Life 45 (Jan 23 - Aug 23)

[winston]

What is the most common tendency of the mind? How can we regulate it?

The mind is influenced by passion for objective pleasure and delusion of ignorance, with which it pursues fleeting objects of the world with amazing quickness.

So, again and again, it must be led towards higher ideals.

Of course, it’s difficult at first, with persistent training, the mind can be tamed; it will get fixed in the perpetual enjoyment of “Om”.

Mind can be trained by following methods of quiet persuasion, promise of attractive inducements, practice of withdrawing the senses from the outer world, endurance of pain and travail, cultivation of sincerity and constancy, and acquisition of mental equipoise.

Mind can be turned towards Brahman and constant contemplation of Brahman by the study of the Scriptures, adoption of regular prayer, serving others, the ecstasy of devotional singing and adherence to truth.

Very often, with the progress of meditation, new desires and resolutions arise in the mind. But one need not despair.

The mind can be broken, provided one takes up the task in right earnest and follows regular routine of training.

- Ch 6, Jnana Vahini.

The mind must be attuned to the contemplation of the Divine; one must strive to tread the path of the Divine, live in Him and with Him.

Source: radiosai.org

[behappyalways]

Enjoy the time that you have
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[winston]

When we make a prayer, why is it important to trust the Divine’s wisdom in how He answers it?

You must know how to pass every day in the best possible way, without wasting precious time.

You must also know that everything happens according to the Divine Will. The Divine cannot be expected to act according to your thoughts or desires.

He is fully aware of the needs of the family, country and the world at large, and confers the requisite benefits at the appropriate time.

Let us take an example of how one gift of nature proves beneficial to some people, while it is not so for some others.

Suppose a marriage function is being celebrated in one house, and the family prays for the rain to stop to facilitate them. At the same time, a neighbour who has cultivable land, which is dry, prays for the rain to continue to pour in torrents to facilitate his cultivation of the land.

The Divine is impartial and will not submit to a particular individual's needs. He weighs the needs of all and maintains a balance.

- Divine Discourse, Apr 21, 1998.

A true devotee leads a sacred life which is sanctified when he faces obstacles and problems with full faith in the Divine.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Staying on the Path

As we walk the path, let us not look up so much at the destination, high above in the mist but carefully place one foot in front of the other.

- Andrew Olendzki, “A Tough But Not Impossible Act to Follow”

[winston]

While doing our duty, if we experience a low ebb what should we do?

The heart’s blemishes must be washed by a moral life and by doing one’s duty.

Time may come when one becomes tired and weak, then, one should pray thus: “Divine, things have gone beyond my capacity. I feel further effort is too great a strain. Give me strength, O Lord!”.

At first, He stands at a distance, watching one’s efforts, like the teacher who stands apart when the student writes answers to questions. Then, when one sheds attachment to sensual pleasures and takes to good deeds and selfless service, He comes encouragingly near!

Like Sun-God (Surya-Narayana), He waits outside the closed door. Like the manservant who knows his master’s rights and his own limitations, He doesn’t announce His presence or bangs on the door but simply waits! And when the master opens the door just a little, Sun rushes in and promptly drives darkness out from within.

When His help is requested, He is present by a person’s side, with hands extended to render assistance. What is wanted is only discrimination to pray to the Divine and the spiritual wisdom to remember Him!

- Ch 11, Prema Vahini.

Mere words are not enough when you pray; you should offer your heart to the Divine in prayer.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the connection between our actions, devotion and spiritual wisdom?

A piece of sweet delicacy has sweetness, weight and shape; these cannot be separated, one from another.

Each little part has sweetness, weight, and shape. We don’t find shape in one part, weight in another and sweetness in a third! And when it is placed on the tongue, the taste is recognised, weight is lessened and shape is modified - all at the same time!

So too, the individual, the Soul and the Supreme Divine are not separate; they are one and the same!

Therefore, each individual deed must be full of the spirit of selfless service, divine love and spiritual wisdom.

In other words, each of life’s activities must be saturated with dedicated action, devotion to the Divine and spiritual wisdom. This is verily Yoga of the Supreme.

It must be enacted in practice, not merely spoken in words! Spiritual discipline should be done constantly with an ever-expanding heart full of devotion and spiritual wisdom.

- Ch 9, Prema Vahini.

