 'that.' When used in conjunction, it is not simply 'that power' but the potential for that power - it could read more as 'resulting from that power' or 'as a consequence of that power.' 

Yes, other words in the shabdkosha would apply also, but this is perhaps the most encompassing. Every one of those athletes has used everything in their power to overcome their obvious obstacles and the wider ones of society, bureaucracy, financial, and logistical. The very same things their full-bodied contemporaries have to face...on top of their immediate personal obstacles. 

The determination, will, and power they have to have within themselves to represent their nations leave most of us looking anything but powerful! If one had but a fraction of that power in one's sadhana, imagine the possibilities...

So let the games commence and may all, every single one, of those competing revel in their opportunities and take home the pride (if not a medal) of having achieved at such a high level.

More power to them!!!

source

Textual Tuesday

Hari Om

In providing the morning prayers thus far, only a few have been shared; there are quite a lot that could be utilised! The important thing is to get the awareness levels raised and our little selves attuned to the Higher Essence of our being. There is one more essential prayer to be used every time something is to be taken into the mouth. "Grace," or offering thanks for the sustenance. 

Here, only the basic prayer is given. Other verses can be utilised. Indeed, at Sandeepany, no meal was taken without chanting the entire 15th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, plus this following shloka, which is none other than BG 4:24.

ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् |
ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना || 24||

brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam
brahmaiva tena gantavyaṁ brahma-karma-samādhinā

For those completely absorbed in God-consciousness, the oblation is Brahman, the ladle with which it is offered is Brahman, the act of offering is Brahman, and the sacrificial fire is also Brahman. Such persons, who view everything as God, easily attain him.

Now, it has been asked often what has this to do with the food on the table? Read again... Advaita teaches us that all is One. That which we term Brahman is contained in everything. Thus, the very cooking fire is Brahman. The food itself is Brahman. The preparation is Brahman. That by which we serve the food is Brahman. When we take that food into ourselves, where does it go? To Brahman!

There is a wonderful clip of Gurudev explaining this in his erudite and entertaining fashion... let us share it.

Meditative Monday

Hari Om

The foundational regime of the serious seeker is the saadhana chatushtaya. Viveka, Vairagya, Samaadi-shatka-sampatti, and mumukshatvam. The first is discrimination - know what is appropriate for spiritual advancement and what is not. The second is the moderation that Gurudev refers to in this quote. Vairagya is self-control. Having made a decision from our viveka, we must follow through with our action. Turn away from temptations outwith the boundaries we have set ourselves.

Do not think this applies only to the physical. The mind needs to be kept contained also. No flights of fancy or indulgence of imaginations unfitting! Keep it focused on the purpose of improvement and uplift. A mind without focus is not a mind that allows for meditation.

It is not easy. This is a world that flings every obstacle before us. How determined are you?

Sunday Statements

Hari OM

Saturday Satsang

Hari OM

There should be concentration on the work undertaken. If you cannot execute the work because your mind is clogged, your effort will be wasted. The clogging dissipates the dynamism. There are three causes for the dissipation of mental energy – 

(1) Regrets of the past 

(2) anxieties for the future 

(3) excitements in the present.

The mind can be liberated from these clutches by surrendering itself at an altar, a goal or an ideal. Once having surrendered the results of an action to the altar of your dedication – be it God or the nation or a profession – the results no longer belong to you. The action becomes an act of worship.

In this surrender, you have surrendered your anxieties and fears, so the work will come out efficiently. Your work will have quality, beauty, fragrance and perfection. You, too, will become a genius. This is called karma-yoga.

Self-effacement is the secret of inspiration. A genius at work is he who has established a perfect identity of his own mind and intellect with the work in hand. The best can come out of an orator or a painter or a sculptor or a musician or a writer, only when he forgets himself and gets lost in the work at hand.

Everyone with knowledge exerts, sweats and toils. But only a few succeed in life. They generally forget that the mind is the doer in us, and the body is but our tool.

Learn to bring your mind where your hands are working. Then see the results! Actions become excellent, and success is the tribute life pays to excellence.

Thursday Thoughts

Hari OM

Thoughts have to be guarded very carefully. Today, let us hear Gurudev's view on the subject.

We must carefully note what we are doing with our thoughts, our time, chances and our vital energies. In order to keep the performance of our mind steadily high, we must be attentive to it regularly and command its perfect order. This tuning up of the mind exclusively drains it of its dross and refills it with the sacred and high octane fuel of new thoughts drawn daily from the scriptures. ⠀⁠
⠀⁠
These thoughts will compellingly inspire us, projecting us into a harmonious and rewarding relationship with the world about us.⁠

Whispering Wednesday

Hari OM

The word that kept ringing internally this week is व्रत/vrata. This Sanskrit word pertains to temporary abstinence and is most often used to mean fasting. Direct translation is closer to 'vow' or 'resolve' in matters of devotion and can sometimes also refer to pilgrimage (though that is more commonly referred to as tirtha).

Why did vrata pop to mind? Quite simply due to some slightly uncomfortable gut symptoms that gave rise to thinking a little more carefully about food intake in general and sattvika in particular. I seek to maintain as pure a diet as possible; vegetarian, no alcohol, minimal sugar. Age undoubtedly is playing a part now, and I have been given pause to consider quantity, as well as quality. Little and often may be better for slowing digestion. That said, for long now, I have taken only two meals per day.

Breakfast is the best meal of the day, IMHO. I will generally not eat until I am sure the digestion has awoken - so that might sometimes be when others are considering lunch. Then there will be an evening intake anywhere between 5pm and 8pm. 

Vrata can take place around festivals, some of them being several days in duration, but it is also a practice to fast on Ekadashi or Chaturthi. That is the eleventh or fourth day following a full and new moon, so one day a fortnight. Following the moon is not always appropriate for various reasons, so one day of each fortnight might be chosen. (I, for example, opt for every other Monday). Clearly, in dharma, it is performed as a matter of duty and honour to the devata of the household.

However, there are distinct health benefits to a regular fasting day. This has been practiced for centuries in India. Now, the phenomenon has been "discovered" in the west, and it's the next great marketing diet ploy. 

Whether undertaken for health, spiritual or simply appearances sake, it pays to remain present, be consistent and fully honest about the process. Use the non-food day for contemplative or artistic activity. Vrata can be a useful tool in the path to self-awareness and personal improvement. If nothing else, it will test one's discipline... or should I say, resolve?