GIVING UP EVERYTHING

     In Hindu religion, we have a concept of 4 stages of life ,so called ASHRAMS. The life is divided in to 4 stages or segments where we are suppose to do certain Duties or function in certain stages. The 1st one is BRAHMACHARY - celibacy and do the study and get education .The second is GRUHASTHASHRAM -Having a family life and get married and have children and have a family. In the next one or 3rd one which is called VANAPRASTHASRAM. In this stage one needs to start disowning everything .and so one must 'give up ' everything . The next one is SANYAS ASHRAM In this stage of life one leaves EVERYTHING AND DEVOTES LIFE for God worship or meditating to achieve MOKSHA.

    So the question is why one has to GIVE UP EVERYTHING to do mediation or achieve MAKSHA ?Why can one live with family , have a home , car , bank account etc. and still do the mediation. We see the same thing . When we see sages or SWAMIES ,they  don't own anything and even when they change from householder's life to one of SANYASI - they change the name . In fact the ceremony that is done is 2 folds . One is to perform 'LAST RIGHTS'-So called SHRADHA and then naming ceremony. The idea is to start new life and have no connection with even the PREVIOUS LIFE. When we have family and possessions, we have Attachments and that not only binds us but also disturbs our n=mind. When one meditates , one is asked to do it at 4 am when environment is quite - for today  less traffic noise, TV , radio etc. are off and since every one is sleeping , the noise is less . We chant SHANTI for 3 times - is for the same reason - no disturbance from external and internal disturbance and also from our past karmas - that is 3 things. If we try to meditate, with the family and all the possessions , our mind will be disturbed by thinking about our car - home - our children and grand children , duties as householder and we cannot concentrate at the time of meditation. 

    So one has to have detachment from everything and I mean everything and that is why all the Swamies are not married , have family or own anything.

AHINSA -NONVIOLENCE

 The AHINSA in PATANJALI SUTRA YOGA is NON VIOLANCE .It is often discussed and misunderstood . What does exactly is meant by not doing violence. We have great examples of nonviolence in politics and then at the same time we have people who resorted to violence. Is the violence ever permitted or any violence is  justified .But first we have to define  what is violence . 

   The violence could be physical and also mental. Many a times lot of people don't know or think that mental action is violence. The violence can be done DIRECTLY or INDIRECTLY. When some one eats meat - they may not have KILLED the animal by themselves, but it is still violence and they are responsible for the killing. I may not have cooked the food but it was cooked for me to eat and then I am responsible for that. The same holds true for actual beating of someone. I could beat someone which is very obviously violence . But I could give a contract for beating someone and it may be difficult or impossible for some one to trace that to me. But still I AM RESPONSIBLE . So the direct and indirect action if that leads to pain and suffering it is VIOLENCE. The same holds true for violence in thought . I feel that if we have bad thought-like someone needs to get some punishment or beating -that is a violence even though  there was no physical beating. If we have a transient thought of beating someone and do not dwelt on it and do repeated thinking of physical violence then the effecet is minimal or none. But if we continue to think of the SAME THOUGH over and again , then it has an effecet and gthat is violence and a bad karma.

     If there is bad speech by which we we insult someone or encourage violence against some one , it is violence even though we have not done physical violence  ourselves. 

   So in defining violence - we say KAYA-VACHA- MANA- BODY- SPEECH- MIND -one must not do violence. 

MORE ABOUT CHAKRAS

     I did write about the Chakras  and I did a you tube video on the same .If you are interested in watching the video, please check out Just A talk @justatalk2648.The information that I wrote in last blog is related to PANCHMAHABHUTE or the GREAT elements that are involved in making this universe . As I had stated that these element undergo what is called PANCHIKARAN and then the micro and macrocosm are created. But today I am talking about Human body and the nerve plexus. In Anatomy we do know that the nerves come out of spinal column and then form what is referred to as plexus. These plexus are present at various levels of spine and are named in the same way as the vertebra are. In Hindu religion , we have these nerve plexus called as chakras . As I understand it ,they are in ASTRAL BODY or SUKSHM SHARIR and as one knows the Astral body and Causal Body-also known as KARAN SHARIR, are glued together along with Physical Body when we are alive. These Chakras rotate and they have one letter Mantra to stimulate.