Devotion means seeking unity with the Divine through purity in thought, word and deed and concentrating on the oneness of the Divine.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

In this day and age of instant gratification and quick results, why should we have the courage and sincerity to persist in our spiritual practices?

Twenty hammer strokes might not succeed in breaking a stone but the twenty-first stroke, might break it! Does this mean that twenty blows were of no avail? No! Each contributed its share to the final success! The final result was the cumulative effect of all twenty-one!

So too, the mind is engaged in a struggle with the world, both internal and external. Needless to say - success may not always be your lot. But you can attain everlasting bliss, by getting immersed in good works and by saturating your mind with love of the Divine!

Infuse every moment of life with that love. Then, evil tendencies dare not hamper the path.

If your mind dwells always with the Him, you will be drawn automatically only towards good deeds.

The object of all spiritual practices is the destruction of the mind, and someday, some one good deed will succeed in destroying it, just as the twenty-first blow broke the stone!

All good deeds done in the past, contribute to this triumph; each little thing counts; no good deed is a waste!

- Ch 28, Prema Vahini.

Character is built up by the constant practice of good actions.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

Why should we be vigilant against vagaries of the mind?

The mind is a bundle of impressions. Verily, the mind is creation itself; it is all the world for the individual.

While in deep sleep, the mind doesn’t function, so creation is practically non-existent for the individual.

Creation is born (or “enters into the consciousness”) and dies (or “disappears from the consciousness”) according to the cognitive powers of the mind. Therefore, when the mind is destroyed, the world is also destroyed and one is free and liberated.

Whoever succeeds in controlling the consciousness can have a vision of the Atma (Inner-Self).

Consciousness is the grown-up tree, while the seed is the “ego”, the feeling of “I”.

When the seed “I” is cast aside, all the activities of the consciousness also vanish automatically.

The spiritual aspirant who is earnest for these results has to be ever vigilant. At any moment, the senses might regain their lost mastery and enslave the individual.

The aspirant might lose much of the ground already gained. That is why spiritual aspirants are warned away from attachments to the world.

- Ch 7, Jnana Vahini.

The ego is the unseen cause for the ups and downs, which one struggles with all his life.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the most common tendency of the mind that has to be overcome in this path of spirituality?

The ocean is one and indivisible but here it is called the North Sea and there, the South Sea!

So too, the Divine, the Ocean of Grace, is One, but He is assigned various names according to the age or era of time.

The holy rivers seeking to reach the ocean, flow from all directions; so too, people seek the Divine through various spiritual disciplines and finally merge themselves, all of them, in the Divine.

Mankind can win happiness only through unity, and not through diversity. If thoughts and feelings run along the routes of distinction and division, happiness is beyond reach and peace cannot be experienced.

Without peace, you have no chance to be joyful. Consider the one indivisible ocean as the goal. How does the direction of flow matter? How does the name matter? The rivers merge in the self-same sea, don’t they?

Spiritual aspirants and devotees who adopt the "path of yoga" (path of devotion), or the path of peace, dharma, truth & love, reach the Ocean of Grace at last, and name and form fade away; distinctions disappear. They are blessed with the merger in the sea of peace.

- Ch 14, Prasanthi Vahini.

One must respect all creeds and faiths. They are beacons of light guiding pilgrims along the many paths to the Universal Absolute.

Source: radiosai.org

[winston]

What is the best way to experience and understand the Divine?

The Divine is an embodiment of love. To reach Him and to understand His divinity, the only path that is available to us is the path of love.

When the moon comes up in the sky, you can see it directly. You do not require the aid of a torchlight or a petromax lamp or any other artificial light.

The reason why you do not require another light is that it is possible for us to look at the moon by the light of the moon.

In the same manner, if we want to go near the Divine, who is an embodiment of love, or if we want to understand Him, it becomes possible to do so only by means of love, which is characteristic of Him.

He who is the embodiment of love, is not confined to one place or spot. He is present everywhere, in every nook and corner of the world.

It is very essential for young people to love all and to regard loving all, as loving Him, who is present in all of them.

Since He is selfless, we also should promote our love in a manner in which it becomes selfless love.

- Divine Discourse, Jun 03, 1976.

Man can experience the Divine only when he becomes the embodiment of Love, which doesn't seek anything or expect even gratitude in return; Love which becomes sacrifice and service, spontaneously.

Source: radiosai.org