   The lowest level in spine is coccyx - tail bone and we have a CHAKRA named as MULADHAR CHAKRA. The deity controlling this is GANAPATI  and it is related to the great element of PRUTHVI or the Earth -SOLID element. It is related to the physical body function of Excretion. It has 4 petals and it's color is red . In Mahabharat Sahadeo represents this chakra and it is the related to our previous life SAUSHARAS or impressions. 

    The next one - higher up -is the SACRAL area CHAKRA  named SWADHISTAN CHAKRA. Th controlling deity is BRAHMA. and it is related to the great element of WATER -LIQUID element. It is related to the physical body function of PROCREATION and it has 6 petals and the color is orange. In Mahabharat NAKUL represents this Chakra and it is related to function of obeying the rules and emotional balance. 

   Just as a note , the physical body spinal column ends at Lumbar area and the sacral and coccyx nerves just come out of bony spine at sacral and coccygeal area, we do not have spinal column at that level . 

 The higher up at Lumbar level is the Chakra named MANIPOOR . It is related to the great element of FIRE or Energy. The controlling deity is VISHNU . It is Yellow in color and has 10 petals and it has function of SELF CONTROL Arjun represents this Chakra in Mahabharat.

    The next and in dorsal spine or at the level of heart is the Chakra named ANAHAT. It is related to the great element of WIND-AIR The controlling deity is RUDRA. It has 12 petals and the color is green . The function is controlling PRANA or energy or breath. Bhima from Mahabharat is the representing this Chakra. 

    The next one is located at the Cervical spine or THROAT area . It is called VISHUDHHA Chakra. It is related to the great element of ETHER or SPACE - AKASH . It has 16 petals and color is blue, .It has function of self control, speech etc. .Panchavakra SIVA is the deity controlling it. Dharmaraj from  Mahabharat is the representative of the representative. 

   There are 2 more Chakras and they are called AADNYA CHAKRA and SAHASARA CHAKRA .

I will write about them in next blog. The Chakras also rotate and when one does meditation , he has to concentrate on the Chkra and try to imagin rotation by saying the MANTRA. 

 

MEDITATION AND WHY WE CANNOT DO IT

             I have been asked many  a times as to why I can not concentrate . The common complaints that I get is that when we try to meditate and concentrates , the thoughts come and hen the mind gets distracted. The Patanjali  Sutra Yoga states in second verse that 'controlling the tendencies of mind - or Chitta - is yoga .'So even Patanjali the great sage, knew about the problems that an average person has when they try to meditate. I am often also told that the SWAMI or Sages have nothing to worry about as they never get married and have kids etc., There lies the answer of the question as to why average person can not concentrate or do a perfect meditation. We create our own problems . We  get educated and seek for a job or have business and  try to make money . Once we have that we try to make more and more . We get married and then we want to have children and we have high goals or aims for our kids . We buy house and then want to have bigger one and we have a car and then get more expensive cars . This increase in our 'ATTACHMENTS ' leads to our down fall. When we try to meditate or concentrate on what ever symbol of the God we have in our mind , then we get thought RELATED TO OUR INVOLVEMENETS OR ATTACHMENTS in our personal lives. We get a thought of our son or daughter -that leads to his or her education - job - marriage - kids and so on. So, the mind wanders all over . The mind is like monkey. It does not stay steady and has to be trained .

    The attachments that we have created cause distraction of our mind and thoughts. The bigger house and expensive car need more money to maintain and so now we worry as to how to get it and also worry about someone stealing it

   So the best thing would be what most of the Swamies or sages did. They did not get involved in the SAUNSAR -FAMILY LIFE .But that is not necessary and one can still do a reasonable meditation.

   The answer is there -may not be easy and always successful. 

      There are External and Internal disturbances in our mind and we an control some of them. So Select a time when the External disturbances are least. If one is pressed for the time -like 8 am ,when he or she has to go to work at 9 am , it is is difficult not to think about the work. If one does do meditation, without shower or going to toilet, the mind is going to be sleepy or bodily needs will distract the mind . If there is radio or TV on, then that will also cause he distraction . So select time when one is not pressed for time . Do it after one has satisfied bodily needs - toilet to hunger -thirst etc . There should be no TV or radio noise .So the BEST TIME IS EARLY MORNING - MAY BE 5 AM if one has to go for work after 8 am. One must engage his all senses in the act of meditation . A small light - a statue or picture of the Deity that one is to concentrating will help. No music or soft music that is pleasing not distracting to engage hearing and some fragrance will help. When a thought comes - let it go -DO NOT HAVE SECONDARY THOUGHTS TO IT. e.g. If one thinks of his child - let it not go from his education to job to conflicts and marriage etc . Let the thought come -OBSERVE AS A THIRD PERSON ns let it go and  bring back the mind to the DHARANA -OBJECT of meditation.. 

     Set a time limit -20 to 30 minutes. For ordinary - house holder - it is very difficult to go beyond that. DO NOT EXPECT ANT SPECIAL POWERS after doing the meditation. It is not like taking Tylenol and seeing fever come down or pain go away. 

   JUST DO IT AND YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. 

SAMADHI AND IT'S VARIOUS STAGES

       It is interesting to note that in Hindu religion, we talk of Samadhi. The meditation is done to achieve the Samadhi and ordinarily we talk of Samadhi -some one took Samadhi at age so and so. Sometimes it's called LIVE SAMADHI  and sometimes when some great spiritual person dies we called it Samadhi too. But in real sense the Samadhi is a state which is achieved ultimately with the instruments that re given to us ,namely Mind , Intellect etc. 

   In Patanjali Sutra Yoga , the samadhi is divided in to 2 main types ,ASMAPRADYANT AND SAMPRDYANT . In a way one leads to other . ASAMPRADYANT SAMADHI happens when one has perfected SAMPRDYANT. The SAMPRADYANT SAMADHI is related to the instruments that are given to us by Nature or PRAKRUTI . The SAMPRADYANT  samadhi is divided in to 4 stages . Each stage is going deeper and deeper and then when the last or the 4th stage is achieved , it leads to ASAMPRADYANT SAMADHI. The SAMPRADYANT SAMADHI creates impressions or SAUNSKAR  and so some people call it CONSCIUS SAMADHI. The ASMAPRADYAT is sometimes then referred to UNCONSCIOUS SAMADHI.

    This all may sound confusing . So let me try to make it simple 

   When the meditation is started ,we have it at the level of MIND and so we have lots of doubts and so this is at the lowest level and is called SAVITARK SAMADHI. Then when we go deeper in to it we are at the level of INTELLECT and we have some ideas or thought and so it is called SAVICHAR -VICHAR is thoughts. Then we go beyond and now we are at the level of CHITTA and we experience some happiness though transient and so it is called SANAND -ANAND is bliss or happiness . When one has experienced bliss linger and we go deeper then in ego or 'I'nes it is called SASMIT- ASMITA is ego or self awareness. In all these 4 stages we are AWARE of ourselves and so these stages are part of SAMPRDYANT SAMADHI .

     The impressions that are created by theses stages lead finally to the highest level , where we have dissolved MIND -INTELLECT - CHITTA AND EGO OR AHANKAR OR SELF AWARENESS and that is called ASMAPRADYANT SAMADHI - Here we are not aware of separation of our physical body mind intellect and CHITTA - all that is part of PRAKRUTI and we are one with the PURUSH or SPIRIT. 

REFLECTED CONSCIOUSNESS -CHIDABHAS

   IN the last blog post ,I wrote about the Ganga drowning her 7 kids and what does that mean to us or the explanation. One of the children is ABHAS CHAITANYA OR also called reflected consciousness. So what is this reflected Chaitanya or consciousness and does it die with death or is it carried or is it destroyed? The reflected Chaitanya is reflection of the consciousness. The examples that are given by many to explain are that of sun light and moon light. As we know ,the moon has no light of it's own and so what we see as Moon Light is actually the reflection of the Sun light. There won't be any Moon light ,if there is no Sun, even though we do not see the Sun. The same way if there is no Moon, there won't be an object o reflect the Sun light and there won't be Moon light . So we need the Sun and the Moon to have the moonlight. The sun light has some qualities and they  are there in moon light too. The same holds true of the consciousness and the the reflection of the consciousness. The Reflected consciousness is called CHIDABHAS. We all as physical bodies and the subtle bodies and causal body combination have the reflected consciousness . Without this consciousness - though reflected - we could not do any thing. The reflected consciousness shines light on mind and  so we can think. It shines light on intellect and so we can do intellectual decisions. 

    Everything in this universe has the reflected consciousness . The plants have the reflected consciousness and the animals have it and even the stone or table and chair etc. all have reflected consciousness . But in chair or table , there is no mind - intellect and so there is no 'thinking' . or intellectual decision . The plant and animals have  some evolution of mind and intellect and so there is some thinking and decision making ability. 

    Upon the death - actually physical body dies . But the ASTRAL - SUBTLE BODY or also called Subtle body or SUKSHMA SHARIR, continues it's journey along with the CAUSAL BODY -KARAN SHARIR - and so there will be the reflected consciousness . The standard example given is that of pots with water and reflected sunlight in them . If a pot breaks - leaks - the water can be poured in a different pot and then there will be reflected sun in it. This is what happens when we die and are reborn . We have new POT - new PHYSICAL BODY , but there is no change in reflected consciousness. The consciousness or the reflected consciousness DOES NOT do anything . It is Mind - Intellect that does the actual work , but they could not do anything if there is no shining by the reflected consciousness.

    We can look at a mirror It has a glass and there are chemicals applied to the glass and there there is a frame.So the frame is like physical body and the glass is like subtle or SUKSHAM SHARIR  - body. and the chemical applied is like Causal or KARAN SHARIR At the time of death the FRAME is broken - gone - nonfunctional. Butthe glass and the chemical applied to it is still there  and so the SUN can still be reflected in the mirroor ,even though there is no frame or the physical body.. 

GANGA AND HER 8 CHILDREN

      In the story of the Mahabharata, there are things that are well known but not well understood. The story starts with the King Shantanu , who  wanted to marry Ganga and she had a condition. She will marry him but when children are born, he cannot ask him any questions. He agreed and they got married and then she had a child . She took it to the river Ganga and drowned it. He could not understand , but said nothing. Then she had second nd third and then 7th and she drowned them one by one after their birth. Shantanu was frustrated ,When the 8th  child was born, he questioned her behavior and then she left him . This last child is none other than BHISHMA This whole story does not make a sense for us mortal and there must be a hidden meaning to the story . I will try to tell that meaning , This is ot my interpretation, but the one given by Paramhans  Yoganand.

    The Brahman is vast and limitless and we call it PARABRAHM. It is infinite  and so it cannot be divided . So, it splits in to 2 . One is SPIRIT and the other is NATURE or matter . We call it PURUSH and PRAKRUTI . In the beginning of the universe, the PARABRAHMA splits in to these 2 elements . Shantanu represents Parabrahm and then the part of the CONSCIOUSNESS OR PURUSHA OR SPRIT is what is GNAGA in the story . The nature is Satyavati. The supreme consciousness is the governing inelegance . There are 3 bodies for the universe . One is Physical - STHUL SHARIR, then SUBTLE or SUKSHAM SHARAIR and then the KARAN OR CAUSAL SHARIR OR BODY. 

  In past I have given the example of of electricity, which may be the closest that I can think of. The electricity is needed for the light bulb to give light , electricity is needed to start the fan, electricity is needed to start AC and same electricity is needed for heat and to produce heat. The electricity does not PRODUCE heater light or cold air . The electricity does not work on computer or dial or start phone . But without the electricity these instruments will not work

  So the same is true of consciousness . Without the consciousness shedding the light on the entire universe, they will not work. The 3 bodies at micro level and their parallels macrocosm has 3  corresponding universes. So in all and all there are 6 things , which need governing inelegances and thay rea submerged and so theses children are drowned . The KUTHAST CHAITANYA -has to shine in everything - and that is reflected CHIATANYA or consciousness and that is called ABHAS CHAITAINYA . This is the seventh child.

  The  presence of ABHAS CHAITANYA when combines with mind- intellect in an individual person - body it creates' I' ness and that is AHANKAR . This is the 8th child - the  PITAMAH BHISHMA.